That excludes Turkish puddings. I hate to say it, but I�m not a big fan. It�s a texture thing.
I find most of the Turkish puddings to be chalky or starchy. They simply don't taste silky smooth compared to a bowl of freshly made French custard. (Note: I also don�t like shrimp because of the texture thing, but I will eat raw oysters. Odd. I know.) I�ve tried them and just don't like them.
So I have avoided the infamous Turkish puddings.
In Istanbul, there are dozens of shops called Muhallebici(translated directly as a dairy bar) that sell a variety of puddings. On a recent outing with Claudia of A Seasonal Cook in Turkey in Istanbul, I tried an extra special type of pudding called tavuk g�gs� kazandibi (chicken breast pudding).
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| Grab a spoon and dive right into this special Ottoman-era pudding in Istanbul! |
Yes, this special pudding, dating back to the Ottoman period and served to Sultans at Topkapi Palace, is made from shredded chicken breast. It�s a milky, sweet pudding that is enriched with cinnamon. The chicken is boiled, shredded and ground into a sort of paste. Then the pudding is slowly cooked in a pot until the natural sugars caramelize on the bottom, hence the Turkish phrase kazandibi, which means �bottom of a pot.� You�ll notice the brown �burnt� coloring in my photo.
In my opinion, I think you�ll find the best tavuk g�gs� kazandibi at Kismet Muhallebicisi in Emin�n� where Claudia took us. This tiny mom and pop shop also is part of the Istanbul Eats Culinary Walks. I swear you would never even know the pudding contains chicken! And this pudding is smooth and NOT chalky like most!
And if you�re too chicken to try this delicious chicken pudding, you can opt for a dessert without. (Pardon the pun!)
I may be a Turkish pudding convert.
Afiyet olsun!
Location:
Address: Kazancilar Cad., Emin�n�
Tel: +90-212-513-6773