Britain's culinary tastes are famously diverse, and while Turkish cuisine may be among the most popular, it's also long struggled to shake off the stereotype of cheap and cheerful late-night kebab shops.
However, a number of new players on London's dining scene are looking to permanently change our perception of Turkish food. Among them is hip Shoreditch hangout Oklava, the first solo venture from Turkish-Cypriot chef and Great British Menu 2017 finalist, Selin Kiazim. Then there's Yosma, a modern mangal restaurant and raki bar (Turkey’s signature tipple) in leafy Marylebone. Yosma was founded by London-born, second generation Turkish chef Hus Vedat. Like Kiazim, Vedat has been cited as a culinary talent on the rise. He learned the tricks of the trade at the family butchers before working in Caxton Grill at St Ermin's Hotel and Jamie Oliver's barbecue steakhouse, Barbecoa. In September 2016, Vedat realised his dream of opening a restaurant that would pay homage to his roots by serving authentic dishes "inspired by the streets of Istanbul" but in a modern, upmarket setting.
Yosma's menus may feature pretty standard Turkish fare, including meze, mangal-cooked meats and fried fish, but Vedat is unafraid to add modern, western twists to his dishes while shedding light on the country's lesser-known delicacies. This month, there's one street food dish in particular that's taking pride of place on Yosma's menu: manti.
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Manti – or 'dumplings' – are a traditional comfort dish dating back to the 13th century and something that is still found at many dinner tables in Turkey. Made from a simple plain flour and water dough, the dumplings are usually filled with minced lamb neck and served with garlic yogurt sauce. So much is Vedat's desire to introduce this street food staple to his fellow Londoners that he's dedicated an entire month to it, and will be hosting a one-off manti masterclass at the end of July.
Turkish people may be traditionalists when it comes to their food, but Vedat is adamant that manti is ripe for experimentation. As such, the chef has introduced several new flavours alongside the classic lamb, including a veggie-friendly aubergine with fresh spinach and lemon yogurt, and even an extravagant lobster manti served with honey, garlic cream and tomato ezme. Prepare to discover your latest foodie obsession.
The limited edition Manti Month menu is available at Yosma throughout July. The manti masterclass starts at 7pm on Wednesday 26 July. Tickets, £25pp, available to purchase at billetto.co.uk
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