Dishes you should try in Karayazı: Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb), Ayran Aşı (yoghurt and wheat soup) and Kesme Çorbası (hand-cut pasta soup). This guide also covers the local products to buy and what Karayazı is famous for.

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Famous Dishes of Karayazı

  • Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb)

    Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Karayazı, it has a special flavour from the sheep raised on the district's wide pastures.

  • Ayran Aşı (yoghurt and wheat soup)

    Traditional soup made with yoghurt, cracked wheat and mint, a nourishing dish that never goes missing from tables during Karayazı's cold winter days.

  • Kesme Çorbası (hand-cut pasta soup)

    Soup made by cooking thin-cut pieces of dough in meat broth, one of the winter classics of Karayazı cuisine.

Dishes from Erzurum Cuisine

What to eat in Erzurum →

These dishes are known throughout Erzurum province; see the provincial food guide for details.

  • Oltu Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb)

    A kebab with a registered geographical indication, cooked on a horizontal skewer over a wood fire and served on the cağ skewer.

  • Erzurum Kadayıf Dolması (walnut-filled kadayıf)

    Shredded kadayıf filled with walnuts and soaked in syrup; it has a registered geographical indication.

  • Erzurum Su Böreği (boiled-pastry börek)

    A registered börek made with layers of boiled yufka and cheese.

  • Ayran Aşı Çorbası (yoghurt and wheat soup)

    A registered soup made with yoghurt, wheat and herbs.

  • Erzurum Hurma Tatlısı (syrupy dough dessert)

    A syrupy dough dessert with a registered geographical indication.

  • Hasıta

    A registered traditional dessert made with flour, butter and sugar.

What to Buy in Karayazı: Local Products

  • Karayazı Honey Flower honey gathered on the district's high plateaus. The rich flora gives it an aromatic and natural character.
  • Civil Peyniri (civil cheese) Civil cheese made from fresh milk and separated into fine strands, produced in Karayazı by traditional methods.

What Karayazı Is Famous For: Culture and Traditions

  • Settlement History of the Aras Basin

    Because Karayazı lies in the Aras River basin, it has been settled since ancient times. Remains from the Urartian, Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk periods are found in the area.

  • Border Region Culture

    Because of its location close to the Iranian and Ağrı borders, Karayazı has been an area where different cultures interacted throughout history. This geographic position has shaped the district's cultural diversity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I eat in Karayazı?

Karayazı is known for 3 local dishes, above all Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb), Ayran Aşı (yoghurt and wheat soup) and Kesme Çorbası (hand-cut pasta soup). Cağ kebabı is prepared by roasting lamb on a horizontal spit over a wood fire. In Karayazı, it has a special flavour from the sheep raised on the district's wide pastures.

What is Karayazı famous for?

Karayazı is known for Cağ Kebabı (horizontal spit-roasted lamb), Karayazı Honey and Settlement History of the Aras Basin. Its best-known sights include Aras River Banks and Köyceğiz Reservoir.

What to buy in Karayazı?

Local products and souvenirs to buy in Karayazı include Karayazı Honey and Civil Peyniri (civil cheese).

Karayazı Travel Guide

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