Salihli Meatball

There are many types of meatballs in Turkey. Some of them are industrialized to be sold in super markets, others are cooked by only masters. Some of the meatballs are specific to a particular region and you can taste them in the restaurants where are in that region.

For gastronomy enthusiasts who love to travel by car, Manisa has a delicious choice. Salihli district on the Izmir and Ankara roadway has a traditional meatball that known as Odun Kofte. (Kofte means meatball and odun means wood) The meatballs made from sheep or lamb minced meat contain 20 grams of salt, the same amount of flour and enough spices. It is cooked in the wood fire while it is wrapped to skewers. The oak wood is preferred in the region: Oak wood may affect its smell, I guess. After cooking, it is served with onions, tomatoes, parsley, and yogurt. I prefer ayran as a beverage for this delicious traditional meatball.

On the Izmir - Ankara roadway, there are too many restaurants that service Salihli's Odun Kofte. Of course, prices at these restaurants are slightly expensive than those located in the town center. Azaklar is an ideal restaurant on the road, and they're really good on their job.