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Five Top Dishes to Try in North Cyprus
Cyprus is one of the most attractive of European countries to move to, thanks to its welcoming citizens, the warm climate, and comparatively low level of taxes and cost of living.
The delicious Cypriot food is one of the best reasons to live on this island. There are plenty of traditional dishes for expats to try, all made from the abundance of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood available there. Hamiltons Removals, who offer international removals to Cyprus, identify five of the tastiest.
Starter – Halloumi Cheese
This piquant tasting cheese is often served as an appetiser or a snack in Cypriot homes and restaurants, where it’s eaten sliced, grilled or fresh.
Historians are divided on whether halloumi originated in Cyprus in the 16th century or if it has far more ancient Arabic roots.
Although rich in fat, halloumi is thought to be healthier than yellow cheeses, like Edam or Gouda, as it doesn’t contain any preservatives.
Main Course – Souvlaki
This popular dish is served on special occasions such as Bank Holidays and Greek Orthodox Church holidays. Made with pork or chicken, the meat is marinaded the night before, then threaded onto skewers and barbecued or grilled on an open flame. It’s eaten hot while still on the skewers.
Fast food restaurants also serve souvlaki; this is usually in pitta bread wraps, alongside salad, yoghurt and fried potatoes. It’s often accompanied by alcohol like ouzo or zivania, a traditional Cypriot spirit.
Main Course – Lamb Kofte
This is one of the staples of Northern Cypriot cuisine and the meat is ground or minced and then served as a meatball or a type of kebab (typically sheftali). Both of these dishes are accompanied by traditional herbs and spices. It’s also known as ‘kofta’ and has its roots in Balkan, Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Alternatively, in many kitchens and dining rooms you’ll find that lamb, like souvlaki, has been skewered, grilled and served as a sis (shish) kebab.
Main Course – Calamari
As an island nation, Cyprus is blessed with a bounty of fresh seafood. Sea bream and sea bass are familiar fishes in most European cuisines. Cypriots like to eat these grilled, paired with a crisp white wine such as Chardonnay.
However, there are plenty of other more unusual seafood dishes which are Cypriot staples, such as calamari. This is a small type of squid and one of the common ways to serve it is to stuff a whole one with garlic, lemon, olive oil, mint and oregano, and then grill it. (See the picture above). This type of seafood has a mild, slightly sweet taste, and should be chewy to eat but never rubbery.
If you don’t fancy this seafood as a main course, then eat it as a snack instead. Fried calamari rings go well with a cold beer.
Dessert – Baklava
This delicious concoction is served at the end of a meal with coffee or tea. Drenched in honey or syrup, baklava is made from several layers of filo pastry dough and crushed nuts, like pistachios.
A popular dessert in all Middle Eastern countries, the Cypriot version is unique as it’s served with lemon juice and cinnamon to enhance the sweet, buttery taste of the dish.
International Removals to Cyprus with Hamiltons Removals
Hamiltons Removals can help if you are moving house to Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, as well as all the other principal towns and cities in Cyprus. We also organise commercial moves to the country. For more information about our removal services to Cyprus, follow this link or call us on 01379 855203.
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