Turkish delights: Kebabs, kunefe and more at Delhi’s Ophelia

Baklava, kunefe and falafel are no strangers to Delhi’s food lovers—much like Ramen and Tiramisu, which have firmly found their place in the city's food scene. Now, Ophelia, nestled within Hotel Ashok, is celebrating Turkey’s rich heritage with its ongoing Turkish food festival, offering diners an authentic taste of their traditional flavours.

Known for its Mediterranean and Asian offerings, Ophelia already features Turkish delicacies on its menu, but this festival takes a deeper dive into authenticity. “Often we introduce something new—whether it’s an Italian festival, a Turkish festival, or a seafood festival. We want to keep things fresh and exciting for our guests,” says head chef Pankaj Pandey. 

Twists of taste

Turkish cuisine is defined by its distinct spice profile, featuring cinnamon, cumin, sumac, and, most notably, Turkish red and green chilies. “Unlike Indian spices, which are often bold and intense, Turkish chilies offer a milder, more subtle heat,” says chef Pandey. Festival highlights include a variety of Adana and Urfa kebabs, steaks, and pilaf. Traditional Turkish food is generally mild, but we’ve made subtle adjustments—like increasing spice levels—to suit the Indian palate while preserving its essence.”

“We’ve designed the menu to cater to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences while also considering our guests’ palates,” says the chef. Among the vegetarian options, the Cottage Cheese Adana offers a unique twist on the classic kebab, replacing meat with a spiced cottage cheese mixture. Another standout is the Lotus Root Urfa, where minced lotus root is blended with Turkish spices and served alongside lavash bread, pickled onions, and tahini dip. “Lotus root is not commonly used in Turkish cuisine, but we wanted to introduce something different," says chef Pandey.

The menu also puts a creative spin on a Turkish staple. “Falafel is typically made from chickpeas. But our version uses edamame instead,” explains Pandey, referring to the Edamame Falafel on the menu. “It has a mild cheese-like flavour with a hint of spiciness—almost like green chili, which is added to enhance the taste, bringing a subtle twist.” 

For non-vegetarians, the chef recommends the Lamb Liver Adana, a smoky, chargrilled spicy kebab grilled on a wide skewer over charcoal  and the Roasted Garlic Chicken Pirzola, featuring crispy grilled chicken thighs paired with Muhammara—a roasted bell pepper and walnut paste—alongside tahini dip and a crisp pickled onion and lettuce salad. 

A sweet ending

Ophelia has partnered with Istanbul Baklava, a well-known sweet store in Lajpat Nagar, to curate a special dessert menu for the festival, ensuring an authentic taste of Turkish sweets. Unlike most places that use pre-made filo sheets, Istanbul Baklava crafts fresh, handmade layers, resulting in a flakier texture. The festival menu features classic baklava, soğuk baklava (a cold, milk-soaked version), and Midye Baklava, a mussel-shaped pastry filled with nuts and soaked in syrup. The festival showcases a diverse selection of Turkish-style coffees, including Turkish Coffee, Ottoman Coffee, and Dibek Coffee—a unique blend of coffee grounds infused with herbs like mastic gum, cardamom, salep, and hazelnut. The standout offering is the Special Istanbul Coffee, brewed in a sand pit using a traditional cezve or ibrik—a narrow-necked Turkish coffee pot designed for slow brewing. This method enhances its rich, chocolatey flavour with hints of pistachio, making it taste more like hot chocolate than a conventional cappuccino or espresso.

The festival also spotlights kunefe, a decadent dessert made of crisp, sugary kadayif—similar to vermicelli—encasing rich, sweet cheese. Prepared live at the dessert counter, it is cooked using a specialized kunefe machine that ensures even heating. Chef Pandey emphasises that this technique is key to achieving the perfect bite. Running until March 20, the festival has received positive feedback. “If our guests love these flavours, we may consider making them a permanent part of our menu,” the chef adds.

This article is written by Adithi Reena Ajith