Turkey is famous for its popular street food, and the Turks keep eating it as a national heritage, and among the most famous of these foods is the Kokoretsi meal, beloved by the Turks, which has become a material for the political dispute between Ankara and the European Union.
The ban on selling and eating is one of Europe's conditions for Turkey's accession to it, as it is being prepared from livestock intestines that contradict European food standards.
Kokorich consists of grilled lamb intestine accompanied by special spices, which are wrapped in a bread sandwich after being cleaned well with water and soaked with lemon, vinegar, salt, garlic, pepper and olive oil, and after hours of soaking it is wrapped on a skewer like a shawarma skewer, and it is grilled over a low heat over charcoal usually, and served as a sandwich With salad, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and dried herbs.
More important than Europe
Kokorich skewers are spread all over Turkey, and some may think it is shawarma at first glance, even if a closer look sees it completely different from shawarma, and it is not surprising that it is very popular with the Turks, and you can find it in almost every street at almost cheap prices, and with good speed you can To eat it standing or if you wish to continue your walk.
The Turkish street is experiencing a great controversy since the European Union asked to ban this type of food as one of the conditions for joining it, as the Turkish citizen considers this a violation of his national identity.
"It is part of the traditions and identity of the Turkish people," said Hakan Osta, the owner of the Gala Kokoric restaurant.
He explained to Al-Jazeera Net that kokorich is prepared from the intestines of goats and sheep, where it is cleaned well, then seasoned and wrapped on a skewer that resembles shawarma, and after grilling it it is served in the form of sandwiches.
He stressed that the issue of cleaning the kukorich is very important, "and we are very careful about this issue, as the intestine is removed from the belly of the cattle in the slaughterhouse, which is a reliable place, and here we clean it again and then wash it several times with water and vinegar and then prepare it."
Kokorich skewers are spread all over Turkey and are similar to shawarma, but completely different from them (Al Jazeera)
As for Hasan Akay, when asked - while eating a kokorich sandwich about which he prefers kokorich or Europe - he stopped eating and answered in a high tone of voice, "Of course, kukorich is the most delicious food, and the Turkish people cannot give up eating this meal."
"Our love for kokorich is like tales of endless love, and we can never give up," he says.
the roots
Turkish historian Zaki Bayramoglu says that kokorich is a Balkan or Greek dish, and it is famous in Turkey, Albania, Greece and Armenia, and all these countries call it that name with a slight difference in the letters.
He pointed out that this meal entered Turkey through the city of Izmir about 100 years ago, and later moved to all states to spread and become among the basic and distinctive meals.
He added to Al-Jazeera Net, "Despite the diversity of Turkish cuisine since the Ottoman Caliphate, which ruled many civilizations and was affected by its food, Kokoric entered Turkey at the end of the 19th century when the Ottomans changed their old habits and switched to the new European customs."
The Turkish historian added, "Kokorich is not very old in Turkey, but we have long experience with foods related to animal waste since we made rumen soup and head of lamb soup hundreds of years ago."
European standards
For his part, Yasin Kovanc, professor of international relations at the University of Erciyes in Kayseri, said, "When Turkey sought to join the European Union in 2005, the Union presented it with many conditions that it must meet before joining, and among these conditions was the ban on selling the animal intestines from which the kokorich dish is made. Inconsistent with the health standards of the Federation. "
He added to Al-Jazeera Net, "The Turkish government did not discuss the issue of banning kokoric at the time, because there are much more important conditions related to freedoms and political and economic affairs that must be agreed upon first with Europe," pointing to the difficulty of the Turkish people accepting the ban on kokorech if the other files are agreed upon.
He noted that the Scottish dish Haggis consists of all animal waste.
By analogy, kokorich can enter the European Union, indicating that animal intestines are made and eaten freely in Italy, Spain and Greece, and the latter is a country from which kokorich comes from.
Covanc explained that what is important to the European Union is the health standard for food and the fulfillment of hygiene requirements, not the type of food, adding, "In member states, importance is given to what people consume, and it is the right of each country to decide its food."
Making a kokorech sandwich (island)
Ankara will not block it
Hurriyet newspaper stated in a report that under European Union policies it is forbidden to sell animal intestines, liver, brains, eyes, spleen and other parts that are difficult to cook safely.
It is striking that European law failed before that to completely ban kokorech in Greece, as the Greek people consider them traditional eaters on the Orthodox Easter.
The Turkish newspaper said, "The European Union has banned member states from eating kokorech after the outbreak of mad cow disease, claiming that the guts of cattle are harmful to health, and the decision caused great anger in Athens, and articles and programs were published with ample analysis in the Greek press and television on the subject."
"Now the Greeks come to eat kokorich in Turkey, and the European Union cannot teach us what to eat, and it cannot interfere with our way of life," she added.
Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Mehdi Iker confirmed, in a press statement, that Ankara will not impose any restrictions on Turkish meals related to animal guts, which are called in Turkish hiccups, such as kokorich, head bones and tripe soup.
Ecker explained that the assessments will be carried out in accordance with European Union standards for consumer protection, and that citizens in Diyarbakir and citizens in Paris and Helsinki will be subject to the same standards in terms of food hygiene.