Immigrating to Cyprus and tasting Cypriot cuisine: Cyprus enjoys 320-340 sunny days a year, with abundant sunshine allowing for year-round harvests of fruits and vegetables. Over 3,000 years of foreign rule and the arrival of merchants from all over the world brought different cooking techniques. After absorbing flavors from Greece, Turkey, Albania, Lebanon, Syria, Italy, France, the UK, and elsewhere, the Cypriot people have created their own unique culinary culture.
"Meze" is a common set meal in Cypriot restaurants. You do not need to order individual dishes; the chef will serve dishes based on the number of people and the fresh ingredients of the day. The portions are small but varied, including vegetable salads, vegetarian platters (mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, Halloumi cheese), grilled meats (pork, chicken), lamb chops, and French fries. Some restaurants may also offer rabbit, snails, etc.
"Souvlaki" is a type of Cypriot grilled meat. Selected pieces of pork or chicken with a balance of fat and lean meat are skewered and grilled over charcoal. Once cooked, they are sprinkled with Maiganou (the vegetable in the picture above), salt, and a little lemon. Some Cypriot restaurants offer takeout, where they cut open a Pita (a type of flatbread), stuff it with grilled meat, sliced raw tomatoes, cucumbers, and shredded cabbage, and serve it wrapped.
"Seftalia" is a common food on the Cypriot table. It is a meatball-like dish made with minced meat, onions, and herbs as filling, often grilled together with Souvlaki (a mix).
"Halloumi" is a unique Cypriot cheese, usually made from sheep's milk. The common cooking method is deep-frying or pan-searing. It can be eaten alone or tucked into a Pita with tomatoes. Cypriots are accustomed to pairing Halloumi with red wine.
"Horiatiki salad" is a common Cypriot vegetable salad consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, Feta (a Greek cheese), and pickled olives. It is generally seasoned with olive oil, fruit vinegar, and salt before serving.
"Cyprus potatoes" are Cypriot French fries. Due to the long sunshine hours in Cyprus, the potatoes here have a higher starch content. Fries made in hot oil are golden in color, melt in the mouth, and have a slightly sweet taste. Locals are accustomed to cutting potatoes into finger-thick strips and deep-frying them in hot oil.
"Souvla" is a must-have for home gatherings in Cyprus. The meat can be pork, chicken, or lamb. It is marinated overnight in red wine, spices, and salt, then grilled over charcoal for 1.5 to 2 hours the next day. Spices are sprinkled on it again when it is taken off the grill. The meat is incredibly tender, soaked through with red wine, and combined with the flavor of the spices, it is delicious.
"Ofto Kleftiko" is a dish only available in restaurants during the summer, but it also frequently appears on family tables during holidays and gatherings. To make this dish, olive oil is evenly spread over lamb, sprinkled with cinnamon powder and coriander powder, and bay leaves are placed above and below the meat. It is then roasted in an oven for 2.5 hours (locals usually cook it in a special wood-fired kiln).
"Moussaka" is a home-cooked Cypriot dish. Sauté minced meat and onions with a little olive oil until fragrant (10-15 minutes), then add salt, pepper, and tomatoes, mixing well (cook for another 20 minutes or so). Slice eggplants and potatoes and fry them in a pan until golden. Grease the bottom of a baking dish, layer the eggplants and potatoes at the bottom (eggplant first), add a layer of the cooked meat sauce, then a layer of vegetables, another layer of meat sauce, and finally pour a sauce made of milk, flour, and cream over the top. Sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of grated cheese and nutmeg on top. Bake in the oven (180°C-200°C) for 45-60 minutes.
"Gemista" means "stuffed vegetables" in Greek. Originating from Greece, it is a very popular summer vegetarian dish. Wash and hollow out fresh zucchini, tomatoes, or green peppers, keeping the tops of the vegetables (like a teacup). Sauté onions in a pan with a little olive oil until fragrant, add raw rice, salt, pepper, a little chopped mint, and raisins, then add the previously scooped-out tomato pulp and mix well (about 5 minutes). Stuff the vegetables 3/4 full with the rice (do not fill completely, as the raw rice needs to expand). Place the stuffed vegetables in a baking dish and add some potato chunks. Pour the remaining oil and tomato juice from the pan into the baking dish (no extra water needed). Preheat the oven (180°C) and bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
"Koupepia" is a home-cooked Cypriot dish made with grape leaves. Wash the grape leaves and soak them in warm water (until soft). Sauté onions and minced meat in a pan with a little olive oil, then add rice, pepper, parsley, mint, and tomato paste, mixing well. After the mixture cools, wrap it in the grape leaves, place them in a pot, pour water (or chicken broth) and lemon juice over them, and cook for 30 minutes.
"Stifado" is a Cypriot beef dish. Add olive oil to a pot and stir in tender beef. After mixing well, add 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar. After 5 minutes, add a small glass of red wine and simmer for 1 hour. Meanwhile, in another pan, sauté onions in vegetable oil until fragrant, then add them to the beef. Add a tablespoon of brown sugar and simmer for another 30 minutes.
"Keftedes" is the Cypriot version of meatballs. Mix pork, minced onions, minced parsley, an egg, a cup of breadcrumbs, and a little pepper together, shape into ovals, and deep-fry in hot oil.
