Destination
Antalya
The story
Balık ekmek (literally fish bread) is Istanbul's most iconic street sandwich and one of the most-photographed street scenes in the country. Fresh mackerel or bonito is filleted, seasoned with salt, and grilled on a large flat charcoal grill until the skin is dark charred and the flesh is just cooked through. The fillet is slotted into a soft Turkish roll (a light pide-like bread), topped with shredded iceberg lettuce, thin-sliced red onion, a fistful of chopped parsley, a heavy pinch of sumac, and finished with a squeeze of lemon and a splash of salt. Sold from the fishing boats moored at the Galata Bridge and at Eminönü waterfront stalls, where the sandwich is prepared in front of you on a boat that rocks with the Bosphorus.
Method
Pat the fillets dry. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a charcoal grill (or heavy ridged cast-iron pan) to screaming hot. Brush lightly with oil.
Lay fillets skin-side down. Cook 3 minutes without moving. Flip carefully and cook 90 seconds on the flesh side. The skin should be dark charred and the flesh should flake easily.
In a bowl, toss shredded lettuce, sliced onion, chopped parsley, sumac and salt. Massage lightly with your fingers so the onion softens into the sumac. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice just before assembling.
Split each roll lengthways. Brush the cut sides lightly with olive oil. Toast on the grill (or a dry pan) for 30 seconds cut-side down until faintly golden.
Lay a warm fish fillet lengthways in each roll. Top with a generous pile of the sumac salad.
Add a squeeze of lemon and a dust of extra sumac on top of the salad. Wrap the bottom half in paper for takeaway, or serve on plates. Eat immediately, ideally standing up with a cold ayran in the other hand.
Balık ekmek does not keep. Eat within 15 minutes of assembly. The salad wilts and the bread softens.
Tips
- Fresh oily fish. Mackerel is the classical choice. Bonito (palamut) is the autumn premium version. Fresh sardines butterflied are a smaller-scale substitute.
- Skin on and skin-side charred. The dark charred skin is essential. Do not remove.
- Sumac generously. The sharp red-lemon tang of sumac is what makes balık ekmek balık ekmek. Do not skip.
- Soft bread, not crusty. The Turkish pide roll is soft and fluffy, quite different from a French baguette. Any soft sub roll works.
- Serve immediately. This is not a sandwich that holds. Assemble at the last moment.
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