Balık Ekmek

Balık ekmek is a grilled fish fillet served in a split loaf of bread with salad, the classic street sandwich of the Istanbul waterfront. It is sold from boats and stalls along the shore, especially around Eminönü, where the fish is cooked over charcoal close to the water. It is one of the simplest and most eaten foods in the city, and it is quick enough to buy standing up.

What it really is

A fish fillet, typically mackerel, is seasoned with salt and grilled over charcoal until the skin crisps and the flesh begins to flake. The hot fish is pressed into a split loaf with sliced onion, shredded lettuce and tomato, and the sandwich is finished with a squeeze of lemon. The fish is the centre of the sandwich, the bread carries it, and the salad adds a cool, crisp contrast to the smoky meat.

Balık ekmek is a grilled fish sandwich, not a fried one. The fish is cooked on the grill without batter, which keeps it light. The charcoal smoke is a large part of the taste, so a fillet cooked on a gas grill makes a noticeably different sandwich.

How it's served

• Hot from the grill, in a split loaf that is warm and lightly crisp on the outside.
• Wrapped in paper so it can be eaten by hand, often standing at the water's edge.
• With lemon on the side, so each guest can squeeze it over the fish and salad.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the fish you actually use, and say that it is grilled over charcoal or on a grill.
• Flag fish, since the fillet is the main ingredient, and flag wheat, since the loaf is made from wheat flour.
• List the onion, lettuce, tomato and lemon as standard, and mark any sauce, cheese or extra salad as a separate choice.
• Say whether the bread is a split loaf or a roll, since the size of the bread changes how much a guest eats.