Well-known dishes of Hatay are its local variety of a widespread syrup-rich shredded pastry künefe (kanafeh), squash cooked in onions and tomato paste, aubergine and tahini paste (Baba ghanoush), chickpea and tahini paste hummus and dishes such as kebab found throughout Turkey.
Particular spice mixes and herb mixes are popular.
Pastes include:
walnut and spice paste, muhammara
thyme and parsley paste, Za’atar
Animal products include spicy köfte (across western Asia and beyond, kofta): “oruk”; and spicy sun-dried cheese, surke.
Syrup of pomegranate (nar ekşisi) is Hatay’s hallmark salad dressing.
