CYPRIOT FOOD GUIDE
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Afelia
Afelia is a stew usually made with pork marinated in coriander seeds and red wine. It is often served with rice.
Dolmades / Koupepia
Dolmades are vine leaves stuffed with a tasty mixture of rice and minced meat seasoned with herbs and spices.
Halloumi
Halloumi is Cypriot cheese made from a mixture of sheep, goat and cows milk. It is best cooked, either on the grill or fried and has a salty creamy taste. It is perfect with bacon in a sandwich and makes a great hangover cure but can be served with any meal or as a starter.
Keftedes
Keftedes are meatballs usually made with seasoned pork mince which are fried.
Kleftico
Kleftico is lamb (usually shank) which has been cooked very slowly so it is so tender it falls off the bone. It is usually kept moist by cooking with olive oil, lemon, garlic and potatoes.
Lountza
Lountza is smoked pork loin. Often served with halloumi as a starter it can also be used in sandwiches.
Mousaka
Mousaka is a baked dish of aubergines, minced meat, courgettes and potato topped with a bechamel sauce.
Pastitcio
Pastitcio is a pasta based dish with layers of tubular pasta, mince meat seasoned with mint and bechamel sauce. It is simlar to lasagne but drier and with more seperate layers.
Pastourma
Pastourmas are spicy village sausages which have a very strong taste and a dark colour.
Sheiftalia
Sheiftalia are oblong shaped meatballs made from pork mince, herbs and sometimes onion. they are wrapped in a casing of intestine skin similar to sausage casing and are best cooked over a charcoal grill or bbq. They can be somewhat fatty but are delicious with a squeeze of lemon juice.
Souvlaki
Souvlaki is Pork or chicken kebab cooked on a skewer over charcoal. Usually served in a pitta bread with salad.
Stifado
Stifado is a type of stew usually with beef but more traditionally rabbit is used. It is flavoured with whole baby onions and vinegar giving a rich flavour. It is usually served with rice.
Ttavas
Ttavas is a stew which can be made with any meat. The meat is cooked with potatoes, tomato, onion, red wine, cumin and cinnamon for several hours.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a yoghurt based dip with garlic, cucumber and lemon juice. It is refreshing and tasty with pitta bread as a starter or snack or with souvlaki.
