spices or minced meat. Mercimek köftesi, although being named köfte, does not contain any meat. Instead, red lentil is used as the major ingredient together with spring onion, tomato paste etc. İmam bayıldı is a version of karnıyarık with no minced meat inside. It can be served as a meze as well. Fried eggplant and pepper is a common summer dish in Turkey. It is served with yoğurt or tomato sauce and garlic. Mücver is prepared with grated squash/courgette or potatoes, egg, onion, dill or cheese and flour. It can be either fried or cooked in the oven. Pilav can be served either as a side dish or main dish but bulgur pilavı (pilav made of boiled and pounded wheat - bulgur) is also widely eaten. The dishes made with kuru fasulye (white beans), nohut (chickpeas), mercimek (lentils), börülce (black-eyed peas), etc., combined with onion, vegetables, minced meat, tomato paste and rice, have always been common due to being economical and nutritious. Turşu is pickle made with brine, usually with the addition of garlic. It is often enjoyed as an appetizer. It is made with a large variety of vegetables, from cucumber to courgette. In the towns on the Aegean coast, the water of turşu is consumed as a drink. It comes from the Persian "Torshi", which refers to pickled "Torsh" (sour) vegetables. Egg dishes Menemen consists of scrambled eggs cooked in tomato, green pepper, and optionally onion and garlic. Çılbır is made with poached eggs, yogurt and oil. Ispanaklı yumurta consists of eggs with spinach and onion. Kaygana can be described as something of a cross between the crepe and the omelet in Ottoman cuisine. It used to be served with cheese, honey, crushed nuts, or eggplant. Meze and salads Meze is a selection of food served as the appetizer course with or without drinks. Some of them can be served as a main course as well. Aside from olive, mature kaşar kashar cheese, white cheese, various mixed pickles turşu, frequently eaten Turkish mezes include: Acılı ezme – hot spicy freshly mashed tomato with onion and green herbs Acuka (also known as muhammara) – a spread having both Circassian and Syrian origins, prepared with from Aleppo pepper paste, ground walnuts, tomato paste, bread crumbs, garlic, and spices Arnavut ciğeri (literally "Albanian liver") – fried liver cubes served with onion, parsley and hot pepper Roka (arugula) salatası Patlıcan salatası –