Turkish Şalgam Suyu

By
Elizabeth Taviloglu
Elizabeth Wilson Taviloğlu
Elizabeth Taviloglu
Food writer Elizabeth Taviloğlu learned Turkish cooking hands-on in Turkey where she has lived and traveled for more than 24 years.
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Updated on 07/8/21
Şalgam juice is popular drink in Turkey's southeastern region

rukxstockphoto/Fotolia

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 16 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
89 Calories
1g Fat
20g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 89
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 159mg 7%
Total Carbohydrate 20g 7%
Dietary Fiber 4g 15%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 35mg 176%
Calcium 50mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%
Potassium 298mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Şalgam (SHAAL’- gahm) juice is a popular vegetable-based beverage from Turkey’s southeastern region around the cities of Mersin and Adana and is a great example of Turkish regional cuisine. In Turkish, the word ‘şalgam’ means turnip, but this traditional drink is actually made from purple carrots, bulgur wheat, salt, and yeast.

Şalgam juice is traditionally served ice cold in large glasses with long slices of pickled carrots, called "tane." Some like a spoon of hot red pepper relish stirred in just before serving for extra heat. Whether you like it spicy or mild, şalgam is one of the most popular drinks to accompany spicy Adana kebab.

Şalgam is also sometimes served alongside rakı, the famous Turkish anise beverage dubbed "lion’s milk." It makes a great chaser.

Ingredients

  • 1 large turnip

  • 1 large beet

  • 2 pounds carrots

  • 2 lemons, juiced, or 1 1/2 teaspoons crystal citric acid

  • 1/3 cup pickling salt

  • 1/2 loaf Italian bread

  • 5 cups purified water

Steps to Make It

  1. Wearing rubber gloves, peel the turnip and beet and slice them. Peel the carrots and divide them into fours.

  2. Wrap the half a loaf of bread in the cheesecloth and tie off the end to make a "hobo sack." Put the sack inside the glass jar. Add the sliced vegetables and all the other ingredients except the salt.

  3. In a separate container, mix the salt with about 3 cups of purified water to dissolve it, then pour it into the jar. Add more water if needed to fill the jar to the top with liquid, ensuring that all vegetables are completely covered in liquid. This is key to ensuring a safe environment for the vegetables to ferment. Close the lid tightly.

  4. Set the jar aside in a cool place to ferment for 15 days. Don’t attempt to open the jar before 15 days pass.

  5. After 15 days, open the jar and remove the cheesecloth and bread. The bread has acted as the fermenting agent. Like all fermented items, particularly turnips, the aroma may be pungent. This is normal, and a sign of good fermentation. Once you chill it, your "şalgam" juice is ready to drink. You can serve the now pickled vegetables alongside to munch on.