Güveç facts for kids
Güveç and other earthenware pots
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| Alternative names | Đuveč |
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| Region or state | Balkans |
Güveç (pronounced gyoo-VECH) refers to special earthenware pots. These pots are used for cooking in many places. You can find them in Balkan, Turkish, and Middle Eastern cooking. The word also describes the yummy stew dishes made in these pots.
Güveç pots are usually wide and not too tall. They can be shiny (glazed) or natural (unglazed). Food cooked in them needs very little extra water. This helps the dishes get a rich, deep flavor.
How Güveç Pots Are Made
Making a Güveç pot is a careful process. First, clay is mixed with water and sand. Sometimes straw, hay, or wood ash is added too. This mix is kneaded to remove any air bubbles.
Next, a potter shapes the pot. This can be done on a Potter's wheel or by hand. The pot then dries a little. Its surfaces are smoothed to make them non-porous. This means liquids won't soak through.
After the pot dries completely, it might be glazed. Finally, it is baked in a very hot oven called a kiln. This makes the pot strong and ready for cooking.
The people of Sorkun in Turkey are famous for making these pots. They have been doing it for hundreds of years. They use special clay found right in their area.
Delicious Güveç Dishes
Many delicious dishes are traditionally made in Güveç pots. In the Balkans, it's often a vegetable stew. This stew is especially popular in autumn. It is very well-known in Romania and Bulgaria. There, it is often called ghivetch.
The name đuveč for a casserole dish comes from the Turkish word güveç. Two popular Turkish dishes are türlü güveç and karides güveç. Türlü güveç is a mixed vegetable stew. Karides güveç is a delicious shrimp dish.
You can cook güveç dishes in any oven-safe pan. However, many chefs prefer clay or earthenware pots. They say these pots give the food a special "earthy taste and aroma." This makes the dishes even more unique and flavorful.
See also
In Spanish: Đuveč para niños
