Mira is a European Studies student at our faculty. Her parents are both from Turkey, but she was born in Wiesbaden, Germany.
“Both of my parents love cooking. My father is from Antakya, a city near the Syrian border. The food in Antakya is influenced by the Syrian cuisine. My favourite dish is called ‘Karnıyarık’. This is an eggplant stuffed with tomato, onions and ground lamb. This is very good in combination with a drink called ‘Ayran’.
Ayran is my favourite Turkish drink in the summer. Black chai is my favourite drink in the winter.”
When we asked her if she feels more German or Turkish she said: “I feel like I am a traveller between both worlds, my parents raised me to be both. I am temperamental, passionate and extravert, but Germany taught me to also be reliable and responsible. I really appreciate my life and the opportunities given to me in Germany.
I have travelled to Antakya, because I wanted to see where my father grew up. It is very impressive and a city of great cultural significance.”
When we asked her about the food she grew up with she said: “At home we mostly eat Turkish food, but my father also loves Asian food. My mother is the best chef I can imagine, she always puts so much effort in her dishes and she treats us like the best! My mother always says; ‘Mira, the food in a restaurant doesn’t taste as good as mine because I put my love in food, and they don’t have my love’. I really miss my mother’s delicious food; I only cook Turkish food when I Facetime with my mother once a week, this way she can give me all her tips & tricks.”
Asking Mira what she likes most about the Dutch cuisine she told us that she visited the local market in Maastricht a couple of times. “I really like the fish called ‘Lekkerbek’; I love eating amongst the locals and submerge myself in the Dutch culture.”
Mira Seyfettinoglu (German), BA European Studies student
