Measurement Guide: Turkish Cups, Spoons and Grams

When a Turkish recipe says "one water glass of flour", is your glass the same as your grandmother's? Usually not quite, which is why a recipe works one day and fails the next. In this lesson we gather the approximate equivalents of Turkish household measures, oven temperatures and how to convert recipes written for other kitchens.

First rule: volume or weight?

Glasses and spoons measure volume; a scale measures weight. For liquids like water the difference is small, but with flour the same glass can vary by 20-30 g depending on how tightly it is packed. So:

• For everyday cooking (soups, vegetables, pilaf) household measures are fine.
• For pastry, cakes and biscuits, use a scale whenever you can.

When measuring flour, do not scoop the glass into the bag and press. Spoon the flour into the glass and level the top with the back of a knife.

Household measures: volumes

These are approximate; glasses and spoons vary from home to home.

• 1 su bardağı (water glass): About 200 ml (the standard we use in Yemektep recipes)
• 1 çay bardağı (tea glass): About 100 ml
• 1 kahve fincanı (Turkish coffee cup): About 70-80 ml
• 1 yemek kaşığı (tablespoon): About 15 ml
• 1 tatlı kaşığı (dessert spoon): About 10 ml
• 1 çay kaşığı (teaspoon): About 5 ml
• 1 tutam (pinch): What you can hold between thumb and forefinger, less than half a teaspoon

Grams by ingredient (1 su bardağı ≈ 200 ml)

• Flour (unsifted, spooned in): 110-120 g
• Granulated sugar: 170-180 g
• Icing sugar: 110-120 g
• Rice: 180-190 g
• Bulgur: 170-180 g
• Red lentils: 180-190 g
• Semolina: 160-170 g
• Rolled oats: 80-90 g
• Vegetable oil: 180-185 g
• Water: 200 g
• Milk: About 205 g
• Yoghurt: 200-210 g
• Melted butter: About 180-190 g
• Cocoa powder: 80-90 g
• Walnuts (roughly chopped): 90-100 g

Spoon measures in grams

Tablespoon (level):

• Flour: 8-10 g
• Sugar: 12-15 g
• Salt: 15-18 g
• Butter: About 15 g
• Oil: About 13-14 g
• Tomato paste: 18-20 g

Teaspoon (level):

• Salt: 5-6 g
• Baking powder: 3-4 g
• Bicarbonate of soda: About 4-5 g
• Ground spices (black pepper, cumin): 2-3 g

A handy fact about yeast: a sachet of dried yeast in Turkey usually weighs 10 g and is generally enough for about 500 g of flour; follow the packet's guidance.

Converting foreign recipes

The "cup" in English-language recipes is larger than a Turkish su bardağı.

• 1 US cup: About 240 ml, a little more than a su bardağı
• 1 metric cup (Australia and elsewhere): 250 ml
• 1 tablespoon (tbsp): About 15 ml
• 1 teaspoon (tsp): About 5 ml
• 1 ounce (oz): About 28 g
• 1 pound (lb): About 454 g
• 1 stick of butter: About 113 g

A practical rule: if an American recipe calls for 1 cup, use 1 su bardağı plus 3 tablespoons and you will be very close.

Oven temperatures

If a recipe just says "moderate oven", think in these ranges:

• Very low (drying, meringues): 100-120 °C
• Low: 150-160 °C
• Moderate (cakes, biscuits, most bakes): 170-180 °C
• Moderately hot (börek, chicken, roast vegetables): 190-200 °C
• Hot (pizza, crispy vegetables): 220-250 °C

Fahrenheit conversions:

• 300 °F ≈ 150 °C
• 325 °F ≈ 165 °C
• 350 °F ≈ 175-180 °C
• 375 °F ≈ 190 °C
• 400 °F ≈ 200 °C
• 425 °F ≈ 220 °C
• 450 °F ≈ 230 °C

To calculate it yourself: subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit figure, then divide by 1.8.

A note on fan ovens: Circulating hot air cooks more intensely. If a recipe is written for conventional top-and-bottom heat, lower the temperature by about 20 °C on the fan setting. Oven dials are not always accurate either; an inexpensive oven thermometer is the easiest way to learn your oven's true temperature.

One last tip

Get to know your own measuring glass. Put the glass you use for measuring on a scale once and fill it with water. Once you know how many grams it holds, you can adjust any recipe to match.