Turkish & Mediterranean Cup to Gram Conversion Guide: Su Bardağı & Spoons Explained

Turkish & Mediterranean Cup to Gram Conversion Guide: Su Bardağı & Spoons Explained

If you have ever tried cooking traditional Turkish, Cypriot, or Greek recipes from family cooks, you have undoubtedly encountered measurements like "1 su bardağı un" (1 water glass of flour) or "2 yemek kaşığı zeytinyağı" (2 tablespoons of olive oil).

For international home cooks accustomed to standardized measuring cups or digital kitchen scales, these traditional home volume measurements can cause confusion.

This guide provides the exact gram and milliliter equivalents for standard Mediterranean kitchen measures.

🥛 What Exactly Is a "Su Bardağı"?

In Turkish and Cypriot culinary tradition, a standard su bardağı (classic ribbed water glass) has an internal liquid volume of 200 ml (6.76 fl oz).

Important Note: A US standard cup is 240 ml, while a Commonwealth cup is 250 ml. A traditional Mediterranean su bardağı is slightly smaller (200 ml). Using a standard 250ml cup instead of a 200ml glass will add 25% too much flour or sugar, altering delicate doughs and pastries!

📊 Quick Conversion Table: 1 Su Bardağı (200 ml Glass) to Grams

Because different ingredients have different physical densities, 200 ml of volume yields very different weights in grams:

🥄 Spoon Measurements: Yemek Kaşığı & Tatlı Kaşığı

Traditional recipes frequently measure leaveners, spices, and small liquids with flatware:

• 1 Yemek Kaşığı (Tablespoon / Soup Spoon): ~15 ml
  • Flour: ~10 g
  • Granulated Sugar: ~15 g
  • Olive Oil / Melted Butter: ~13 g
  • Tomato Paste / Salça: ~20 g
  • Yogurt: ~20 g
• 1 Tatlı Kaşığı (Dessert Spoon): ~10 ml
  • Sugar: ~8 g
  • Spices / Salt: ~8 g
• 1 Çay Kaşığı (Turkish Tea Spoon): ~5 ml (Equivalent to a standard international 1 teaspoon)
  • Baking Powder: ~5 g
  • Dry Yeast: ~3 g
  • Ground Cinnamon / Cumin: ~3 g

⚖️ When Can You Use Glasses, and When Must You Use Scales?

• Safe for Glasses & Spoons: Soups, vegetable stews (zeytinyağlılar), meat marinades, and braised dishes. A 10% variation in olive oil or broth will never ruin a pot of lentil soup or chicken kleftiko.
• Digital Scales Recommended: Sensitive leavened pastries, baklava sheets, and delicate sponges (pandispanya), where the flour-to-liquid ratio determines gluten development.

This guide was crafted by the culinary editorial team at House Chef Cyprus. Authentic recipes and culinary guides: HouseChef Cyprus