Turnip Juice, or with its Turkish name Şalgam (pronounced shal-gam), is a very popular and traditional fermented drink from the southern regions of Turkey, it is generally drunk when eating Turkish Kebap or some of the Turkish cuisine that can be found in Southern Turkey.
Shalgam is considered to be a rather healthy drink, it is served as a cure for those with hangovers, and helps with digestion. Aside from that, because of its anthocyanin content reduce health disease risks and the probability of carcinogenic occurrences.
Shalgam is also often served alongside the alcoholic drink rakı in a separate glass as their tastes are believed to complement one another, that is however completely up to the person's preference, however, commonly they drink together.
Shalgam has been celebrated as a festival in Adana since 2010. The World Raki or with its other name, Adana Shalgam Festivalemerged from a hundred-year tradition of enjoying kebabs with shalgam and raki, The event turned into a nationwide popular street festival; street musicians playing drums and zurna entertain visitors all night long on the second Saturday night of December.