Let's face it, everybody loves a good döner, -unless you are vegan/vegetarian, that is a whole 'nother story- but we have to admit that the kebab culture does not only consist of döner! We all know that kebabs are basically cooked/grilled meat dishes, often cooked on a skewer. They may all seem alike, but trust me there are lots of different varieties! Of course, the best place to enjoy kebabs is definitely Turkey! So let's book our tickets to Turkey to feast and get to know the *top four* kebab dishes!
Adana Kebab
Picture © Credits to myasinirik
Adana kebab is hand-minced meat kebab mounted on a wide iron skewer and grilled on an open mangal (kinda barbecue). It is often served with charred peppers and tomatoes, an onion-sumac-parsley salad, and lavaş. The taste of Adana kebab is famous worldwide since it is made of lamb, red bell peppers and tail fat, all minced together. The best place to eat it, is at the Kebapçı Cik Cik Ali! In here, you can eat the most delicious kebabs, made always of fresh ingredients! The prices are also affordable. What you need to know before ordering is that Adana kebab is a spicy one; if you don't like spicy food, you have to let your waiter know in advance. Lifehack: "Acılı" means spicy and "acısız" not spicy in Turkish. I am not completely sure whether they'll speak English but the staff is always very friendly and willing to help! Last but not least... don't forget to drink Şalgam (a drink made from red turnip juice) with it!
Kebapçı Cik Cik Ali
İstiklal Mahallesi, Kurtuluş Cd., 01060 Seyhan/Adana, TürkiyeUrfa Kebab
Picture © Credits to Nadore
Şanlıurfa, also known as Urfa, is an ancient city in the Southeastern Anatolia. With its excellent old buildings and its connections with Christianity and Islamic tradition, Şanlıurfa offers a great trip full of history, religion and architecture. But let's not forget about the delicious Urfa cuisine! Urfa kebab or "Urfa kebabı" in Turkish is just like Adana Kebab, both made with ground beef, kneaded together with onion, garlic, spices…you know the jazz. The only difference between Adana and Urfa is that the second is not a spicy kebab or at least, it's less spicy than the first. The meat is seasoned with cumin and sweet paprika. Of course, the Urfa kebab is also served with green hot chili peppers, onions, tomatoes and rice!
Dedecan Ocakbaşı
Refahiye Mahallesi, 63300 Haliliye/Şanlıurfa, TürkiyeErzurum Cağ Kebab
Picture © Credits to photobazaar
*Full disclosure, I just wanted to let you know that I 've already eaten almost everything from the fridge while writing about the first two kebab varieties*
Erzurum is not only famous for its perfect slopes to ski on but also for its kebab! Cağ kebab is similar to döner kebab; skewered meat on a big skewer is roasted while being turned around its long axis. The difference is that the skewer of meat is not placed vertically this time, but it is instead roasted horizontally in a wood fire which gives it that delicious smoky taste. What makes this kebab famous is the type of the meat used. In most cases it is mutton or goat meat, especially taken from the legs of the animal. The meat should rest 12-24 hours before getting roasted and it is served in pieces, after being skewered on smaller skewers. These small skewers are called "cağ" ; now we can see where does the name of this kebab come from. Of course, you will be eating Cağ kebab with lavash bread with tomato, round chopped onion, and roasted green pepper.
Koç Cağ kebab Erzurum
Kazım Karabekir Paşa Mahallesi, Yakutiye/Erzurum, TürkiyeKapadokya Testi Kebab
Picture © Credits to myasinirik
And of course, one of the world's most romantic places; Cappadocia! Cappadocia is located in Nevşehir, Turkey and it is a unique place on earth with its valley, canyon, hills and its unusual rock formation, caused by eroding rains and winds thousands of years ago!
You know what they say; "A way to a man's heart is through his stomach!". Well, a wise woman also said that "Men are like fine wine. They all start out like grapes and it's our job to stomp on them and keep them in the dark until they mature into something you'd like to have dinner with.". Speaking of the devil, Turkey's best wine is also served in Cappadocia! You need more?
Where were we? Right, delicious kebabs… So, just like other kebabs, Testi Kebab is a meat dish mixed with vegetables which are slowly cooked in a sealed clay pot -testi means clay pot in Turkish-. To add some "eleganza, extravaganza" to it, the waiter brings the clay pot to the table and breaks it open to let the customers enjoy. Inside this clay pot, you can find lamb/beef/chicken meat with carrots, celery root, onions, garlic, and potatoes.
Millocal Restaurant Cappadocia
Tekelli, Göreme Cd. No:1, 50240 Uçhisar/Nevşehir Merkez/Nevşehir, TürkiyeReady to try Turkey's most delicious kebabs?
*no fridges were harmed while writing this story*
The author
Alara Benlier
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