Turkish kebab variations

Ingredients

• For the Adana kebab
• 800 g lamb mince, 20–30% fat content; fatty cuts preferred
• 160 g lamb tail fat (kuyruk yağı), finely minced; substitute: fattest available lamb mince plus 1 tbsp grated cold butter
• 1 medium onion, finely grated, juice fully squeezed out
• 2 tsp Urfa biber (isot pepper), smoky, dried; do not substitute with paprika
• 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo-style pepper flakes), fruity heat; do not substitute with paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sumac
• For the İskender kebab
• 600 g döner lamb slices, thin-cut
• 300 g pide bread, cubed into bite-sized pieces
• 250 ml tomato sauce, bright, seasoned; made from fresh or good tinned tomatoes
• 80 g unsalted butter, for browning
• 200 g thick plain yogurt, full-fat; served on the side
• Universal accompaniments
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced, dusted with sumac
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
• 4 pieces lavash or flatbread, warmed
• 4 long green peppers, grilled alongside the meat
• 2 lemons, halved, for squeezing

Method

1. 1
   Prepare the charcoal mangal well in advance. The coals must reach the stage at which every piece is uniformly white-grey, with no visible flame and no black spots. Hold your hand 10 cm above the grate: the heat should force it away in under two seconds. This is the only state in which the coals are ready.
2. 2
   Combine the lamb mince, finely minced lamb tail fat, grated onion (juice fully expelled), Urfa biber, pul biber, salt, and sumac in a large bowl. Knead the mixture firmly and continuously for a full five minutes — the mass must become cohesive, slightly tacky, and hold its shape when pressed. This is where the dish lives or dies: insufficient kneading fails to develop the myosin bonds that bind the meat to the flat skewer; the kebab will fall apart on the grill.
3. 3
   Divide the Adana mixture into equal portions and press each firmly around a flat metal skewer, forming an elongated cylinder of even thickness. For home cooking without flat skewers, shape into logs on a tray. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 20 minutes until the surface is dry to the touch and the form is set.
4. 4
   Lay the skewered Adana over the white-hot coals. Grill on the first side without interference until the meat releases cleanly from the grate and shows a deep, even char on the underside — no pale patches. Turn once only. The second side is done when the interior is just cooked through and the exterior is uniformly coloured.
5. 5
   While the Adana rests, assemble the İskender. Arrange cubed pide bread across warmed serving plates. Lay the thin döner slices over the bread. Spoon the hot tomato sauce generously over the meat and bread so the bread begins to absorb it.
6. 6
   Melt the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Continue cooking, swirling frequently, until the foam subsides, the solids turn golden-brown, and the butter gives off a pronounced nutty aroma. The butter must be genuinely browned at this stage — not merely melted. Pour it immediately over the assembled İskender plates.
7. 7
   Serve both preparations with sumac-dusted sliced raw onion, flat parsley leaves, grilled green peppers, warmed lavash, and lemon halves. Place thick yogurt alongside the İskender, not beneath it.