Iskender Kebab

[Bull Terrier]

I attempted to make an Iskender-style kebab, albeit with chicken and I was extremely satisfied with the results.

I started by marinating chunks of chicken breast in olive oil infused with garlic, some cumin powder, salt, plenty of paprika powder and freshly ground black pepper.

I grilled the chicken on skewers and then assembled the kebab.

I cut into pieces home-made bread (slightly leavened, but otherwise similar to pitta bread) which I placed at the bottom. I then placed over some tomato sauce, some yogurt and then the meat. I put over some melted butter and sumaq and then it was ready to eat.

My question is this - is this the correct order for assembling the kebab? Or should the tomato sauce be put over the meat before the melted butter?

[melamed]

I attempted to make an Iskender-style kebab, albeit with chicken and I was extremely satisfied with the results.

I started by marinating chunks of chicken breast in olive oil infused with garlic, some cumin powder, salt, plenty of paprika powder and freshly ground black pepper.

I grilled the chicken on skewers and then assembled the kebab.

I cut into pieces home-made bread (slightly leavened, but otherwise similar to pitta bread) which I placed at the bottom. I then placed over some tomato sauce, some yogurt and then the meat. I put over some melted butter and sumaq and then it was ready to eat.

My question is this - is this the correct order for assembling the kebab? Or should the tomato sauce be put over the meat before the melted butter?

←

I am no expert but what I can see from a similar recipe called yogurtlu kebap (The sultan's kitchen, ozcan ozan), is first pita, then meat, tomato sauce, yogurt and butter. Your recipe sounds delicious! Is sumaq always used in iskender kebab?

[Bull Terrier]

I attempted to make an Iskender-style kebab, albeit with chicken and I was extremely satisfied with the results.

I started by marinating chunks of chicken breast in olive oil infused with garlic, some cumin powder, salt, plenty of paprika powder and freshly ground black pepper.

I grilled the chicken on skewers and then assembled the kebab.

I cut into pieces home-made bread (slightly leavened, but otherwise similar to pitta bread) which I placed at the bottom. I then placed over some tomato sauce, some yogurt and then the meat. I put over some melted butter and sumaq and then it was ready to eat.

My question is this - is this the correct order for assembling the kebab? Or should the tomato sauce be put over the meat before the melted butter?

←

I am no expert but what I can see from a similar recipe called yogurtlu kebap (The sultan's kitchen, ozcan ozan), is first pita, then meat, tomato sauce, yogurt and butter. Your recipe sounds delicious! Is sumaq always used in iskender kebab?

←

I don't know if sumaq is always used but I sprinkle over a bit. I'd venture to say that it isn't essential, but it does add a nice touch.

[sazji]

I don't know if it's "authentic" or not but it sounds great I'd sure eat it! Often they will toast the pita a bit before assembling.

I've never seen sumak on it since yogurt supplies tartness anyway but why not?

To me the biggest thing that makes or breaks an İskender or yoğurtlu kebap is the tomato sauce. Some places - even kind of expensive places - use something that looks and tastes like watered-down tomato paste. The best one I've ever had (God...now I'm going to have to go there again, thanks for reminding me!) is at a place called "Sahre," in Yusufpaşa / Fındıkzade in Istanbul. It had wonderful meat, good yogurt, the most amazing sauce with just the right (for me) balance of flavors and heat. I seem to remember that the sauce had grilled peppers and a bit of a smoky flavor though it might be my food lust bending my recollections...

[Bull Terrier]

I just made a fairly simple tomato sauce, which I must admit wasn't 100% satisfactory. I brought a pot of water to the boil, threw in a load of small and sweet cherry tomatoes. After a minute or so when the skin started to come off, I drained the lot and then manually skinned them.

I then heated up some olive oil, fried some finely chopped onion with a little garlic and chilli pepper, and then put in the tomatoes. I cooked them probably around 30 minutes.

The sauce was ok, but somewhat acidic.

So what do they use in Istanbul? Is it a mixture of tomato sauce and hot pepper sauce? I'd be very curious to know, if perhaps you can help out.

[v. gautam]

If you use cherry, plum & grape tomatoes mixed[uS], whole peeled garlic cloves, drizzled with just a bit of olive oil and roast them all [bake in hot oven in pizza pan] until juices exude, and tiny areas begin to brown and scorch, then take out, get the rest of the juices to dissolve those areas, and crush and strain if you want a seedless sauce. This is a bit better than any other cooked sauce, even better if you have the Turkish sun dried tomato paste to add in a tiny amount of that Turkish pepper paste.

Since you are in Italy you should have even better tomatoes than the US: pendolino, [lini?] from the Napoli region can go into the mix; these are small, high-solids plum types. Plus the cherry + grape types are also higher sugar higher Dry Mass than bigger beefsteak, although Italian Red Pear, Franchi Sementi & Tomande Hybrid, ditto, can also be baked as above in the mix, very juicy, let juice evaporate and concentrate a little, caramelize a little as well.

Edited April 24, 2009 by v. gautam (log)

[wannabechef]

Anyone ever try making hunkar begendi? One of my favorite dishes and would be curious to try it. Last time I was in Turkey I picked up some damla sakiz which I haven't been able to find anywhere else. I'm still trying to figure out what to make with it. Some kind of pudding would be an obvious choice but I'm considering making ice cream out of it. Anyone have any good ideas?

By the way - GREAT idea to make a chicken iskender! To be really authentic you must use loots of butter!

Edited April 24, 2009 by wannabechef (log)

[sazji]

Anyone ever try making hunkar begendi? One of my favorite dishes and would be curious to try it. Last time I was in Turkey I picked up some damla sakiz which I haven't been able to find anywhere else. I'm still trying to figure out what to make with it. Some kind of pudding would be an obvious choice but I'm considering making ice cream out of it. Anyone have any good ideas?

I haven't made it by myself but have helped. It's not that difficult a dish, but make sure you either grill the eggplants or do them over the gas flame; that smoky flavor is really important.

Damla sakız - I've had both sakızlı muhallebi and ice cream. Sometimes they also use it in çörek. I'm not a really good resource on it though cause it's not really my favorite flavor. One thing I will say though is that for the muhallebi, if you use sübye - "rice milk" from rice that has been soaked overnight in water just to the level of the rice, then ground in a blender - the result will be much nicer than if you use rice flour. It's an extra step but well worth it for the texture.

[sazji]

If you use cherry, plum & grape tomatoes  mixed[uS], whole peeled garlic cloves, drizzled with just a bit of olive oil and roast them all [bake in hot oven in pizza pan] until juices exude, and tiny areas begin to brown and scorch, then take out, get the rest of the juices to dissolve those areas, and crush and strain if you want a seedless sauce. This is a bit better than any other cooked sauce, even better if you have the Turkish sun dried  tomato paste to add in a tiny amount of that  Turkish pepper paste.

Yes, this sounds really good! The only thing I might say is not too heavy on the garlic, and you could also grill a fresh hot pepper or two for it if you like.

Pepper paste is really such an essential ingredient for so much Turkish food, but a bit difficult to find in the US - at least the good ones. Here the good pepper paste is sold in bulk, usually bought directly from villagers. Of the canned ones, the only one I've found that is decent is Tukaş brand, which is available online from some places. I used that one in a pinch and was pleasantly surprised.

[Bull Terrier]

I'm getting a bit confused here - the sauce for Iskender kebab is just with tomato (with perhaps some garlic)? Or else it's a mixture of tomato sauce and pepper paste?