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    Islim Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)

    February 16, 2021 by Ayla Clulee 4 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Aubergine Meatball Wraps (Islim Kebabi or Kurdan Kebabi) is one of those traditional Turkish dishes mainly known and loved by regular households in Turkey. It is not a landmark dish widely representing Turkish cuisine abroad such as the Döner kebab. However, it is an oriental dish that is an extremely flavorful and delicious combination of meat and vegetables.

    Turkish islim kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps) recipe
    Islim kebabı served with buttery Turkish pilaf. Perfection!
    Jump to:
    • Why This Recipe Works?
    • Ingredients and Substitutes
    • How to Make Aubergine Meatball Wraps (Islim Kebabi)?
    • Related Recipes
    • Top Tip From the Chef
    • Islim Kebabı (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)

    You need to try these aubergine meatball wraps especially if you enjoy Mediterranean cuisine in general and looking for an authentic and delicious dish.

    islim kebabı (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)

    Islim Kebab is comprised of the amazing combination of thinly sliced fried aubergines, juicy meatballs, and tomato sauce. If it sounds (or looks) delicious to you, keep reading to learn how to make this traditional Turkish dish!

    Why This Recipe Works?

    • Islim kebabı (also known as Kurdan Kebabi) is a great dish for special occasions. Although it is not the easiest and quickest recipe, it is an extremely indulgent and rewarding dish you and your family & friends will enjoy.
    • You can make this dish a couple of days ahead and finish baking in the oven when needed.
    • The leftovers will freeze beautifully.

    Ingredients and Substitutes

    Ingredients for Islim Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps
    • Minced beef - 30% fat to meat ratio is ideal for juicy meatballs. Using lean mince will make them dry and tough. If you want to use lean mince, you should add some fat or oil to the mixture. You can also use lamb mince or a mixture of both.
    • Aubergine - Pick slightly firm but not hard aubergines with a shiny&smooth skin and peel them in stripes like a zebra pattern. Small ones are better as they have fewer seeds, thinner skin, and tend to be sweeter, tenderer and less bitter.
    • Onion - It adds extra flavour and moisture to the meatballs. I prefer grating it into the mixture. You can also finely chop and sauté them if you prefer. You can substitute it with shallots.
    • Garlic - It is another great flavouring for kofte dishes and is absolutely essential. You can turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it with a Microplane Zester Grater. You can substitute the fresh garlic with the garlic powder.
    • Egg - It helps to bind the meat, breadcrumbs, spices and herbs. For up to one kilo of meat, you usually won't need more than one egg.
    • Breadcrumbs - They absorb the juices from the meat as it cooks, trapping them within the meatball. Also, they give meatballs a nice and soft texture.
    • Kofta spices - Most kofte recipes call for a blend of black pepper, paprika and/or chilli but you can also add coriander powder, cayenne pepper, cumin or a touch of cinnamon.
    • Olive oil - It is optional. You don't need to add olive oil if you use minced meat with 30% fat to meat ratio.
    • Oil - You can use vegetable oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil or peanut oil for frying the aubergines.
    • Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking and adds an umami flavour to the dishes as well as a bright red colour. You can buy them from Turkish/Mediterranean shops or online from Amazon .

    How to Make Aubergine Meatball Wraps (Islim Kebabi)?

    Making this dish may seem a bit complicated at first glance. However, the instructions are pretty straightforward and there are a few tips and tricks that you should follow to achieve the best results.

    Prepare the Aubergines

    The shape of your aubergines is important. Try to pick the longer aubergines as it will allow you to make longer stripes. It is necessary to form long strips to wrap around meatballs easily.

    Wash the aubergines and dry them with a paper towel. Peel them vertically in a zebra pattern, do not completely peel them. Slice the aubergines vertically and make sure each aubergine stripe is dry before frying them to avoid oil splashing. Set them aside.

    prepare the aubergine strips

    Fry the Aubergine Stripes

    Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan. Fry each side of the aubergine stripes until they get slightly brown. Place the fried aubergines on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil and then set them aside.

    fry the aubergine strips to make Aubergine meatball Wraps (Islim Kebabi)

    Prepare the Meatball Mix

    Place the minced beef, egg, breadcrumbs, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin powder and paprika into a deep mixing bowl. Use your hands, as if you are kneading dough. It will take around 4-5 minutes for all ingredients to completely combine.

    place all the kofte ingredients in a bowl
    Place the kofte ingredients in a bowl
    kofte mixture for izmir kofte(Smyrna meatballs)
    Mix well

    Divide a little piece from the mixture and roll them into a meatball in the size of a walnut (these meatballs should be able to fit into aubergine wraps. Depending on the size of your aubergine stripes, you can make the meatballs slightly bigger or smaller). 

    shape them into small balls

    Heat a frying pan with a splash of olive oil. Fry the meatballs in the pan until they turn into slight golden colour (you don't need to make sure the meatballs are completely cooked at this stage as they will cook further in the oven. A few minutes in the pan should be enough at this stage).

    Assemble the Aubergine Stripes and Meatballs

    Place 1 piece of Padron green pepper or Turkish chilli and half of a cherry tomato on each toothpick and set them aside. We will be using these toothpicks to secure our aubergine wraps. Lay 2 fried aubergine stripes on top of each other to form a cross and place one meatball in the middle.

    put a piece of meatball on top of aubergine stripes

    Bring first one end of the aubergine up to the top and then in turn the other three ends to form a wrap. Secure them with a toothpick. Repeat the same process until you finish all ingredients.

    build the aubergine meatball

    In a bowl or glass mix the tomato paste and the water until well combined. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the aubergine wraps in a baking dish. With a tablespoon gently pour the tomato sauce on the aubergine wraps. Do not pour the sauce directly on the wraps as this will cause them to fall over in the dish.

    Place the baking dish in the oven until cherry tomatoes and green peppers look cooked. It will take around 20 minutes depending on your oven. Give 5 minutes to cool down before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with buttery Turkish rice pilaf.

    Turkish islim kebabi recipe

    If you decide to try out this dish, make sure you serve it with delicious buttery Turkish Rice Pilaf which is the best companion of many Turkish dishes and islim kebabı is no exception.

    Related Recipes

    For more delicious Aubergine dishes why not try:

    • Saksuka (Turkish Aubergine Meze)
    • Vegan Moussaka with Aubergine
    • Ratatouille Niçoise
    • Authentic Greek Moussaka
    • Turkish Moussaka
    • Hunkar Begendi (Sultan's Delight)
    • Imam Bayildi (Turkish Stuffed Eggplant)
    • Ali Nazik
    • Maklouba (Makloubeh)
    • Karniyarik (Stuffed Aubergine with Mince)
    • Guvec (Turkish Lamb Casserole)
    • Patlican Kebabi (Eggplant Kebab)
    What is the secret to good juicy meatballs?

    It is important to have at least a 30% fat to meat ratio in minced beef to achieve a juicy and flavorful meatball. If you make the meatballs with minced beef that has a lower fat ratio, you may end up with dry and chewy meatballs. If you can't find this sort of minced beef, you can increase the amount of olive oil you put in the meatball mixture.
    Also, make sure you chop the onions and garlic very finely. Otherwise, the pieces of onions and garlic will burn when frying the meatballs, and give an unpleasant taste to the dish. Use a food processor or a grater for chopping the onions and garlic, unless you have very good knife skills! Make sure you mix the ingredients very well when preparing the meatballs.

    How to fix a bitter aubergine?

    The aubergines that you will use in this recipe will make a huge difference. It is better if you are making this recipe when aubergines are in season (usually from July to September). If not, you should soak the aubergine stripes in saltwater for at least 30 minutes before frying them.
    Don't forget to pat them dry well with a paper towel before frying. Soaking them in saltwater will help to get rid of the bitter taste of the aubergines.

    How to serve Islim Kebab (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)?

    This delicious dish is best when served with buttery Turkish Rice Pilaf but there are many other ways to enjoy it. Why not try it with some healthy Bulgur Pilaf or Creamy Mashed Potatoes? Add some salad to make it a complete feast such as Tomato and Walnut Salad or a bowl of Greek Cucumber Salad.

    Top Tip From the Chef

    You should be careful when frying your aubergine stripes. They are very delicate and cook quite easily. If you over fry them, you may end up with soggy and soft stripes which will make the process of assembly very difficult, if not impossible.

    Keep in mind that the aubergines will further cook in the oven, so don't worry if they don't look fully cooked after frying. It is enough for them to slightly turn golden. Usually frying each side of the aubergine stripes for 2-3 minutes is sufficient.

    I hope you enjoy the process of making the Islim Kebabi - Kurdan Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps) as much as you would enjoy eating them! 🙂

    Bon appetite! / Afiyet Olsun!

    turkish islim kebabi recipe

    Islim Kebabı (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)

    This delicious Mediterranean aubergine dish is packed with flavors and perfect for entertaining your dinner guests.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 1 hr
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Mediterranean, Turkish
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 605 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Kitchen Digital Scale
    • 1 sharp knife
    • 1 Measuring Spoons
    • 1 6-Piece Plastic Measuring Cups
    • 1 Cuisinart Nonstick 12-Inch Skillet
    • 1 Rectangular Baking Dish Set
    • 1 Peeler

    Ingredients
     
     

    Aubergine Stripes

    • 4 aubergines (medium size, preferably long ones to create long stripes)
    • sunflower oil (amount depends on the pan that you will fry the aubergine stripes)

    Meatballs

    • 500 g minced beef (30% fat to meat ratio is ideal for juicy meatballs)
    • 1 egg
    • ½ cup breadcrumbs
    • 1 large white onion (finely chopped, preferably with a food processor or a grater)
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil (plus 1 tablespoon for frying the meatballs)
    • 3 cloves of garlic (preferably finely diced with a food processor or a garlic press)
    • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
    • ½ teaspoon sweet paprika powder

    Tomato Sauce

    • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 300 ml warm water

    Garnish

    • 1 handful of fresh parsley leaves (finely chopped, for garnish)
    • 5 cherry tomatoes (sliced into half)
    • 3 green Spanish padron peppers or Turkish chilies (sliced into 2 cm cubes)

    Instructions
     

    Aubergine Stripes

    • Wash the aubergines and dry them with a paper towel.
    • Peel the aubergines vertically in a zebra pattern. Do not completely peel them.
    • Slice the aubergines vertically. Make sure each aubergine stripe is dry before frying them to avoid oil splashing. Set them aside.
    • Heat the sunflower oil in a frying pan.
    • Fry each side of the aubergine stripes until they get slightly brown.
    • Place the fried aubergines on paper towels to get rid of the excess oil. Set them aside.

    Meatballs

    • Place the minced beef, egg, breadcrumbs, olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin powder and paprika into a deep mixing bowl.
    • Mix them with your hands until all ingredients are well combined, knead for about 5 to 6 minutes.
    • Divide a little piece from the mixture and roll them into a meatball the size of a walnut (these meatballs should be able to fit into aubergine wraps. Depending on the size of your aubergine stripes, you can make the meatballs slightly bigger or smaller).
    • Heat a frying pan with a splash of olive oil.
    • Fry the meatballs in the pan until they turn into slight golden colour (you don't need to make sure the meatballs are completely cooked at this stage as they will cook further in the oven. Few minutes in the pan should be enough at this stage).

    Tomato sauce

    • In a bowl or glass mix the tomato paste and the water until well combined. Set aside.

    Assembling the Aubergine Stripes and Meatballs

    • Place 1 piece of Padron green pepper or Turkish chilli and half of a cherry tomato on each toothpick and set them aside. We will be using these toothpicks to secure our aubergine wraps.
    • Lay 2 fried aubergine stripes on top of each other to form a cross and place one meatball in the middle.
    • Bring first one end of the aubergine up to the top and then in turn the other three ends to form a wrap. Secure them with a toothpick. Repeat the same process until you finish all ingredients.
    • Preheat the oven to 180°C.
    • Place the aubergine wraps in a baking dish.
    • With a tablespoon gently pour the tomato sauce on the aubergine wraps. Do not pour the sauce directly on the wraps as this will cause them to fall over in the dish.
    • Place the baking dish in the oven until cherry tomatoes and green peppers look cooked. It will take around 20 minutes depending on your oven.
    • Give 5 minutes to cool down before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with buttery Turkish rice pilaf.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 605kcalCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 31gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 1118mgPotassium: 1737mgFiber: 17gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 667IUVitamin C: 90mgCalcium: 121mgIron: 5mg
    Keyword Aubergine Kebab, Comfort Food, Dinner Ideas, Traditional Turkish Recipes
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    FOOD SAFETY

    • Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
    • Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended
    • Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
    • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

    See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

    This post use affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.

    Did you make this recipe?

    Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ayla

      August 03, 2021 at 3:25 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing dish

      Reply
    2. Sophia

      April 09, 2022 at 2:16 pm

      5 stars
      A huge eggplant fan here! Love the way you combine eggplants and meatballs. Thanks for the tips you share about preparing eggplants.

      Reply
    3. Jeanine

      April 23, 2022 at 7:26 am

      5 stars
      This was fantastic! My whole family loved it and will definitely be making it again. Thank you!

      Reply
    4. Amandine

      May 01, 2022 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      Second time making this. This is by far the best eggplants recipe ever. The whole family loved it!

      Reply

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    Hi! Thank you for visiting Cooking Gorgeous. My name is Ayla, and I’m a professional chef based in the UK. The kitchen is my happy place and cooking is my therapy. To me, food is more than ingredients and nutrition; it is a language of love, a way of expressing compassion.

    In Turkish culture, food is at the centre of every gathering: religious holidays, birthdays, celebrations, funerals and the list goes on. So, probably like many others, I love food. And not just the food itself, but also the process of preparing the food fascinated me from a very young age. 

    More about me →

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