Islim Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)

Aubergine Meatball Wraps (Islim Kebabi or Kurdan Kebabi) are 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 Shish Tawook (Turkish Chicken Kebab) or Lamb Shish Kebab. However, it is an oriental dish that is an extremely flavorful and delicious combination of meat and vegetables.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works?
• What is the Secret to Good Juicy Meatballs?
• Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Aubergine Meatball Wraps (Islim Kebabi)?
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• 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 Kebab is comprised of an amazing combination of thinly sliced fried aubergines, juicy meatballs, and tomato sauce. If it sounds (or looks) delicious to you, keep on 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 delicious eggplant dish a couple of days ahead and finish baking it in the oven when needed.

• The leftovers of İslim Kebabı will freeze beautifully. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 5 months!

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.

Ingredients and Substitutes

• 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 (Eggplant) - Pick slightly firm but not hard aubergines with 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 flavor 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 flavoring 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. 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 soft texture.

• Kofta spices - Most kofte recipes call for a blend of black pepper, cumin, paprika, and/or chili but you can also add coriander powder, cayenne pepper, or a touch of cinnamon.

• Olive oil - It is optional. You don't need to add olive oil if you use minced meat with a 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 flavor to the dishes as well as a bright red color. 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.

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 or on a colander to get rid of the excess oil and then set them aside.

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.

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 slightly golden color. 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

Prepare the cherry tomatoes and green peppers by cutting the tomatoes in halves and slicing the peppers into chunks. Set them aside on a plate, as we will put them on skewers to secure the 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.

Place a piece of green pepper and half a tomato on a toothpick and secure the wrap with it. Repeat the same process until you finish all ingredients.

In a bowl or glass mix the tomato paste and the water until well combined. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F). 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.

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

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full, printable recipe!

Top Tips From the Chef

• Try to pick the longer aubergines as they will allow you to make longer stripes. It is necessary to form long strips to wrap around meatballs easily.

• 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.

• The ideal mince should have a minimum of %20 fat (ideally %30) for soft and delicious koftes. Using lean mince will make them dry and tough.

• When shaping the meatballs, wet your palm with a bit of water to avoid the meatballs sticking to your hand. 

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious aubergine/eggplant dishes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Turkish dish "Islim Kebabi - Kurdan Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps)" as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

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