Iskender Kebab

5 from 1 vote

Iskender Kebab is a classic Turkish dish from Bursa, made with thin slices of doner meat served over warm pita bread, then topped with tomato sauce and hot melted butter. Serve it with plain yogurt, grilled tomato, and Turkish green pepper on the side.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: people

Calories: 692kcal

Author: Ayla Clulee

Ingredients

For Doner Meat

1 ⅛ lbs ground lamb or beef (500 grams)
1 medium onion (grated and juiced)
2 tablespoon plain natural yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For Tomato Sauce

½ tablespoon butter
1 ½ tablespoon tomato paste
3 medium tomatoes (grated)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ cup water

For Serving Iskender Kebab

4 pita bread
3 ½ tablespoon butter
⅔ cup thick strained yogurt or Greek yogurt
2 Turkish green peppers
1 tomato

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare Doner Meat

Grate the onion and squeeze out the juice. You can save the pulp to make delicious recipes such as Turkish Grilled Lamb Kofta - Izgara Kofte or Turkish Sarma Lamb Beyti Kebab. Set the juice aside to use for doner kebab.
Combine the ground lamb or beef, onion juice, yogurt, salt, paprika, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well for 8 to 10 minutes, until all are thoroughly combined and the mixture is firm.
Cover the bowl and let it marinate for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight if you have time.
When the meat is marinated, place it on a large piece of tin foil. Shape it into a log or cylinder, about 2-3 inches (5-7½ cm) in diameter, and wrap it tightly, making sure it is compact and holds its shape.
Preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C) and line a baking tray with aluminum foil.
Thread two skewers through the log; they will make it easier to hold the doner vertically and slice thinly.
Place the doner log on the baking tray and cook the doner meat in your preheated oven for 50 minutes.
Remove the doner from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes.
Peel off the tin foil and shave the meat thinly using a very sharp knife.
Return the sliced meat to the baking tray and place it in the oven for another 5-6 minutes, until the doner meat slices are nicely browned.

Prepare the Tomato Sauce

I start making the sauce while resting the doner kebab meat.
Heat a pan and melt ½ tablespoon of butter. Add tomato paste and sauté briefly until fragrant.
Stir in the grated tomatoes along with water, and let them simmer gently for 10-15 minutes.

Assemble the Iskender Kebab

Slice your pita bread into bite-sized squares. Toast these pieces in a skillet with a little butter for a crispy texture. The toasted bread soaks up the sauce beautifully, making it an essential base for this dish.
Arrange the toasted pita pieces on a plate. Spoon the warm tomato sauce over the pita, ensuring each piece is coated.
Layer the cooked and sliced doner meat generously over the pita bread.
Next, add dollops of yogurt around the edges and drizzle generous amount of sizzling melted butter on top.
For an authentic touch, garnish with grilled Turkish chili and tomato wedges on the side.

Notes

Use ground lamb, ground beef, or a mixture of both.
The meat should have at least 20% fat for the best texture.
Mix the meat mixture for 8 to 10 minutes so it firms up and holds together.
Marinate the meat for at least 2 hours. Overnight gives a better flavor.
Wrap the meat log tightly before baking.
Let the meat rest before slicing.
Slice the meat as thinly as you can with a sharp knife.
Toast the pita before adding the sauce so it keeps some texture.
Keep the sauce warm and melt the butter just before serving.
Store leftovers separately if possible.
Do not freeze the assembled dish, but you can freeze the cooked meat for up to 3 months.

Nutrition