Iskendar kebab comes from the northwest city of Bursa in Turkey - a classic dish, if you want a filling meal. Legend says Iskendar is the Turkish name for Alexandar The Great. Served with a side of grilled vegetables, this dish is served with melted butter on top. The meat is typically grilled on a rotisserie but we have a guide to making it at home, closest to an authentic recipe.
Ingredients:
600 gms beef
400 gms lamb shoulder
2 gms onion juice
2 gms sea salt
8 to 10 tbsp olive oil
1 tomato
2 pieces of sweet paprika
Tomato Sauce
30 ml tomato paste or 3 medium tomatoes
2 tsp red chilli flakes
Salt to taste
For the meat marination:
1. We need thin slices of meat, you can either cut it at home or ask your butcher to do this. Then pound the slices of meat with a wooden spoon or meat tenderiser. Each slice should be about 5 x 4 centimeter in size.
2. Take onion juice, olive oil and salt in a large bowl and marinate the meat. Cover the meat with a cling film and keep it overnight in the fridge.
To make the onion juice you can grate the onion (approximately 2 medium sized onions) and grind it in a food processor until liquidised.
For the tomato paste:
3. In a pan, add olive oil, tomato paste or chopped tomatoes, red chilli flakes and salt in the pan. Simmer and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Slice a pide or pita bread into a square and put it in the oven for 5 minutes.
5. Take a skillet, add olive oil and cook the meat on high heat for about two mintues. Make sure you do not overcook the meat. Note: Remove the meat slices from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking them.
6. In the same skillet, on the other side sauté tomatoes and peppers until they start to blacken at the edges.
7. It's time to plate. Place the warm pita bread on a plate. Spread the meat on top it, then drizzle the tomato sauce on top of it. Place the cooked tomatoes and peppers on top it. Add a dollop of fresh yoghurt and serve.
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