Home Style Iskender Kebab in tomato sauce with pita bread and yoghurt
I have long wanted to recreate the delicious Iskender Kebab, Iskender Kebabi at home; thin slices of lamb or beef in tomato based sauce, served over pide bread with yoghurt and grilled vegetables by the side. It is one of the most delicious kebabs you can have in Turkey and it is a joy to be able to recreate at home.
Doner maker, donerci, in Istanbul, making chicken (tavuk) doner on a vertical rotisserie
Living abroad, Iskender Kebab is one of the special treats I dearly miss. This delicious kebab is a specialty of Bursa region in Turkey and I remember many foodie trips I made to Bursa to enjoy the genuine Iskender Kebap. Iskender Kebab is made with doner kebab, which requires a vertical rotisserie where layers of thinly sliced lamb, beef, veal – or chicken – stacked together. Traditionally, minced meat is used to stick the slices of the meat.
Home made Iskender Kebab; easier than you think and most delicious.
I don’t have a vertical rotisserie but managed to make a very close by Iskender Kebab at home, greatly enjoyed by family and friends. Thin slices of rib eye steak or lamb or beef tenderloin work very well here. Marinating the meat in onion juice, olive oil and spices is really worth the effort to tenderize the meat and add a lot of flavor. With pide bread, pide ekmek as a base, delicious tomato sauce poured over the meat, grilled tomatoes, peppers and yoghurt by the side, home style Iskender Kebab makes a very special meal to share with family and friends. My thanks goes to the brilliant book Anatolia; Adventures in Turkish Cooking, for the inspiration to have a go at making Iskender Kebab at home.
Home style Iskender Kebab; delicious over pita bread with yoghurt and grilled vegetables aside.
My cookery book, Ozlem’s Turkish Table, is packed with over 90 authentic Turkish recipes and stunning photography – Signed hardback copies now 25 % OFF and delivered worldwide including US, at this link (please not thar Iskender Kebab is not included in this book).
I hope you enjoy making Iskender Kebab at home with my recipe, it is easier than you think and most delicious.
Afiyet Olsun,
Ozlem
- For the meat marinate:
- 2 lbs. rib eye steak or lamb or beef tenderloin
- 2 large onions, grated
- 45 ml / 3 tbsp. olive oil
- 10 ml/ 2 tsp. dried oregano
- 10 ml/ 2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- For the tomato sauce:
- 30 ml / 2 tbsp. concentrated tomato paste
- 15 ml/ 1 tbsp. red pepper paste (optional; you can use extra 1 tbsp. tomato paste and red pepper flakes to your taste instead too)
- 30 ml/ 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 16 fl oz. / 2 cups water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 2 green pointy or bell peppers, deseeded and sliced
- Thinly sliced pide ekmek or plain pita bread – 6 pieces, to serve
- 500 gr / 2 cups plain yoghurt to serve
- Prepare the meat marination a day ahead of time of cooking.
- Grate the onions or place them in a food processor and process until liquid. Squeeze all the onion juice into a non-metallic bowl and discard any remaining onion pulp.
- Slice the meat thinly (you can ask your butcher to this for you too) and then pound each slice with the back of a wooden spoon (or with a meat tenderizer). We aim to achieve the slices about 5 cm (2”) x 4 cm (1.5”) in size.
- Combine the onion juice, oregano, red pepper flakes, olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper in a large bowl. Stir in the meat slices and coat each piece with this marination. Cover the bowl with a cling film and marinate overnight in the fridge.
- To make the tomato sauce, pour in the olive oil in a sauce pan over the medium heat. Stir in the tomato paste, red pepper paste (if using) and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and combine well. Add the water then bring to the boil. Then gently simmer for 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F
- Slice the pide or pita bread in 3 cm x 3 cm (about 1”) squares and place on a tray. Warm in the oven for 5 minutes.
- Drizzle a little olive oil on a skillet and cook the meat slices on high heat; for about 2 minutes each side (take care not to overcook). Also sauté the sliced tomatoes and peppers at the other side of the skillet, until they start to charcoal at edges.
- Once everything is cooked, plate your Iskender Kebap. Place the warm pide / pita bread slices on each plate. Spread the cooked slices of the meat over the pide bread and pour over the tomato sauce. Place the sautéed tomatoes and peppers at one side and a dollop of plain yoghurt at the other side. Serve immediately. This recipe serves 4 -6 generously.
- Afiyet Olsun.