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"Kebabs"
is another category of food which, like the "börek",
is typically Turkish dating back to the times when
the nomadic Turks learned to grill and roast their
meat over their camp fires. Given the numerous
types of kebabs, it helps to realize that you
categorize them by the way the meat is cooked.
The Western World knows the "şiş
kebab"
and the "Döner"
introduced to them mostly by Greek entrepreneurs,
who have a good nose for what will sell! şiş
kebab is grilled cubes of skewered meat. Döner
kebab is made by stacking alternating layers of
ground meat and sliced leg of lamb on a large
upright skewer, which is slowly rotated in front
of a vertical grills. As the outer layer of the
meat is roasted, thin slices are shaved to be
served.
There are numerous other grilled kebabs beside
those cooked in a clay oven. It should be noted
that the unique taste of kebabs are due more to
the breeds of sheep and cattle, which are raised
in open pastures by loving shepherds, than to
special marinades and a way of cooking. Therefore,
you should stop at a kebab restaurant in Turkey to
taste the authentic item. |
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| "Kebabcı"
is by far the most common and the least expensive
type of restaurant, ranging from a hole in the wall
to large and lavish establishments. Kebab is the
traditional Turkish response to fast food that is at
the same time not especially bad for you. A generic
kebabcı will have "Lahmacun"
(Turkish
pizza)
and "Adana"
(spicy
scewered ground meat, named after the southern city
where it was born),
salad greens with red onions and baklava to top it
all off. Beyond that the menu will tell you the
speciality of the kebabcı. The best plan is to seek
out the well-known ones and to try the less spicy
types if you are not used to kebab. Once you develop
a taste for it, you can have inexpensive feasts by
going to the neighborhood kebabcı anywhere in İzmir,
Ankara or Istanbul. "Izgara"-
mixed grilled meat, it is how main course meat dishes are
prepared at a meat restaurant. Mixed grills are likely to
include lamb chops, "Kõfte,"
or "Şiş"
(select
cubes of meat).
The way of preparing ground meat will be the "Köfte." |
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| These
are grilled, fried, oven-cooked or boiled, after
being mixed with special spices, eggs, and grated
onions and carefully shaped into balls, oblongs,
round or long patties. Another popular dish,
inspired by the nomadic Turks who carried spiced,
raw meat in their saddles, and known to Europeans
as "Steak
Tartar",
is the raw kõfte. Here, it is made of raw double
ground meat, by kneading it with thin bulgur and
hot spices vigorously for a few hours. Then bite-sized
patties are made, and served with chilantro, known
for its stomach-protecting qualities. Some
restaurants specialize only in grilled meats, in
which case they are called meat restaurants. The
fare will be a constant stream of grilled meats
served hot in portions off the grill, until you
tell the waiter that you are full. The best one is
Beyti in Florya, Istanbul, and the best way to get
there is to take the commuter train from Sirkeci,
the main train station on the European side,
rather than negotiating the highway traffic. This
way you can also see the local folk, especially
the kids who seem to use the train to the fullest,
carrying out their summer holiday adventures
involving fishing and possibly a variety of other
mischief. |
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