Binnur's Turkish Cookbook

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Sunday, July 17, 2005

Adana Kebab

(Adana Kebap)

Adana Kebab - click to enlarge
500 gr lean ground mutton
100 gr fat from lamb tail, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped (use mixer) or 1 tbsp-full red pepper paste
1 bunch parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt

Mix all the ingredients together with your hands. Make a fist-sized ball and skewer it. Squeeze it on the skewer so that it thins and lengthens to acquire the shape shown in the picture. Cook on a grill. You can also barbecue tomatoes and green peppers on the side.

Serve with pita bread. Adana Kebab will taste better if you prepare the meat in advance and keep it refrigerated overnight.

48 Comments:

At 8:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi, I had Adana kebab in western Turkey several years ago, however this was strips of meat served on pide with a spicy tomato sauce andh yogurt on top. I guess it was a regional variant!

 
At 11:15 AM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi,
What you had in Turkey several years ago was Iskender Kebap. It is served as you described. Actually the beef is not cut in stripes, but rather in thin slices. It is also a very delicious dish. One day I will cook it and post the recipe. :)

 
At 7:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Does anybody know why Adana kebab taste different when made in Turkey as opposed to say Australia. I have had Adana kebab made by several different people (self claimed chefs) in Australia and it just doesn't match the taste of Turkish made.

 
At 5:38 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

It may be because of the fact that it is cook on charcoal, they use lamb meat and animal fat (Fat rendered from the tail of a sheep) to make it more tastefull.

 
At 2:01 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi:
You mentioned 'Beyti Kebab' in this recipe... any thought on whether you will post a photo and instructions on how it is actually prepared and served? I had it a few years ago, loved it, and wish I knew exactly how it is prepared. Perhaps you can post instructional photos as you did with the sigara boregi? by the way, your webpage is fantastic! very good recipes.

 
At 4:08 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi,
Thank you:) I have been asked several times for recipes of Beyti Kebab
and Beyti Sarma. I will post Beyti Sarma soon.
Sure, I can also post instructional photos if that helps:)

 
At 5:56 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

In Adana kebabs are often served with accompaniments like grilled pide, grilled vegetables and seasoned sliced red onions. How are the onions prepared - with sumac?

 
At 10:20 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Check out the Salads Section to find different kind of Salads which go
very well with any kind of Kebab. But what you are specifically asking
for is here;
http://www.turkishcookbook.com/2006/04/side-salad-for-kebabs.php

 
At 4:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi,

I was in Adana this summer, and after we had the tasty kebab I tried a dessert made similar to halva with almond and some kind of cheese or butter. I know I'm not giving too much info, but would you by any chance know what it is called? Or even better how to make it?

 
At 6:47 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi Chryssa,
Check the Dessert Recipe section. It may be Flour Helva or Semolina
Helva. If it is not would you more specific:) Thanks...

 
At 4:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ok, I'll ask my mother-in-law, and will let you know x

 
At 1:53 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

For optimum results, i mince the meat with the cleaver instead of a machine. It really gives a different texture to the meat and enhance the taste. You really need some dexterity though :-)

 
At 9:52 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi Red,
Good effort:) Originally professionals use Zirh which is a special blade to make minced beef. Absolutely though, you are right, it gives the real texture to Adana Kebab:)

 
At 5:30 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Also, I apologize for not saying this in my previous post : Binnur, you have a wonderful site, and the recipes are absolutely great ! Thank you for your effort !

 
At 2:26 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi Red,
Thank you leaving me this lovely comment...it really made me happy:)

 
At 5:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Binnur, very good web site, i've tried to make adana kebbab 10 times, and it was not great, i had it in nyc and the guy told me he used beef and lamb, tomato paste and red peppers, is that possible?
Tomato paste and beef? plus it had red pepper...Thank you....Simon

 
At 8:53 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi,
It is naturally not easy to catch the same taste in the oven grill at home.
For sure, the ingredients make difference but the commercial ovens absolutely give the taste you like. If you want to use tomato paste and red peppers (probably, paste), you may give it a shot and could also mix beef and lamb.

 
At 11:56 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

When cooking adana kebap, how do you get the meat to stay on the beyti skewer? It always seems to break apart when I turn it on the grill. Help!
Thanks.

 
At 5:11 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

It should be a thin and flat kofte, not thick otherwise it will fall apart.
Another thing is that if you puree fresh red pepper, use less amount for that. Real red pepper paste is more suitable for the flat skewer...

 
At 12:12 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Binnur Thank you
Oh WOW I have been looking for the biber salcasi for so long I lived in Adana back in the 1980's and loved it.
The food the people the country and now thank's to you I can make the red pepper that go's in so much of the wonderful turkish food.

Thank you again.
Angie for the UK (LEICESTER)

 
At 11:03 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi Angie,
Thank you:) Biber Salcasi adds more taste to our dishes...enjoy it:)

 
At 5:43 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would also like to thank you Binnur. Thanks to this sight I can now attempt to make my own Adana Kebab. I was in outside of Adana in the 80s and 90s and when I tasted my first one, I think I ate one everyday until I left. Needless to say, I crave them every now and then.

Thanks again,
Joni

 
At 8:11 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Binnur,
I just stumbled across your site! I am so happy!! I lived in Adana for a year in 2004. I loved all the food there and I had such a great time! I have craved Adana Kebabs since I left. I am so happy I found your site so now I can try to make it! Do you also have a recepie for Koban Salata (I think that is how it is spelled). It's a cucumber and tomato salad. Another one of my favorites!
Sharon

 
At 7:42 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi Sharon,
Adana region has so many delicious dishes. I've already post Coban Salatasi (Shepherd's Salad), here is the address;
http://www.turkishcookbook.com/2005/03/shepherds-salad.php
Also, Chicken Tava is here from Adana region;
http://www.turkishcookbook.com/2007/11/chicken-tava.php
Sevgilerimle,

 
At 12:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Merhaba Binnur,
Bu dunyanin en guzeli Turk cookbook. Each of your recipe surprises me so much! I love all of them~~ and you ~~ Ben Cinliyim ve erkek arkadasim Turk. O bu yil Cinceye gelecek. Hope he would enjoy my cooking. Allah kursun. :)

 
At 8:18 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

When I was a kid, my dad was in the US Air Force and was stationed in Incerlik, Turkey. We lived there for two years. I was pretty young at the time, but I am able to remember most of it. I remember this one sauce that I really liked that was like a ketchup. My dad says its Adana Sauce. Would you know of a way to order this stuff? If not, do you know a recipe? Been looking for this off and on for a couple of years now and would really like to try it out again :) Thank you.

 
At 4:54 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi,
I think what you are asking is; the mixture of yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, chopped parsley, red pepper paste and cumin.

 
At 8:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I love your website! I live in NYC where I enjoy a chopped chicken kebab at The Turkish Kitchen, is the recipie the same as you have given for Adana kebap, just substituting chicken?

 
At 7:26 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi,
I don't know chopped chicken kebab I mean it is ground or cut in small cubes:) So, I already posted the Chicken Shish Kebab. If you like you can try it:)

 
At 8:30 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Merhabalar,
Ben San Diego'da yasiyorum. Bircok markete baktim ama kuyruk yagi bulamadim. Kuyruk yagini nereden bulabilirim? Tesekkur ederim.
Hicran

 
At 4:07 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Merhaba Hicran,
Burada kasaplarda bulunuyor. Sanirim sen de oradaki kasaplarda bulabilirsin.

 
At 10:12 PM, Anonymous J W Brewer said...

Mr Binnur I was station at Incirlik AB for 11 yrs. I remember eating the great food in Adana an other areas in Turkey. When we would get a adana kebab the purple onions had a spice on them can you tell me what it was. I really enjoy your web site an now I plan on cooking more turkish food.

 
At 8:13 PM, Anonymous evil eye said...

thank you for introducing our foods and culture to the world:)

 
At 6:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I lived in Adana, Turkey for 2 years in the mid 70's and ate Adana Kebab at the Onbashila and other restaurants (I might have misspelled it). At first I did not care for Adana Kebab, but when I learned to eat it with the seasoned raw onions (sumac), rolled in flat bread and parsley it became my favorite meal. If I was on death row and could order my last meal, it would be Adana Kebab.

 
At 7:03 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi,
Adana Kebap is my husband's favourite food, too, particularly at Onbasilar, and he would do the same:)
I've already posted the side dish which is Sogan Salatasi (Onion Salad) or Yesillik.

 
At 4:08 AM, Blogger OsmanliLevent said...

America'da sanarim ki australia gibi bir probleminiz var kullandigimiz koyun merino'dir ve bu koyunun kuyru kesilir hayvan kucukiken halbuki Turkiye'deki hayvanlarin kuyruklarini kesmiyorlar o yuzden bulunmiyor, biz Australia'da kolay eriyelen yaglari karisdiriyoruz kiyma'ya ve ayni gibi oluyor hat da Bizim Adana Kebab ustamiz var Melbourne'da Turkiye'den daha nesetli bir adana yapiyor , yemin ederim

 
At 1:18 PM, Anonymous Big Moe said...

I was stationed at Incirlik Air Base outside of Adana Turkey and would always go down to my favorite restaraunt by the stadium downtown and have Adana Kebap, Lamazum, and Turkish chopped salad. I am actually making it today for our Memorial Day celebration with my kids, one of which was made there.

 
At 4:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Iyi gunler kardesim..
Ben su anda Arkansas'da yasiyorum. Bende kuyruk yagi aradim ve buldum sonunda...Meat processing firmalarad bulursunus. Kasplarda bulamadim...Binnur hanim, websitenis cok guzel ve cor yararli...iyi gunler dilerim sizlere.

Sinan Kilinc

 
At 2:38 PM, Blogger Molls said...

Hello! Great website! I have been trying to find these recipes. Question- what can I use instead of rendered lamb tail fat? Not sure I can find that in my area. Thanks, and I'm really looking forward to trying your recipes!

 
At 2:45 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi Molls,
Just skip the lamb tail fat:)

 
At 8:01 AM, Blogger aymie said...

Having recently converted to Islam, I am going through my first Ramazan. I log onto this site to get recipes and long for the flavor I had in Istanbul. Thank you! Thank you! Teşekkürler! I post my meals on my Facebook page for my Turkish family and friends to see. So far all thumbs up!

 
At 2:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

binnur your recipes are always so tasty, i come here now and again to get some recipe ideas.
and they sure are all thumbs up 10/10 !!

 
At 6:35 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Most recipes I've seen for Adana kabap call for sumac. I have staghorn sumac in my backyard, and it looks like what they sell in the spice bazars in Turkey (I've just returned). Can I use this, and if so, how? I love Adana Kebap. Tesekkur ederim. J.

 
At 7:08 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hi J,
We use sumac as a dry seasoning for vegetables or salads or kofte or
meat kebabs on a barbeque, etc.. It is a sour tasting seasoning,
commonly used in Turkish cuisine:)

 
At 10:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hello,

Thank you for the recipe!

Could I substitute Urfa biber flakes instead of crushed red pepper?

If I added some cumin and garlic, do you think it would work?

 
At 11:09 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Hello,

Sure, you can:) If you add cumin, garlic or any other spices, it would still be a kebap but not the Adana Kebap:)

 
At 3:45 PM, Anonymous Buddy Litz said...

Binnur, thank you for this site. I lived in Adana for two years and in Ankara for 15 months. Needless to say, I grew extremely fond of the foods there. Your site now allows me to cook some of my favorite things, especially Kebaps!!! Thank you for sharing.
Buddy Litz

 
At 5:41 PM, Blogger Binnur said...

Thank you, Buddy Litz:)

 

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