The Döner Kebab—Ingested in Turkey, Recreated in Seattle
After a fact-finding mission to Turkey, we returned with a newfound appreciation of the classic street food, the döner kebab. Find a simplified recipe for it below, alongside some additional findings.
The Kebab
- 2 chicken breasts
- Olive oil (to taste)
- ½ grated onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp coriander
- 2 tsp oregano
- A dash of paprika
- A generous pinch of black pepper
- Iceberg lettuce
- Canned corn, drained (optional)
- Sauces (optional—prepare them according to the steps below)
- Pitas
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Slice chicken breast into thin strips—about an inch in length.
- In a bowl, coat chicken with olive oil, onions, garlic, cumin, coriander, oregano, paprika, and pepper.
Serve any which way you like: I prefer topping a toasted pita with lettuce, chicken, corn, and sauces. Eat as a handheld or use a knife and fork—there’s no “wrong” way to enjoy a döner.
Garlic Sauce
- 1 cup yoghurt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tsp dried mint
- 4+ garlic cloves, minced
- Salt and pepper
Mix ingredients together. 🤷♂️
Chili Sauce
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ grated onion
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 2 red chilis, chopped
- 1 pinch of sugar
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- Optionally, water for a thinner consistency
Throw it all in a Vitamix or equivalent blender, and mix until you reach your desired consistency. I like mine to remain somewhat chunky.
During the nineties, the döner kebab was a mainstay in my fast-food arsenal. In Europe, it’s largely equivalent to a street taco or a burrito—you can easily find at least one kebab shop in most urban neighborhoods.
It had been a minute since I enjoyed a kebab, but the flame got reignited during a recent visit to Alaçatı, Turkey. (Further food findings from that city will be posted in a future edition of the Digest.)
Worth mentioning is that while “döner” suggests one particular type of kebab, it really is just a baseline. In other words, a döner is meat covered in a spice mix, cooked on a vertical rotisserie, served on or with a pita, usually with pickled peppers. Customization—which often is the norm—comes down to the cook’s whims.
Web Source
Doner kebab. (2023, August 25). In Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doner_kebab