HOW TO MAKE AND SERVE TURKISH 'DONER' & 'ISKENDER KEBAB' AT HOME

HOW TO MAKE AND SERVE TURKISH 'DONER' & 'ISKENDER KEBAB' AT HOME

Music: Bir Of Ceksem - Turkish Folk Song
Arrangement and piano: Elvan A. ULUCINAR

In this episode, I'd like to share with you my version of 'Homemade Doner Kebab'. It is so easy to prepare and tastes amazingly delicious. Much better than some restaurants we've eaten :) I use lavash and pide bread for this recipe, but you can also use pita, sandwich or regular bread as well.

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INGREDIENTS (2-3 servings)
4 pieces thinly-sliced steak
100 gr./0.220 pound ground meat
1 onion
1 small sweet green pepper
1/2 tsp red sweet paprika
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp lemon juice
Salt & pepper
1 cup sun flower oil
DIRECTIONS
For the marinade: Peel the onion and finely chop in a blender.
Reserve 1 tbsp chopped onion for the ground meat.
Using a cheese cloth, squeeze out the extra liquid and reserve.
Combine the liquid and 1 cup sun flower oil in a large bowl.
Add a pinch of black pepper, 1/2 tsp drie thyme and sweet paprika.
Add finely diced green pepper, mix.
Clean then pat dry the steaks, transfer into the marinade.
Make sure they are well covered, add some more oil if needed.
Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Combine 1/4 tsp baking soda and salt, a pinch of black pepper with ground meat.
Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice and knead until well combined, for about 3-4 minutes.
Wrap with cling film and refrigerate for 24 hours.
The following day, divide the ground meat into 3 equal portions.
Using tongs, remove one steak from the marinade, pat dry and lay in a plate.
Spread 1 portion ground meat on top thinly and evenly, wet your hands with some water if needed.
Repeat the same, continue to make layers with steak and ground meat, until all is used.
Wrap tightly in two or three layers of cling film.
Refrigerate for 24 hours, then transfer into the freezer.
You can store it for up to 3 months in the freezer.
When ready to use, remove from the freezer about 1 hour before serving time, let stand at room temp.
In the meantime, prepare the side dishes, doner cooks really fast!
*To serve doner over pide bread, "Pide st Dner"
Ligthly roast some tomatoes and green peppers and buy pide bread.
*To serve doner over pilaf, "Pilav st Dner"
Cook some rice pilaf and roast some tomatoes&green peppers.
*To serve doner in lavash bread, "Drm Dner"
Buy lavash bread.
Thinly slice some onion, lettuce and tomato.
Make sure to rub the onion with some salt, then rinse and drain.
*To serve doner like "Iskender (Alexander) Kebab"
Preferably, use an oval shaped plate.
You will also need some thick yogurt, bulgur pilaf, roasted peppers&tomatoes, cubed pide bread and tomato sauce.
To prepare the tomato sauce:
Heat 1 tbsp butter and olive oil in a saucepan.
Add 1 tsp flour and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Sprinkle a pinch of sweet paprika.
Add 1 tsp tomato paste and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.
*I use my 'homemade tomato puree for winter' in the recipe, you can use pureed fresh tomatoes.
Add 1 - 1/2 cup tomato puree and 1 cup hot water.
Sprinkle a pinch of granulated sugar, 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper to taste.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, over the lowest possible setting.
Drain into a bowl, then pour it back to the pan.
Simmer for another 10 minutes, turn off the heat.
When the time is up, slice the frozen meat very thinly, using a sharp knife.
It should be still frozen but easy to cut.
Work in batches, so you don't crowd the pan.
In a large pan, heat 1 tbsp butter and olive oil.
You can also add sheep's tail fat, it is traditionally used in doner.
Add meat and cook over medium to medium high heat, until they release their juices and reabsorb them, stirring occasionally.
For about 3-4 minutes.
Season to taste.
Arrange cooked doner over a pide bread or some rice pilaf, garnish with roasted tomatoes&green peppers and serve.
To serve 'Drm Dner': Lay lavash bread flat on a working surface.
Totally optional, but I usually brush the bread with some butter/oil&sweet paprika sauce for extra flavor.
Put the sliced veggies (onion, lettuce, tomato) down one side, add a pinch of salt.
Arrange cooked doner on top of veggies, then roll up to form a wrap.
To serve doner like Iskender kebab:
Toast the cubed pide bread in a pan until dry, stirring occasionally.
Make sure not to burn them.
Add 4-5 tbsp tomato sauce and mix well.
Place in a serving plate.
Arrange some bulgur pilaf on one side and 3-4 tbsp thick yogurt to the other side of pide.
Cook the meat then add 4-5 tbsp tomato sauce, mix.
Place Iskender kebab on top of pide and garnish with roasted tomato&peppers.
Last but not least, drizzle with some sizzling butter.
You can serve doner with some ayran, salad or/and French fries/chips if desired.