Here is a specialty kebab plate that is well known to locals in southern parts of Turkey. The ingredients are similar to regular kabab base and lahmacun topping. If you are new to this type of food, it would be a good idea to start with this dish as it is fairly easy to incorporate. First of all, you do not need any special kebab equipment. Plus, you basically mix the ingredients and bake in a small size pizza pan. The one that I am using in the photo might be difficult for you to obtain. However, you can use a small size 8-inch deep dish pan and get the same results.
Most other types of kebab require special grills. Besides, you need some basic knowledge about Middle Eastern cuisine since lahmacun and pide have some unique dough formulas. However, that does not mean that they are difficult to prepare.
The original version of this recipe contains 100% lamb meat. Kebab chefs do not use ground meat from the butcher, and make their own by chopping different parts of meat with special mincing knife that is curved with an angle.
I tend to make it from ground beef meat. To me, that’s the easiest method at home. I never tried the vegan version. Feel free to give it a try with vegetable protein. It should taste yummy as well!
What you will need:
As I mentioned earlier, you can use a small size deep dish pizza pan to make this kebab recipe. Make sure you brush it with olive oil or melted butter before adding the kebab meat mixture.
Also, you might find it easier to slice and dice the ingredients by using a quality food processor. You will definitely save on time. Note that all the ingredients must be chopped super thinly. This is important so that we can blend them uniformly with the ground meat. The mixture should be flawless.
Traditional Kilis Tava Recipe
This recipe is genuinely traditional. Every region adds different ingredients, but the basics are the same. You would encounter different names as you travel from one city to another. The word ‘’Tava’’ means pan. They change the city name next to it, such as Hatay Tava, Kilis Tava, and so on. The main idea is to marinate the ground meat with spices and bake in the oven until most liquid evaporates.
Traditional Kilis Tava
Course: MainCuisine: TurkishDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes40
minutes460
kcal50
minutesIngredients
8 Oz. (225 g) ground meat— (preferably beef sirloin for best results, but feel free to be creative)
2 large onions
2 garlic cloves
1/4 quince, peeled
1 green chili pepper
1 red bell pepper
1/2 bunch of parsley
2 medium tomatoes
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 tablespoon pepper paste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- For decoration:
1 green chili pepper (or any pepper you like)
1 Roma tomato
Directions
- Peel and cut the onions into large cubes.
- Dice the peeled quince into cubes.
- Cut the other vegetables into small parts so that it is easier to place them into the food processor.
- Add the sliced quince, onions, green chili pepper, red bell pepper, garlic cloves, parsley, and tomatoes to the food processor. Make sure all are chopped well.
- Once everything is uniformly blended, transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
- Add the salt, black pepper, thyme, cumin, and cayenne pepper.
- Add the ground meat to mixture.
- Add four tablespoons of olive oil.
- Blend well with a spatula.
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
- Brush the pizza pan with olive oil or butter.
- Place the ground mixture into the pizza pan, make sure to spread it evenly.
- Cut a green chili pepper in half and slice two Roma tomatoes to quarters, as shown in the photo.
Add tomatoes and chili peppers on top.
- Decorate the top with sliced tomato and chili pepper.
- Bake it for 40 to 50 minutes.
Notes
- You can also place sliced eggplants under the ground meat mixture when making Kilis Tava. By doing so, you can add another flavor layer to this delicious kebab recipe.
- You can serve spicy bulgur pilaf with this kebab dish.
- I use lean ground meat around 10 to 15% fat for best results when making this specialty at home.
What do kebabs contain?
Most kebabs are prepared with ground beef and lamb meat. They also include super thinly chopped onions, tomatoes, and chili peppers to improve the flavor. The ratio of onions and garlic differs depending on the region. Most kebabs are grilled on skewers while some are baked in wood-fired ovens.
What are the different types of kebabs?
The most popular kebab types are Adana, Urfa, Beyti, Chicken Sis, Saslik, and Tava. The main difference between Adan and Urfa is the spice level. Adana kebab contains more hot peppers. Most kebabs are grilled on skewers except for the Tava, which is baked in a pan.
What goes well with kebab?
Bulgur pilaf is the most popular side dish for every kabab plate. Also, Çoban (Sheppard) salad is an indispensable side dish. It is a basic salad made with onions, diced tomatoes, chili peppers, and parsley. All you need is to chop them, add olive oil and salt. If you add pomegranate syrup (dib roman) and crushed pecans, you will take it to another level.