Fantastic kebab sandwich that will become a family favorite. That happened to my friend and her family, who followed my recipe to the letter!
The biggest challenge when you want a kebab with bread (or kebab sandwich) at home is the logistics. If you wish to have freshly baked bread like me. The rest can be prepared in good time. If you want freshly baked bread, you need to expect the bread to cool a little before you can use it. The bread must be taken out of the oven about half an hour before serving. The kebab can be prepared well in advance, too – you must fry it, and it takes about 10 minutes. You can also count on a few minutes for the assembly itself. If you want French fries, prepare them by frying them for 5 minutes, then cool them and fry them for a few more minutes before serving.
I love different kinds of kebabs – the best is the one you make at home. The thin kebab can easily be imitated without any significant problems – you just have to learn the technique, which is very simple. I’ve used the method for a long time – that’s how I made kebabs before I got authentic grill sticks from Iran; they weren’t available in Sweden.
This can be done in two ways. I will now show how simple it really can be.
Option 1 – you prepare the minced meat, roll it like a sausage in plastic wrap, and put it in the freezer. Then you can take it out when frozen and cut thin slices, which you fry immediately. I tried it and wasn’t particularly fond of the process itself. I used a cutting machine and a sharp knife – I found it difficult to achieve.
Option 2 – is significantly more straightforward. You spread the finished kebab mince in a roasting pan and make it as thin as possible. Then place the tray in the oven for 5 minutes. Take it out and cut it into strips. Put the kebab in the fridge and fry it just before serving. You can freeze it too.
A few words about minced meat:
You can make this kebab with ground beef or a mixture of ground beef, lamb, or ground turkey. You only need to remember that turkey mince is a little looser in texture than other mince; you can compensate for that by adding little bread crumbs, for example. The mince must also contain some fat; otherwise, it will be too dry.
Seasoning
Kebabs always contain onions – if you are allergic or cannot tolerate onions, you can use ¼ tsp of asafoetida. instead.
Grate the onion, squeeze the juice, and use the liquid in the minced meat. Another option is to puree the onion in a blender and use that. I have used both methods and cannot say there is any significant difference. The easiest is to puree and use the whole onion.
I use 1-2 teaspoons of dried thyme in the mince; if you use fresh thyme, you need to double the amount.
If you want an even more complex taste, add 1 teaspoon of ground cumin. Experiment.
How much meat do you need?
If you make a kebab sandwich with all the accessories, you can count on 100 grams per person – that’s plenty. I used 200g of the kebab meat, which I then rolled out into a rectangle (29 x 22cm); it was more than enough for my husband and me.
Accessories
It’s a matter of taste, but here are some suggestions.
- Thin slices of red onion that are salted and mixed well. Chop the parsley and add it to the onion before serving.
- Sliced or chopped tomatoes.
- Pickled cucumber
- Fresh cucumber sliced or chopped.
- Spring onions – a classic along with kebabs in Iran.
- Sumac – super tasty for the kebab. You can either have it on the side or use it in the onion and parsley mixture.
- French fries
- Amazing Turkish bread
Sauces:
My favorite at home is the white sauce. It is beneficial to prepare the sauces in good time and store them in the fridge so they can mature and taste good.
| White sauce | 4 pressed garlic cloves |
| 4 Tbsp yogurt | 1 tsp salt |
| 2 Tbsp mayonnaise | Extra: Chopped dill, parsley, or chives. |
| Red sauce | ¼ tsp black pepper |
| 2 Tbsp yogurt | ¼ tsp chili flakes |
| 1 Tbsp chili sauce (Heinz) | 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice |
| ¼ tsp salt | 1 tsp pureed ginger |
Ingredients for the Kebab.
| 500 g ground beef | A pinch of chili flakes |
| 2 tbsp yogurt (solid variety) | 1.5 tsp salt |
| 1 large onion | 0,5 tsp black pepper |
| 1 – 2 tsp dried thyme. | Butter for frying. |
Method:
- Puree the onion (see different options under seasoning). Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Process until the meat changes color (takes about 5 minutes). Then refrigerate it for 1 hour.
Option 1:Roll the minced meat into a thicker sausage. Place in the freezer. It must be well frozen before you can thinly slice it and fry it in butter before serving.
Option 2 – Preheat the oven to (347° F) – (175° C), spread the mince super thin on an oiled baking sheet, - Put it in the oven for 5 minutes. Take out the tray, place the meat on a cutting board and shred the meat. Fry it in butter before serving.
Assembly and serve!
