Adana Kebab

Ingredients

Meat

• 800 g lamb shoulder mince (or hand-chopped from shoulder if you have the time)
• 200 g lamb tail fat OR very fatty lamb breast (the fat is non-negotiable - at least 20% fat content)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 ½ tablespoons mild pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground sumac
• 4 garlic cloves (crushed to a paste with the salt)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin

Sumac onion

• 2 red onions (very thinly sliced)
• 2 tablespoons ground sumac
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 20 g flat-leaf parsley (chopped)

Grilled accompaniments

• 4 long Turkish green peppers (sivri biber) or banana peppers
• 4 tomatoes (small, on the vine)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt

To serve

• 4-8 fresh lavash sheets (large, warm; substitute large soft flatbreads)
• Salt-water-and-lemon ayran (yogurt drink) on the side

Equipment

• 4-8 wide flat metal skewers (the flat blade is essential - round skewers spin and the meat falls off)

Method

Stage 1 - Meat

1. If hand-chopping (best): cube the lamb shoulder and tail fat; chop together with a heavy knife on a wooden board for 15 minutes until the texture is fine but distinct pieces remain visible. Aim for a coarse mince with pea-sized fat flecks.
2. If using ready mince: ensure 20%+ fat content. Add tail fat or fatty trim chopped fine if your mince is too lean.
3. Place in a wide bowl.

Stage 2 - Season and knead

1. Add the salt, garlic paste, hot pepper flakes, paprika, sumac and cumin.
2. Knead and slap the meat against the bowl for 6-8 minutes.
3. The texture transforms: loose at first, then increasingly tacky, until the meat clings to the bowl when you pull your hand away. This protein development is what makes the meat grip the flat skewer.

Stage 3 - Chill

1. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours minimum.

Stage 4 - Sumac onion

1. Toss the thinly sliced red onion with sumac, lemon juice and salt; rest 20 minutes; mix in parsley just before serving.

Stage 5 - Skewer

1. Take a fistful of meat (about 200 g for a full-size kebab).
2. Squeeze around the centre of a wide flat skewer.
3. Work the meat outward toward the tip and the handle end, pressing firmly with wet fingers so it grips the flat sides.
4. Final shape: a flat sausage 25 cm long, 3 cm wide, 2 cm thick.
5. Use thumb and forefinger to make shallow indentations every 3 cm down the length (helps even cooking).
6. Repeat for all skewers.

Stage 6 - Grill

1. Heat charcoal until it's covered with white ash (no flames).
2. Brush the peppers and tomatoes with olive oil; salt them.
3. Lay skewers across the grill bars (so the meat dangles in the heat, doesn't touch the grate).
4. Add the peppers and tomatoes to one side of the grill.
5. Cook the kebabs 5-6 minutes; turn once; cook 4-5 more minutes.
6. The meat should be deeply charred outside, just-cooked inside (medium).
7. Pepper skins should blister; tomatoes should split.

Stage 7 - Serve

1. Lay warm lavash on warm plates.
2. Slide each kebab off its skewer onto a sheet of lavash (the bread soaks the juices).
3. Top with a heap of sumac onion.
4. Place a grilled long pepper and tomato alongside.
5. Serve with cold ayran.