Looking for a Europian "kabab" recipe.

[dlcantrell]

The "kabab" i'm looking for is the run of the mill one you can pick up from cornor vendors after a night of drinking. =)

Thanks,
David

[marmalady]

More info, please - beef? served in a pita? yogurt sauce? spices?

[dlcantrell]

Hi Marmalady,

I am really not sure on the contents.

I know it is in a pita and contains beef and lamb in small to medium bits (almost ground but not quite). I do not remember a yogurt sauce but do remember a yummy curry based sauce (more red in colour like red pepper then the yellowish curry sauce but without a doubt a curry sauce).

This kabab is not something you would find in a resturant as it's too "fast food". You can find the small shops and vendors in all of the big cities I have visited in Western Europe (Germany, Netherlands, France, etc.). They will be found in little shops that sell quick "hand" foods you can eat on the go, while walking.

I hope to get a recipe next time i'm in Europe but have been craving them since August (the last time I was over there).

Thanks,
David

[Suzanne]

Do you mean something like:
Turkish Doner kebab (Please no "Donner party" jokes this time, okay everyone?) and/or
Israel/Lebanese/Syrian Shawarma and/or
what's sold in "Greek" restaurants here as Gyro?

That is, the seasoned meat packed onto a vertical spit, grilled as it rotates, and sliced off for sandwiches?

If that's what you mean, that's hard, since it's something you need the equipment for.

[dlcantrell]

Hmmm.. I know it's not a Gyro (but they are yummy) and Doner Kebab sounds right (I have no idea what a Shawarma is).

Thanks,
Dave

[Suzanne]

They're all related; maybe what you had is a version of Doner Kebab, yeah. So your question is sort of like asking, what's the recipe for a McDonald's hamburger. Not in the sense of cheap branded junk, but as an omnipresent fast food. Wherever Turks have migrated to, you'll find Doner Kebab -- and it's taken off as one of the most popular fast foods in Europe, especially Germany*. My guess is that the sauce you had is a local favorite (from having curry sauce with German wursts).

None of this solves your problem, though. The next time I'm near a place that has Doner Kebab, I'll have to try it and figure it out. I know, it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

* surprise: the Germans hated it when the Turkish "guest workers" arrived, but loved the food they brought!

[dlcantrell]

Originally posted by Suzanne
They're all related; maybe what you had is a version of Doner Kebab, yeah. So your question is sort of like asking, what's the recipe for a McDonald's hamburger. Not in the sense of cheap branded junk, but as an omnipresent fast food. Wherever Turks have migrated to, you'll find Doner Kebab -- and it's taken off as one of the most popular fast foods in Europe, especially Germany*. My guess is that the sauce you had is a local favorite (from having curry sauce with German wursts).

None of this solves your problem, though. The next time I'm near a place that has Doner Kebab, I'll have to try it and figure it out. I know, it's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

* surprise: the Germans hated it when the Turkish "guest workers" arrived, but loved the food they brought!

Thanks for your response Suzanne!

When I posed the question I didn't think about it being a typical fast food recipe. I recently had a Turkish Doner Kebab and although fantastic it just wasn't quite what I was looking for. I think you're are right on in saying it was the local sauce that made the taste. Looks like i'm just going to have to do some more traveling until I find the taste again and then bribe the person into giving me the recipe. =)

Did you have to mention curry sauce w/wursts? Now i'm salivating!! =)

Dave

[Armand]

Originally posted by dlcantrell

Did you have to mention curry sauce w/wursts? Now i'm salivating!! =)

Well if that´s so I´ll go to the nearest Dönerbude and have a Currywurst on you!

I doubt you´ll find a Döner Kebab with the same sauce as used with Currywurst somewhere in Germany. You hardly ever do find any "real" Currywurst anymore in Germany; They´re just different sorts of sausages with some sort of mildly spicy ketchup and some curry powder spread on them.

I suppose you did have yoghourt sauce on it AND some red chily based powder often used in those Döner shops. I don´t know exactly the contents of this powder but I´ll ask the turkish lady that runs the little vegetable shop just around the corner.

Armand

[RichardL]

Doner kebab recipe in here !
red chili powder = cayenne pepper ?