Iskender dinner, also known as Iskender kebab, is a popular Turkish dish consisting of thinly sliced grilled lamb or beef served over pieces of bread and topped with tomato sauce, melted butter, and yogurt. Today we’ll make the homemade İskender. Here’s recipe of homemade İskender;
For the kebab, place 500 grams of ground meat, 1 grated onion, 2 tablespoons of yogurt, 1 teaspoon of salt,powdered red pepper,red pepper flakes, cumin and black pepper and 2 grated garlic cloves in a large bowl, and knead until well combined.
Place the kneaded meat on a stretch film-lined surface and shape it into a tight roll, compressing both ends.
Freeze it for at least 1 day. When ready to use, take it out, slice it into thin strips, and quickly fry both sides in a hot pan until cooked. Since we are making this recipe now, slice the frozen meat into thin strips and fry without burning. (If you have difficulty cutting it, you can cut it after waiting outside for half an hour.)
For the flatbread, in a mixing bowl, combine 1.5 cups of warm water, 1 dessert of yeast, and sugar. Let it sit for 2 minutes to activate the yeast. Then add 1.5 teaspoons of salt and 3 cups + 1 tablespoon of flour, and knead the dough. Divide the dough into four portions.
Let the dough rest, covered, on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper for 15 minutes.
Afterward, wet your hands, shape the dough thinly using your fingertips, and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes, without browning too much.
Once cooled, cut the pita into small cubes and arrange them on serving plates.
For the sauce, in a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add 1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste and 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce, and mix well.
Then add 1 cup of hot water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper. Mix, remove from the heat, and drizzle the sauce over the flatbreads.
Heat 2 tablespoons of butter until melted.
Place the cooked kebab on the flatbreads. Place yogurt, roasted peppers, and tomatoes on the sides of the plate. Drizzle the melted butter generously over the Iskender dish. It's a challenging but delicious recipe. Enjoy your meal!
