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'''Kebab''' (from ] '''کباب''', ''kabāb'') means "grilled (or broiled) meat" in ] and ] (spelled ''Kebap'' in Turkish). Kebab is usually made of ] and ], although ] and ] can be used for some styles. ] is never used by Muslims because of religious belief but is sometimes used by non-] sellers. '''Kebab''' (from ] '''کباب''', ''kabāb'') means "grilled (or broiled) meat" in ] and several other languages influenced by Persian (alternative spellings are: ''kebab'', ''kebap'', ''kabob'', ''kibob'', etc). Kebab is usually made of ] and ], although ] and ] can be used for some styles. ] is never used by Muslims because of religious belief but is sometimes used by non-] sellers.


There are many varieties of kebab and the term means different things in different countries. The generic term kebab usually refers to ''']''' in Europe and to '''shish kebab''' in the United States, though its meaning can vary. There are many varieties of kebab and the term means different things in different countries. The generic term kebab usually refers to ''']''' in Europe and to '''shish kebab''' in the United States, though its meaning can vary.

Revision as of 00:23, 12 October 2006

Left to right: Chenjeh Kabab, Kabab Koobideh, Jujeh Kabab in Persian restaurant

Kebab (from Persian کباب, kabāb) means "grilled (or broiled) meat" in Persian and several other languages influenced by Persian (alternative spellings are: kebab, kebap, kabob, kibob, etc). Kebab is usually made of lamb and beef, although chicken and fish can be used for some styles. Pork is never used by Muslims because of religious belief but is sometimes used by non-Muslim sellers.

There are many varieties of kebab and the term means different things in different countries. The generic term kebab usually refers to döner kebab in Europe and to shish kebab in the United States, though its meaning can vary.

Perhaps the earliest recipe is in the tenth-century Kitab al-Tabeekh كتاب الطبيخ (book of cookery) by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq of Baghdad. His recipe for Kebab Khalis uses thin slices of lean meat, salted and grilled in an ungreased frying pan.

Döner kebab

Döner kebab as served in Germany
Main article: Döner kebab

Döner kebab, literally "rotating meat" in Turkish, is a sliced lamb or chicken loaf slowly roasted on a vertical rotating spit. It is similar to gyros, shawarma and Taco al pastor. Döner kebab is popularly best known served in pita (UK pitta) bread with salad but is also served on a dish with a salad and bread or French fries on the side or used on Turkish pizzas called pide or "kebabpizza". Take-out döner kebab or shawarma restaurants are common in some parts of Europe. Döner Kebab is said to be the best-selling fast food in Germany, Poland and comes close in the popularity stake-outs in France, Norway, Denmark, Finland and Australia. Take-out gyros are quite popular in the United States where beef and lamb are typically used. Shawarma is available in ethnic neighborhoods but döner kebab is mostly unknown outside of large places like New York City.

Some kebab connoisseurs will also point out that it contains every food group for a healthy meal and lifestyle. It has bread (cereals group), cabbage and lettuce (vegetables group), tomatoes (fruit group), creamy herb sauce (dairy group), oil (fat group) not to mention the döner meat (meat group), although one might note some imbalance in the relative ratios (notably, the fat, meat and vegetable groups.)

Shish kebab

Shish kebab (şiş kebap in Turkish) is a wooden or metal stick (a skewer in Turkish) with small cubes of any kind of meat, fowl, fish, fruit, or vegetable (usually a combination) that is roasted on a grill. The name literally means 'skewer of grilled meat' in Persian. Vegetables typically used include eggplant, tomato, bell pepper, onion and mushrooms. A similar Greek food is called Souvlaki or Kalamaki.

Some Kebab-variants

Typical fast food version of the Alanya kebab
  • Samak Kebab - grilled fish on a stick
  • Shish Tawook or Shish Taouk - yogurt marinated chicken grilled on a stick (şiş tavuk in Turkish)
  • Kabab Halabi a kind of kebab served with a spicy tomato sauce, very common in Syria and Lebanon, named after the city of Halab.
  • Kofte Kebab or Shish köfte - minced lamb meatballs with herbs, often including parsley and mint, on a stick, grilled.
  • Souvlaki, Greek preparation; the meat is wrapped in grilled Greek-style pitta bread with tomatoes, onions and yoghurt.
  • Kabab Koobideh - (Persian) ground beef or lamb (usually sirloin), often mixed with parsley and chopped onions
  • Kabab Barg - (Persian) grilled marinated sirloin.
  • Kabab Soltani - (Persian) combination of kabab koobideh and kabab barg
  • Jujeh Kabab - (Persian) grilled chicken
  • Chenjeh Kabab - (Persian) grilled lamb prepared similar to shish kabab, without the vegetables
  • Shishleek - a term with various uses: in Iran it refers to grilled baby lamb chops (usually from the leg), typically marinated; in Palestine, to grilled pieces of lamb, and in Israel, to grilled turkey.
  • Kabab Bareh - (Persian) grilled lamb, typically marinated in yogurt with parsley
  • Kabab Torsh - (Gilan - Northern Iran) Also called (Tursh - e - Kabab) grilled beef marinated in a mixture of pomegranate juice, crushed walnuts, parsley, crushed garlic, and olive oil.
  • Kabab loghmeh - Iran (Persian) minced lamd meatballs first fried and the grilled over charcoal fire, eaten with chopped parsley, chopped onions, and somak. A summer outing favorite.
  • Seekh kabab - Indian/Pakistani - marinated in spices and grilled on skewers
  • Shami kebab - Indian/Pakistani - it is claimed they orginated in Syria
  • Chapli Kabab - Pakistani - delicacy of Peshawar
  • Boryani Kebab
  • Senjeh Kebab
  • İskender kebap - (Turkish) Döner kebab served with yoghurt, tomato sauce and butter
  • Durum Kebab - (Turkish) kebab-meat in a pita roll.
  • Adana Kebab - (Turkish) kebab meat with chili
  • Urfa Kebab - (Turkish) similar to Adana Kebab, but not spicy.
  • Alanya kebab - (Turkish) Pieces of beef, bread and tomatoes, with a spicy sauce.
  • Patlican Kebab - (Turkish) Egg Plant, special kebab meat marinated in spices and served with hot pide bread and a yoghurt sauce.
  • Beyti Kebab - (Turkish) Made with minced lamb. It has its own, individual spice mix, and a touch of garlic.
  • Tandoori Kebab - Indian/Pakistani - chunks or strips of meat marinated in spices and yogourt.
  • İskender kebap - Döner kebab served with yoghurt, tomato sauce and butter


The dish called chelow kabab (rice with kabab) is one of the most common forms of serving kabab in Iran which combines a variety of Persian kababs with saffroned Basmati rice, lavash (a paper-thin bread), grilled tomato, raw onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and Somagh and often a side of salad shirazi, mast khiyar and doogh (nowadays carbonated). An old Iranian tradition is to break a raw egg yolk over the rice, along with plenty of butter, just before serving.

An Indian dish called Seekh Kebab is popular in many Indian restaurants. It is cooked in a tandoor, and is often served with chutneys or mint sauce. It is often included in Tandoori sampler platters, which contain a variety of Tandoor cooked dishes. A Seekh Kebab can also be served in a naan bread much like a Donor Kebeb traditionally is.

Shish Kebab in Other Languages

Similar dishes

Anticuchos (Andean States), Brochette (French), Ćevapi (Balkans), Espetada (Portuguese), მწვადი mtsvadi (Georgia), Satay (Southeast Asian), Shashlik (Russian), Souvlaki or Kalamaki (Greek), Yakitori (Japanese), Spiedies (New York State), Rablóhús (Hungarian)

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