Adana Kebab With Sumac Onions
Most traditionally made with lamb, Adana Kebab is exceptionally tender, juicy, and flavorful due to the reasonably fatty cuts used. The sumac onions kick these kebabs up a notch, adding flavor punch and counterbalancing the richness of the meat.Checkout WTFCF Cookbook Review: GATHERINGS Casual-Fancy Meals To Share (With Recipes).
Equipment
- 8 12 inch metal skewers
- 1 12 inch large shallow grill pan or griddle
Ingredients
Sumac Onions
- 2 red onions, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- ½ cup fresh minced parsley
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sumac
Kebabs
- ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper
- ¼ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
- 1 pound 80 percent lean ground lamb
- 2 minced garlic cloves,
- 1½ teaspoons table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon pul biber, Note: Aleppo pepper may be substituted
- ½ teaspoon sumac
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 (8 by 10 inch) pieces lavash bread or 8 pitas
Instructions
Sumac Onions
- In a large bowl, add onions. Gently massage onions with salt to soften, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add to bowl, ½ cup minced parsley, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 tablespoon sumac. Toss to combine. Set aside until ready to serve. Note: Sumac onions are served cold and can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
Kebabs
- Place finely chopped bell peppers in center of a clean dish towel. Gather ends of the towel together, twist tightly, and squeeze over sink to drain as much liquid as possible. Note: Squeezing peppers tightly is important, otherwise the mixture will be too wet to adhere to the skewers.
- In a bowl, add bell peppers, 1 pound lamb, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon pul biber, and ½ teaspoon sumac. Using your hands knead until thoroughly combined and mixture starts to get sticky, about 5 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Divide mixture into 8 equal portions. Using lightly moistened hands, shape each portion into 5-inch-long cylinder about 1½ inches in diameter.
- Thread each portion onto a 12-inch metal skewer, reshaping as needed and using fingers to flatten meat slightly on two sides and create horizontal indentations. Note: Skewers can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- Heat a large shallow grill pan or griddle over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan and heat until just smoking.
- Lay the skewers flat side down and cook until well browned and meat thermometer reads 160 degrees, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Note: If using pitas, 2 minutes before removing kebabs from pan, arrange pitas on top of skewers to warm through.
- Serve each lavash bread or pita with 2 kebabs per person. Serve with onions.
Enjoy!
About the Author
Erica Turner is an associate editor of Cook's Illustrated. She has a master's degree in international communication and attended culinary school in Gaziantep, Turkey, where she worked for the United Nations and volunteered at a school for Syrian refugees for two years before moving to Jerusalem and then back to the States. The author of four books (including a poetry book and cookbook) and a passionate filmmaker, she's always working on creative projects and seeking opportunities to learn about new cultures.