İskender Kebab

A legendary Turkish classic from Bursa — tender slices of döner-style lamb and beef piled over crispy pide bread, drenched in rich tomato sauce and sizzling browned butter, then crowned with creamy yogurt. Every bite is a masterclass in balance between smoke, tang, and richness.

Ingredients

• 400 g ground lamb
• 300 g ground beef (20% fat)
• 1 pcs onion
• 3 clove garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 0.5 tsp dried oregano
• to taste salt
• to taste black pepper
• 2 pcs Turkish pide bread (or flatbread)
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pcs onion
• 2 clove garlic
• 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes (pul biber)
• 1 tsp sugar
• to taste salt
• 300 g full-fat plain yogurt
• 1 clove garlic
• 40 g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo-style red pepper flakes)
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 1 tsp sumac

Instructions

1. Prepare the meat mixture: In a large bowl, combine ground lamb, ground beef, grated onion (squeezed dry), minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Mix vigorously with your hands for 2–3 minutes until the mixture becomes cohesive and slightly sticky. Divide into 8 equal oval patties (köfte). Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
2. Make the tomato sauce: Heat olive oil and 20 g of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor. Add crushed tomatoes, pul biber, sugar, and salt. Simmer uncovered on low-medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly. Keep warm.
3. Toast the pide bread: Cut or tear the pide into roughly 3×3 cm chunks. Heat a dry skillet or griddle over medium-high heat and toast the bread pieces in a single layer, pressing lightly, for 1–2 minutes per side until golden and crisp on the outside but still slightly chewy inside. Set aside.
4. Grill the köfte patties: Preheat your grill or a cast-iron grill pan to high heat and oil lightly. Grill the köfte patties for 3–4 minutes per side until nicely charred on the outside and just cooked through (internal temperature ~75 °C). Let them rest for 2 minutes, then slice thinly on a slight diagonal to mimic the look of döner slices.
5. Prepare the garlic yogurt: In a small bowl, stir together the room-temperature full-fat yogurt and the single clove of minced garlic. Season lightly with salt. The yogurt must be at room temperature — cold yogurt on hot food is unpleasant and considered a flaw in a proper İskender.
6. Assemble the İskender: Arrange the toasted pide chunks in a single layer across the base of warm, wide serving plates (or a large shallow dish). Spoon a generous layer of the hot tomato sauce evenly over the bread, allowing it to soak in. Lay the sliced köfte on top in an overlapping layer.
7. Add the yogurt: Spoon large dollops of the garlic yogurt alongside and partially over the meat — traditionally placed to one side rather than covering everything, so guests can mix as they like.
8. Make the sizzling pepper butter and serve immediately: In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 40 g of butter over medium-high heat. Once it begins to foam and turns a light golden-brown (beurre noisette), remove from heat and stir in the pul biber — it will sizzle dramatically. Pour the hot spiced butter directly over the assembled dish right at the table. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and a pinch of sumac. Serve at once — the magic of İskender is in that tableside sizzle.