Döner

The dishes made in Turkey vary depending on the region, and it is usually more common to make meat dishes in the east while vegetable dishes weigh more in the west of the country. Regardless of the locals and tourists, traditional dishes such as döner and kebab made with meat have always been among Turkey’s most consumed dishes. There are many different types of meat produced in Turkey and different cooking methods for meat. 

Döner

One of Turkey’s most preferred types of fast food is döner, and döner gets its name from the way meat is cooked and cut. After cutting the döner meat, it is mainly eaten by placing it among various pastries such as bread, pita, and lavash, so the döner recipe can be called a Turkish-style sandwich or even a Turkish sub. 

The history of döner making in Turkey dates back to the eighteenth century, and döner is actually a type of kebab in accordance with the way it is cooked. When it is called döner in Turkey, it comes to mind that the meat cut thinly is placed in lavash bread, and a Turkish sub is made. Alternative ingredients such as greens and tomatoes are usually put in this Turkish sub.

If you wonder about how it is cooked, let’s look at this fairly easy but delicious recipe together. In order to get döner meat, you need to use a particular technique because döner meat requires a long and thin stick to be attached and slowly cooked on a fire, after which a huge pile of meat is formed. After that, the cooked meat is cut finely and placed in a lavash made on a wood fire.

Turkish sub is a delicacy that can be easily found in no time, especially preferred by students, and working people. Tomatoes, parsley, lettuce, pickles, ketchup, and mayonnaise are added to this delicious sub. In most regions of Turkey, different types of döner have also been formed over time, and the materials placed in them sometimes change. For example, you can put French fries and garlic yogurt inside the Turkish sub in the Hatay region. But there are two general types of döner:

Chicken Döner

This is a cheaper option and has a bit more variety than its counterpart, which is meat döner. The most common way to eat it is with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and a sauce, generally ketchup and mayonnaise. 

Meat Döner

This is the more expensive option and is generally eaten with a much fewer selection of toppings. The traditional way to eat it is with onions, spices, and tomato sauce. 

Other Meat Dishes

Meat dishes for Turks are indispensable delicacies on the tables. Most of the meat dishes in Turkish cuisine consist of kebabs, meatballs, and juicy meat dishes. In Turkish cuisine, meat can be cooked on a wood or charcoal fire, fried, or left for a long time in a tandoor or barbecue.

Of the meat dishes, the most popular ones and those also most attracted by tourists are various kebabs and döner. The kebab dish gets its name from a different cooking method and is quite common in Middle Eastern culture. Kebab means meat cooked directly on fire or without water in a container. When most tourists visit big cities such as Istanbul, they first try these very popular kebabs and döner.

Kebab

Various types of kebabs are made in Turkey and different parts of the world. This cooking method adds flavor to almost any ingredient. Kebabs are very hearty and tasty traditional options. There are also such kebab recipes that you can make at home. Eggplant kebab is one of the most popular types preferred in traditional Turkish restaurants. In many restaurants in Istanbul, you can find the opportunity to try eggplant kebab, which is cooked slowly over a wood fire. This kebab is made by cutting eggplants into thick slices, attaching them to long sticks with meat, and cooking them on the grill. This kebab is also accompanied by some side recipes, onion, tomato, and garlic.
Another very popular type of kebab is the Iskender kebab. This recipe is most famous in Turkey in the province of Bursa. To make Iskender kebab, meat cut into döner will be needed. In Turkey, a meat dish recipe is made by putting thin meat on long sticks called döner on the fire for many hours. After the meat is cooked slowly, it is cut into thin slices and placed on pita bread; then, you can have Iskender Kebab. After that, a buttery sauce is drizzled over the meat, and an unforgettable taste appears.