Adana kebabı

Adana kebap(Turkish:Adana kebabı)akaAdana kebabis a dish that consists of long, hand-mincedmeat, mounted on a wide iron skewer and grilled on an openmangalfilled with burningcharcoal. The kebab is named afterAdana, the fifth-largest city ofTurkey, and was originally known as thekıyma kebabı(lit: minced meatkebab) orkıymain Adana-Mersin and the southeastern provinces of Turkey.
Kebabs are usually made out of ground lamb meat and tail fat, though there are many regional variations. Kebabs are fairly common in the area fromMersinin Turkey toKirkukin Iraq, and includesAleppoin Syria.
According to many authors, this kebab was born out of a fusion ofTurkishandArabcultures.Birecik, once an important locality in theEyalet of Aleppo, is said to be the creator of this very kind of kebab.The version prepared and consumed today in the province of Adana also has a history rooted in the modern Turkish culture, only to receive a "Controlled Designation of Origin" in February 2005, after subsequent legal trials.
According to the Patent Registrar, an originalAdana kebabıis made only by a vendor who has successfully passed an inspection conducted on the spot by theAdana Chamber of Commerce.
Thekıyma kebabıis still prepared in its historical location.  Similar dishes are prepared in neighboring zones ofTurkey,SyriaandIraq, where the meat is hand-ground with the addition of tail fat and occasionally a non-spicy capsicum.
New variants of the kıyma kebabı, not protected under the same patents, have been enjoyed since the 1950s,in communities in the former Ottoman Empire territories, includingIstanbul,Baghdad, andDamascus. These versions are adapted to the local tastes and cannot be considered the original kıyma kebabı:
According to the Designation of Origin, Adana kebabı is made from the meat of a malelambthat is younger than one year of age. The animal has to be grown in its natural environment and fed with the local flora.
The meat should then be cleansed of itssilverskin, nerves and internal fat. After the cleansing, it should be cut into rough chunks and, along with tail fat at a proportion of one to five, rested for a day.
The next day, the rested meat and fat must be ground by hand, using a crescent-shaped iron cleaver known as thezırh. Only sweet red peppers (also hand-chopped with thezırh) and salt should be added. The Designation of Origin also authorizes, "under certain circumstances", the addition of spicy green capsicum and fresh garlic cloves.
The meat is then thoroughly kneaded together with the fat, the salt and the additional ingredients until reaching a homogenous consistency.
After reaching homogeneity, the mixture is placed on iron skewers that are 0.5 cm thick, 3 cm  wide and anywhere from 90 to 120 cm long. One portion ofAdana kebabıis typically 180 grams of meat on one skewer. A "portion-and-half", impaled on slightly wider skewers can not include less than 270 grams, as per the designation label.
A little water allows the minced meat to adhere better to the skewer, which is the hardest step in the making of this kebab. If not done properly by anUsta,the meat will separate from the skewer during roasting.The Turkish word "Usta" derives from the Persian "Ostad" (أستاد) originally meaning "Master" but also now a common honorific to show deference to someone's expertise.[1]
The impaled skewers are roasted over flame-less coals of oak wood. When the meat turns dark brown, it is ready. The skewers are frequently turned during this process. The melting fat is collected on flatbread by pressing pieces of flatbread against the meat as it roasts; this also serves to heat the bread.
The kebab is commonly served on a plate, as aPorsiyon, or wrapped in flatbread, as aDürüm.
The kebab is served over the flatbread used to catch the drippings. It is accompanied by roasted tomatoes, green or red peppers and julienned onions with parsley and sumac. Other typicalmezesin Adana-Mersin served with the kebab include red pepperezmewith pomegranate molasses, freshmintandtarragonleaves, braisedshallothearts with olive oil and pomegranate molasses,  pickled small green chili peppers, and, aroundMersin, greenshallotstems with slices ofbitter orange,citron,limeandlemon. Many restaurants aroundAdanawill also bring hothummuswith butter topped withpastırmaon the side.
The way to eatporsiyonis to skin and crush the charred tomatoes and peppers into a paste, to put them in a piece of flatbread with part of the kebab, topped by a generous pinch of the onion-sumac-parsley mixture, and to wrap the whole thing into a few small thickdürüms.
Ayranandsalgamare two staple beverages consumed with kebab in daytime. On hot summer evenings, ice-coldrakıalongside salgam is often preferred.
The browned kebab is taken out of themangal, removed from the skewer and placed on top of a large loaf of flatbread (mostlylavaşortırnak pidesi), topped by a pinch of julienned onions, small diced tomatoes, some parsley, then sprinkled with a little salt,cuminandsumacand finally wrapped into a long roll.Ayranis more commonly consumed with dürüm compared to theŞalgam.
Many variations of thekıyma kebabı, all based on hand-chopped lamb meat and tail fat, are found around the Cilician and Mesopotamian parts of the formerOttoman Empire.
Some notable regional examples are:
Adana kebab, has been celebrated as a festival inAdanasince 2010.Adana Kebab and Şalgam Festival, emerged from a hundred-year tradition of enjoying kebab, with liver,şalgamandrakı. The event turned into a nationwide popular street festival, street musicians playing drums andzurna, entertain visitors all night long at the second Saturday night of every December.