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Iskender (or Bursa) Kebap is named for the chef who
created the dish and the city of Bursa where
he created it.
As the story goes, Mehmetoglu
Iskender Efendi created
the first plate of Iskender
kebap in
Bursa in 1867.
Iskender Usta ("Chef Alexander") chose
lamb raised on the thyme-covered
slopes of Mount
Uludag (which rises south of
Bursa, which is south of Istanbul and
the Sea
of Marmara). He roasted
the meat as self-basting döner
kebap on a vertical grill,
cut off thin slices as it was done,
spread the slices atop a bed of
diced flat pide bread,
then topped the meat and bread
with savory
tomato sauce and browned butter.
With a dollop of yogurt on
the side and a sprinkle
of parsley on top, the dish was
served to his appreciative clientele.
The fame of Iskender Usta and his
dish spread throughout Bursa, and Turkey,
and the world.
Over the years other
restaurants opened in Bursa and
began serving the dish, each claiming
culinary descent from the master
himself
and bearing names such as Iskenderoglu ("Son
of Iskender").
Although Iskender/Bursa-style kebap
is now served throughout Turkey in
many restaurants, the best is still
made in Bursa where
various restaurants compete for discerning
clientele. There is a particular care
taken with the selection of
the meat and the preparation of the dish in
Bursa that is not found everywhere
else.
I think it's worth visiting Bursa just
to eat this stuff.
Most Iskender kebap restaurants in
Bursa do not serve alcoholic
beverages. The preferred beverages
are water, mineral water or ayran, the
yogurt-and-water drink (which is what
I prefer to sip while eating Iskender
kebap.)
Iskender kebap is traditionally ordered
by the porsyon (portion).
You order bir porsyon (one
portion) for a normal meal, bir-buçuk
porsyon (one-and-a-half
portions) if you're pretty hungry,
and a duble porsyon ("double
portion:" two portions) if you're famished
and haven't had Iskender kebap in months.
While you're
in Bursa,
try the traditional candied chestnuts
(kestane sekeri),
delicious peaches (seftali) and
excellent fruit
juices (meyva sulari) as well.
Bursa
Döner
Kebap
Turkish Kebaps
Turkish
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