Having travelled the for the last 4 years there is one thing that I usually eat, well have to try in each country. That is the kebab (doner style), it has many different names in each country but always from the same big slab of meat on the rotating spit. Having sampled this food in many countries here is my ratings on them and in no particular order as its all a person choice on what style you like. Starting with the kebab I grew up on and the best way I like them.
[note: this are from my experience and the places I have had them, they may vary from regions in said countries, also my accounts may not be 100% due to the nature of eating a kebab after a few beers]
Australia (Sydney)
Bread – Large flat pita bread
Filling – Meat of choice (beef, chicken, lamb, or mix of all) lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, Tabouli and sauce of choice.
Style – The bread is laid flat on top of aluminium foil, sauce on top, then all the salad and the meat. The bread is rolled (folding bottom up first then the sides) up in the aluminium foil then placed in a sandwich press for 30secs – 1 min before being placing in a paper bag with aluminium lining and handed to the customer.
United Kingdom (London)
Bread – small dry pita, cut in the middle
Filling – meat (chicken, lamb), onion, tomato, cabbage (sometimes lettuce) sauce of choice on top (usually garlic or chilli), some places a whole chilli on top uncut
Style – cut the pita down the middle making a pocket. Add the meat then the salad filing on the top, adding the sauce over the top of the salad, cupped in paper and a fork added to the top before handing to customer.
RockWerchter (Belgium music festival) Known as a MEGA pita
Bread – Giant Pita
Filling – (beef, chicken, lamb, or mix of all) lettuce, onion, tomato sauce of choice
Style – A giant pita cut in half and just stuffed with everything. Memory a bit hazy but it was huge and the sauce was from a giant pump bottle that they covered it in. After a full day of drinking this thing was tops.
Spain (Barcelona)
Bread - tortilla
Filling – (beef, chicken, lamb, or mix of all) lettuce, onion, tomato sauce of choice
Style - The bread is laid flat, sauce on top, then all the salad and the meat. The bread is rolled (folding bottom up first then the sides)
Greece (Islands) named Gyros
Bread – small pita
Filling – meat (pork, lamb, chicken), Tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato chips (hot)
Style – bread laid down, Tzatziki spread over that, then add the filling with the chips on top. Roll bread in a cone shape and wrap in paper, hand to customer
Germany (Berlin)
Bread – small dry pita, cut in the middle
Filling – meat (chicken, lamb), onion, tomato, red cabbage, sauce of choice on top (curry is recommended)
Style – cut the pita down the middle making a pocket. Add the meat then the salad filing on the top, adding the sauce over the top of the salad, cupped in paper and a fork added to the top before handing to customer. You can ask for a rolled kebab.
I would love to have some photo evidence of me chowing down on these but they don’t last very long in my grip. There have been more countries than these listed. These are the major changes in the way we eat them.
I find it fascinating that of all the countries that the kebab can bring a culture of its own from the country that makes it. They vary so much but the base ingredient still comes from the same slab of meat.
Please comment and let me know of your kebab experience
Glen
UPDATE: 03/07/2011
I have just been to Romaina and had thier kebab or shaorma as they call it. They are very similar to the Greek kebab of a gyros with the chips in the middle.
Style for those of you interested mine was made in a wrap with mayo and ketchup on the bottom a layer of lettuce and then a few hot chips added in, next went the chicken from the kebab roll. Then onto the chicken went some gherkins and it was all rolled up. It was alright but a bit of a disappointment the flavour just was not there for me. Not sure what it was but this on lacked something. I doubt i will give it another try but this has not been my favourite kebab.
Update 9/7/2011
We have been to the home of the Kebab – Turkey. Where we will be spending 2 weeks travelling around. I started this amazing 2 weeks with of course a kebab. First I had a chicken kebab meat on a bread roll with salad. We also had the classic shish kebab and then a kebab opened on a plate. I know before the end is up here I will have a rolled kebab and then be a happy man.
[note: this are from my experience and the places I have had them, they may vary from regions in said countries, also my accounts may not be 100% due to the nature of eating a kebab after a few beers]
Australia (Sydney)
Bread – Large flat pita bread
Filling – Meat of choice (beef, chicken, lamb, or mix of all) lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, Tabouli and sauce of choice.
Style – The bread is laid flat on top of aluminium foil, sauce on top, then all the salad and the meat. The bread is rolled (folding bottom up first then the sides) up in the aluminium foil then placed in a sandwich press for 30secs – 1 min before being placing in a paper bag with aluminium lining and handed to the customer.
United Kingdom (London)
Bread – small dry pita, cut in the middle
Filling – meat (chicken, lamb), onion, tomato, cabbage (sometimes lettuce) sauce of choice on top (usually garlic or chilli), some places a whole chilli on top uncut
Style – cut the pita down the middle making a pocket. Add the meat then the salad filing on the top, adding the sauce over the top of the salad, cupped in paper and a fork added to the top before handing to customer.
RockWerchter (Belgium music festival) Known as a MEGA pita
Bread – Giant Pita
Filling – (beef, chicken, lamb, or mix of all) lettuce, onion, tomato sauce of choice
Style – A giant pita cut in half and just stuffed with everything. Memory a bit hazy but it was huge and the sauce was from a giant pump bottle that they covered it in. After a full day of drinking this thing was tops.
Spain (Barcelona)
Bread - tortilla
Filling – (beef, chicken, lamb, or mix of all) lettuce, onion, tomato sauce of choice
Style - The bread is laid flat, sauce on top, then all the salad and the meat. The bread is rolled (folding bottom up first then the sides)
Greece (Islands) named Gyros
Bread – small pita
Filling – meat (pork, lamb, chicken), Tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato chips (hot)
Style – bread laid down, Tzatziki spread over that, then add the filling with the chips on top. Roll bread in a cone shape and wrap in paper, hand to customer
Germany (Berlin)
Bread – small dry pita, cut in the middle
Filling – meat (chicken, lamb), onion, tomato, red cabbage, sauce of choice on top (curry is recommended)
Style – cut the pita down the middle making a pocket. Add the meat then the salad filing on the top, adding the sauce over the top of the salad, cupped in paper and a fork added to the top before handing to customer. You can ask for a rolled kebab.
I would love to have some photo evidence of me chowing down on these but they don’t last very long in my grip. There have been more countries than these listed. These are the major changes in the way we eat them.
I find it fascinating that of all the countries that the kebab can bring a culture of its own from the country that makes it. They vary so much but the base ingredient still comes from the same slab of meat.
Please comment and let me know of your kebab experience
Glen
UPDATE: 03/07/2011
I have just been to Romaina and had thier kebab or shaorma as they call it. They are very similar to the Greek kebab of a gyros with the chips in the middle.
Bread – wrap
Filling – meat (chicken), Lettuce, may, ketchup, and Gherkins
Update 9/7/2011
We have been to the home of the Kebab – Turkey. Where we will be spending 2 weeks travelling around. I started this amazing 2 weeks with of course a kebab. First I had a chicken kebab meat on a bread roll with salad. We also had the classic shish kebab and then a kebab opened on a plate. I know before the end is up here I will have a rolled kebab and then be a happy man.
1 comment:
As a kebab enthusiast I find this list useful and interesting! Here in Finland we have that UK style kebab. Have you ever visited our restaurants?
It is a common practice to eat kebab here while drunk or in hangover. I've noticed that when you are intoxicated every kebab tastes good :P
- akselsson
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