Doner: what it is, ingredients, how to make it at home, step-by-step instructions, filling options

Author: Dmitry

My wife Tatyana and I are pleased to welcome you to the pages of our website about Turkey!
I have been living in Antalya for the last 9 years. I hope our articles will be useful to other people. We try to write only relevant information and update it on time. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments. Doner kebab is often called Turkish fast food or street food. In Turkey it is sold literally at every turn. This hearty dish can be prepared at home. This is not difficult to do, and the process itself will not take much time.

Doner: what is it?

Doner kebab - you can try it in any street cafe or restaurant in the country. Many Turks consider this dish one of the quick snack options. For others, doner replaces a full meal.

Doner is often made for picnics or regular gatherings with friends. Many Turkish women know how to cook doner kebab on their own without spending a lot of time on work.

The Turkish name for the dish is döner kebab. Translated, this means “turning (rotating) kebab.” The meat for the filling is cooked on large rotating spits, then cut into thin slices, cut into pieces, and placed on a flatbread along with herbs and vegetables.

Meat treats are common in many parts of the world. In Russia, the food is called shawarma or shawarma.

The Rotating Kebab is quite a filling meal. However, the percentage of calories in it is not too high. It all depends on the type of meat used in cooking. Traditionally, the filling is lamb.

However you can also use:

The most popular option in Russia is shawarma with chicken. 100 grams of this product contains only 176 calories.

Popular places in Istanbul

Kebabs are so popular in Turkey that there is not enough space on one street for all the cafes, restaurants and street stalls that serve them. In every district of Istanbul there are establishments that are appreciated by everyone: both local residents and tourists.

Here are some of them:

• Bayramoglu Doner The traditional lamb Doner is excellent here. The flatbreads are baked right there. Most visitors are locals. Please note that this cafe does not serve alcohol. Visitors note that the cafe is clean, the food is delicious, and the service is fast. The prices are reasonable. Ruzgarlibahce G-69 Sk. No: 2 | Kavacik, Beykoz, Istanbul, Turkey, +90

• Beyti Restaurant Very conveniently located for tourists - just 15 minutes from Istanbul International Airport. Loyal prices, fast and attentive service. A large selection of meat dishes, including Doner, is complemented by an outdoor terrace with a gorgeous view and a good selection of wines. Orman Caddesi No: 8 | Florya, Istanbul, Turkey, +90

• Metet Kozde Doner is located in Kuzguncuk, just ten minutes from Uskudar Merkez by car. The Doners served here have juicy and soft meat and a lot of fresh vegetables. The meal is complemented by a refreshing ayran. On the third floor of the establishment you can admire the views. Local residents are the main visitors to the cafe. Icadiye Cad. Inci Cayirli Sok. No:2 | Kuzguncuk Mah., Istanbul, Turkey, +90

• Tunel Doner v Doner – one of the best in the city. Doner flatbreads are baked on site in a stone oven. Everything is fresh, attentive staff, excellent cleanliness around. The price is a little higher than average, but it's worth it. Sahkulu Mahallesi, Galipdede Caddesi, No:8, Istanbul, Turkey (Beyoglu), +90 212 243 24 16

• Durumcu Emmi Cafe is located in the Asian part of Istanbul, in Kadikoy. According to visitors' reviews, Durum is the best in Istanbul. The service is fast, the staff is friendly. And...a lot of locals, which already says a lot. Osmanaga Mah. Mahmut Baba Cad. No:11 | Kadıköy İtfaiye Karşsı, Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey, +90 216 348 18 86

• Antebi Located on the Asian side of Istanbul. The restaurant looks modest, but the menu exceeds all expectations - the choice of dishes and the taste are excellent. Acıbadem Cad. N 84/A, Acibadem, Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey, +90

• Develi This is the first restaurant of the M. Develi chain, which was founded back in 1912. There are always the freshest vegetables and meat here, there are varieties of kebab that are prepared only here. Gümüşyüzük Sok., No. 7, Samatya, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey, +90 212 529 08 33

Ingredients for homemade doner for 5 servings

Before you start preparing an oriental dish, you need to stock up on all the products specified in the recipe. The number of components can be varied depending on personal taste preferences.

For filling:

• 1 kg of any meat;
• 4-5 ripe tomatoes;
• 3-4 medium sized cucumbers;
• 250 g white cabbage;
• several leaves of green salad;
• salt to taste;
• ground pepper (black and red) to taste;
• parsley (optional);
• 5 sheets of thin pita bread (ready-made).

For the sauce:

• 100 g medium fat sour cream;
• 100 g mayonnaise;
• 3-4 small cloves of garlic;
• greens to taste;
• spices to taste.

Instead of sour cream and mayonnaise, you can use natural yogurt. Greek or regular white without additives will do.

“Turks like to use fresh mint when making doner. The washed leaves are crushed and then added to the dressing mixture.”

The ingredients are placed on thin pita bread. Sometimes pita is used for homemade shawarma. These flatbreads are not sold everywhere. However, it is not difficult to prepare it yourself.

For tightness you will need;

• 250 ml warm water;
• 1 tsp. Sahara;
• 1 tsp. with a heap of dry yeast;
• 40-50 ml of oil (olive or vegetable);
• 1 tsp. salt;
• 400-450 g flour.

Description.

First, marinate the meat. Wash the fillet and cut into thin longitudinal strips. Take yogurt, add salt, pepper to taste, spices, mix. Pour the marinade over the fillet so that it completely covers it. Cover with a lid and put in the refrigerator for at least an hour so that the meat marinates perfectly, then it will be juicy and tasty.

For the sauce, mix yogurt, salt, pepper and herbs. Especially delicious sauce with mint; if you don’t have the freshest, use dried one. Add crushed garlic, use the amount according to your own taste. Squeeze out the lemon juice, mix, cover with film and also put in the refrigerator to steep.

Take one potato or apple and cut it so that it is stable. We take a beech skewer for shish kebabs, or you can cut one out of a stick yourself, stick it into the potatoes and string the marinated meat on top, as for shawarma. Pour the remaining marinade on top and place in the oven. I baked at 150 degrees in convection mode, I bake chicken this way all the time, rely on your oven.

Let's knead the pita dough. Add sugar to warm water, crumble the yeast and stir. Then add salt to the sifted flour, stir, create a depression, pour in the liquid and knead the dough. At the end of kneading, add oil. Knead the dough well, about 5 minutes. Grease a bowl with oil, lay out the dough, cover and leave to rise for one hour.

How to Make Doner Kebab at Home: 8 Steps

The entire cooking process takes on average 30-40 minutes. The meat used must not be frozen.

1. Cut the meat into thin strips of medium width, add salt and pepper. Leave for 15-20 minutes.
2. Finely chop the garlic. You can put it through a press.
3. Chop the greens chosen for the sauce with a sharp knife.
4. Separately mix sour cream with mayonnaise. Add garlic, herbs, stir. Season with spices.
5. Cut the meat soaked in salt and pepper into small pieces. Fry in vegetable oil.
6. Cut the tomatoes into small slices. Peel the cucumbers and cut into cubes. Finely chop the cabbage. Chop the parsley.
7. Grease the pita bread with sauce, place lettuce leaves. Place the prepared meat and vegetable ingredients in random order.
8. Carefully fold the tortilla into an envelope. You can lightly fry it in a frying pan without oil (1 minute on each side). The temperature should be above average.

Doner filling options

The oriental meat dish is prepared differently everywhere. Ingredients included in the filling may vary.

However, the content should consist of;

Muslims put fried lamb in the doner. Veal is sometimes used. Residents of Christian countries make a dish with pork, chicken or turkey meat.

The set of vegetables is not strictly defined. They can be used in any combination.

The classic option is the filling, which includes:

• tomatoes;
• fresh cucumbers;
• white cabbage;
• dill, parsley.

Additional ingredients are often added to the composition:

• mushrooms (marinated or fried fresh);
• leaf salad;
• finely chopped gherkins;
• french fries;
• thin rings of pickled onions;
• Bell pepper;
• carrots cooked in Korean style;
• finely grated cheese.

Natural yogurt is most often used for the sauce. If you don't have it, you can use sour cream. This product is used alone or with mayonnaise in a 1:1 ratio. Adding fresh cucumber (pre-chopped) to the mixture will give the dressing additional freshness.

“Experienced Turkish housewives advise grinding doner seasonings in a mortar. This way the aroma of the spices will be revealed more and the taste of the dish will improve.”

Recipes for home

How to cook doner kebab? Detailed recipes for cooking at home are presented below.

How to prepare a dish at home?

Cooking time – 20 minutes.

Difficulty level : not difficult.

Type of dish - second.

Inventory:

• cutting board;
• pan;
• sharp knife;
• cutlery (fork, spoon);
• serving dishes;
• 2 any containers.

• round lavash (pita) 2 pcs.
• chicken fillet 300 gr.
• sweet pepper 2 pcs.
• lettuce leaves 1 bunch
• garlic 3 cloves
• tomatoes 2 pcs.
• cucumbers 2 pcs.
• salt to taste
• khmeli-suneli seasoning 1 tsp.
• natural yogurt or sour cream 150 gr.
• lemon 0.5 pcs.
• olive oil 10 ml.
• feta cheese 3 tbsp. l.
• cilantro 1 bunch
• parsley to taste
• dill to taste
• paprika to taste

Step-by-step cooking recipe:

1. Place the frying pan on maximum heat , add 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil, and when it reaches maximum temperature, throw in finely chopped garlic. Fry it until golden brown.
2. We take the garlic into a clean, dry container and leave it for the sauce; in the same oil we put the chicken fillet cut into strips . Fry the meat over maximum heat until browned. This will take approximately 5-10 minutes.
3. While the meat is cooking, start making the sauce : first knead the feta cheese with a fork, mix it in a bowl with natural yogurt (or sour cream), add fried garlic, salt to taste, hops-suneli seasoning, finely chopped parsley and dill, as well as a few drops of olive oil oils and lemon juice.
4. Prepare vegetables : cut tomatoes, as for salad, cucumbers, bell peppers into thin strips.
5. All the necessary ingredients are ready, let's start making the doner kebab itself : to do this, heat the pita bread in the microwave for 40 seconds, take it out, cut it in the middle, so that you get a pocket. Our recipe is for 2 servings, we do the same with the second pita bread.
6. Open the pocket slightly , grease it inside with sauce, put lettuce leaves inside the pita bread, then spoon out the vegetables and meat and pour the sauce over it again.
7. Brown the finished denier kebab in a dry frying pan at high temperature.

Note to housewives: recipes for gyuvech, gozleme.

This video will show you how to make doner kebab at home:

How to serve and how to decorate?

You can eat this dish with various pickles and wash it down with the traditional oriental drink ayran, as well as beer or kvass.
Can be served with rice or as a separate dish. Cutlery is not used, doner kebab is eaten with hands, grasping it on all sides so that the filling does not fall out.

Depending on your taste, various types of herbs are suitable for decorating the finished dish: parsley, dill, cilantro and even basil.

Cafes with fast food are ubiquitous , attracting attention and whetting the appetite of visitors and permanent residents. But, if you like to cook at home, but you don’t have any special equipment, don’t worry, you can cook doner at home. Which we proved above.

Popular and favorite dishes: babaganoush, Turkish eggplant, etc.

Where to try real Doner and Durum in Istanbul

More than others, they pay tribute to traditions when preparing kebab and make delicious Doner and Durum in the south of Turkey in the cities of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa . But you don’t have to travel that far from Istanbul. Immigrants from the south of the country prefer to settle on Horkhor Street in Istanbul and create their own gastronomic business there. Local residents love to buy kebabs on this street because they are cheap and incredibly tasty.