Hand-chopped meat mixed with lamb tail fat is shaped around skewers and cooked over the fire for homemade Adana kebabs with a spicy, smoky character. Served with lavash, charred peppers and onion salad, this is a fiery classic from southeastern Turkey.
Put the ground meat, finely chopped lamb tail fat, ground red pepper, Turkish red pepper flakes, crushed garlic, salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Knead firmly by hand for 10 minutes, until paste-like and the fat is fully worked into the meat.
Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Once chilled, it will grip the skewers more easily and hold together during cooking.
With wet hands, press portions of the mixture around wide, flat skewers in a thin, long layer. Keep the thickness even so the meat cooks evenly.
Cook the kebabs over glowing charcoal, turning occasionally. Caution: both sides must brown and the ground meat must cook through to an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F; it must not remain pink inside. Cooking takes about 12-15 minutes.
Char the long green peppers over the same fire and rub the sliced onion with sumac. Place the kebabs on warm lavash and serve with the charred peppers and sumac onions.
Important: the fat content and thorough kneading are essential to the texture of Adana kebabs. Resting the mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes helps it grip the skewers. Caution: do not taste the raw red-meat mixture; the ground beef must reach an internal temperature of 71°C / 160°F when cooked. For less heat, reduce the Turkish red pepper flakes or leave out the hot pepper. Contains no nuts or gluten.
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