Barbecue season may be coming to an end for all but the very intrepid, but there’s a way to keep the grilled meat going as the weather gets colder: kebabs. Meat on skewers looms large around the world but is especially cherished in South and Central Asian countries including India, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran, and parts of China.
This kebab map is inspired by grilled, spiced, and often minced meat from these regions. Rather than being roasted at high temperatures in a clay tandoor, the kebabs here are primarily cooked on a specialized mangal grill, traditionally using coal. Ground lamb or beef (either solo on mixed together) are shaped in undulating designs and molded onto classic flat skewers as a mixture of meat, onions, herbs, and spices. Chicken and other meats might also be speared onto skewers, sometimes sprinkled with cumin and ground chilies.
Want more meat-on-skewer recommendations? Check out Eater’s guides to Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants, a number of which also get into kebab-adjacent territory.
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