Authentic Çökertme kebabı Recipe
Çökertme, Turkiye
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Introduction & history
Çökertme kebabı is a popular choice in Turkish restaurants, celebrated for its rich, comforting taste and layers of texture. It features four distinct components: grilled or sautéed veal strips, matchstick thin fried potatoes, tomato sauce, and yogurt sauce. The dish is fairly simple to prepare, but making several things at once might make it a bit of a challenge. When done, the ingredients are layered in the following order: potatoes, yogurt sauce, meat, and yogurt and tomato sauce. Çökertme kebabı is often served with a side of fried tomatoes and green peppers.
Cooking tips
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yogurt sauce
Yogurt sauce is typically made by combining yogurt and grated garlic, although some recipe just go with plain yogurt. -
tomato sauce
To speed up the preparation, most recipes opt for tomato puree or diced tomatoes, not fresh tomatoes. Usually, the tomatoes are seasoned with sugar to balance out the acidity. Depending on the recipe, some include chili flakes, butter, vinegar, salt, and pepper. -
veal
Beef tenderloin or sirloin are preferred cuts. If using sirloin, it should be marinated in olive oil since it is a tougher cut. In any case, the meat should be julienned. Recipes vary when it comes to how the meat is prepared. Some do not do any marinade, just stir-fry the meat; others will marinate the meat to make it softer and flavorful. These marinades may include grated onions, tomato paste, ... Read more -
fried potatoes
If you are not in the mood to make fried potatoes from scratch, you can always opt for the store-bought version to expedite the process.
Çökertme kebabı
PREP 10min
COOK 8min
READY IN 18min
The following is the traditional recipe for Çökertme kebabı consisting of crispy thin fried potatoes topped with tender and seasoned beef, a garlicky yogurt sauce, and a tomato sauce. This version is a bit upgraded, meaning it features more spices than a classic version. The recipe is courtesy of Refika Birgül, a food writer and television presenter with a massively popular YT channel, Refika's Kitchen.
Ingredients
KEBAB
400g (14 oz) tenderloin, sliced against the grain, into strips (sirloin or entrecote, rib eye steak also works great)
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped
a pinch salt
2 pinches black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp butter
TOMATO SAUCE
2 tbsps olive oil
200 ml (7 oz) tomato puree (alternatively, you can use diced & canned tomatoes or 2 grated tomatoes)
a pinch sugar
1 tsp white wine vinegar
a pinch black pepper
2 pinches salt
YOGURT SAUCE
5 tablespoons savory yogurt (alternatively, labneh)
5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 garlic clove
3 pinches salt
a pinch black pepper
FRIES
2 large potatoes, julienne with a peeler or knife
salt
vegetable oil, for frying
fresh mint leaves, to garnish
Preparation
Combine garlic, fresh thyme, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Add the meat, mixing well, and let it marinate while you prepare the rest of the meal.
In a small saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomato puree, vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper, then stir. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer for a minute until the sauce thickens slightly. Set aside.
In a mortar and pestle, mash thyme with a bit of salt. Combine it with yogurt, and season with black pepper to taste. Set aside.
In a shallow pan, heat 480-720 ml (2-3 cups) of frying oil to 180°C (355°F). Julienne the potatoes using a peeler or knife. Pat them with a kitchen towel to dry them. Batch fry. The potatoes are done when golden and crisp, Place the fried potatoes in a sieve to drain excess oil. Season generously with salt.
While potatoes are frying, set a large pan over high heat and add butter. Once the butter melts, add half of the meat strips. Cook and when browned on the bottom, turn over. Cook each batch of meat for about 2 minutes.
Reheat the tomato sauce if it has cooled.
Arrange the fried potatoes on a serving plate, then smear half of the yogurt on top. Drizzle with tomato sauce, then layer on the cooked meat. Add more tomato sauce and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
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