In most
English-speaking countries, a
kebab may be the classic
shish kebab or
souvlaki – small cubes of meat cooked on a skewer – or made with minced (ground) meat, as in
doner kebab. By contrast, in
Indian English,
Bangladeshi English,
Pakistani English and in the languages of the Middle East, other parts of Asia, and the
Muslim world, a
kebab is any of a wide variety of
grilled meat dishes. Some dishes ultimately derived from Middle Eastern kebab may have different names in their local languages, such as the Chinese
chuan.
East Asia China Chuan (), often referred to as "chuan" in
Mandarin throughout the north, or kawap (كاۋاپ) in
Uyghur, is a variation of kebab originating from the
Uyghur people in the western province of
Xinjiang and a popular dish in
Chinese Islamic cuisine. The dish has since spread across the rest of the country and become a popular
street food. Although the most traditional form of chuan uses lamb or mutton, other types of meat, such as chicken, beef, pork, and seafood, may be used as well. Small pieces of meat are skewered and either roasted or deep-fried. Common spices and condiments include
cumin called "ziran",
pepper,
sesame, and
sesame oil.
Europe Greece kebab sandwiches in Greece served with fixings and
tzatziki sauce in
pita bread While the history of
street foods in
Greece goes back to ancient times, the iconic Greek
gyros and
souvlaki as it is known today arose only following the
Second World War. Introduced to
Athens in the 1950s by Greek refugees from Turkey and the Middle East, gyros was originally known simply as
döner kebab. It is typically served as a sandwich rolled in
pita bread, or on a plate, with french fries and various salads and sauces such as
tzatziki. Later in the 1960s, vendors also began selling dishes in the same style made with souvlaki, which resembles Turkish shish kebab, but is usually made with pork. Around the same time, the Greek word
gyros replaced
döner kebab, and the Greek style of the dish spread to become popular, particularly in North America, and various other parts of the world. In contrast to other areas of Greece, in Athens, both types of sandwich may be called
souvlaki, with the skewered meat being called
kalamaki. Although gyros is unquestionably of Middle Eastern origin, the issue of whether modern-day souvlaki came to Greece via Turkish cuisine, and should be considered a Greek styling of shish kebab, or is a contemporary revival of Greek tradition dating as far back as 17th century BC
Minoan civilization, is a topic of sometimes heated debate, at least between Greeks and Turks. While English speakers may refer to souvlaki skewers as kebabs, they are not properly called that in Greece.
West Asia and North Africa South Caucasus Both
Armenian and
Azerbaijani cuisine feature oblong kofta-style mincemeats kebabs known as
lula or lyulya kebab, while Armenian cuisine refers to shish-style kebabs as
khorovats, and doner kebab as
Karsi khorovats after the city of
Kars which became known for the dish during the time of the Ottoman Empire. It may also be served with the various types of bread that are the most commonly eaten in Iran, such as
lavash. It is served with the basic
Iranian meal accompaniments, in addition to grilled tomatoes on the side of the rice and butter on top of the rice. It is an old northern tradition (probably originating in
Tehran) that a raw egg yolk should be placed on top of the rice as well, though this is strictly optional, and most restaurants will not serve the rice this way unless it is specifically requested. "Somagh", powdered
sumac, is also made available and its use varies based on tastes to a small dash on the rice or a heavy sprinkling on both rice and meat, particularly when used with red (beef/veal/lamb) meat. At Persian restaurants, the combination of one
kabab barg and one
kabab koobideh is typically called
Soltani, meaning "sultan's feast". The combination of one kabab barg, one
jujeh kabab and kabab koobideh is typically called
Shah abbasi, meaning "
Shah Abbas' meal". The traditional beverage of choice to accompany Persian kabab is
doogh, a sour yogurt drink with mint and salt. In the old
bazaar tradition, the rice (which is covered with a tin lid) and accompaniments are served first, immediately followed by the kababs, which are brought to the table by the waiter, who holds several skewers in his left hand, and a piece of flat bread (typically nan-e lavash) in his right. A skewer is placed directly on the rice and while holding the kebab down on the rice with the bread, the skewer is quickly pulled out. With the two most common kababs,
barg and
koobideh, two skewers are always served. In general, bazaar kabab restaurants only serve these two varieties, though there are exceptions. In
Iranian Azerbaijan, "Binab (also Bonab) Kababi" is very famous in Iranian Azerbaijani local cuisine for its large size. It is named after the city of Binab in East Azerbaijan province. This kabab and other types (e.g., Shishlik, Kubide, Berge, Gelin, etc.) can be served alone or with rice and fresh salad on the side. In this region Kababs come usually with yogurt, hot bread, tomato, onion, parsley and paprika-salt, and tarragon.
Kabab koobideh () it
kūbide () is an Iranian
minced meat kabab which is made from ground lamb, beef, or chicken, often mixed with
parsley and
chopped onions. Kabab Koobideh contains: ground meat, onion, salt, pepper, turmeric, and seasoning. These ingredients are mixed together until the mixture becomes smooth and sticky. One egg is added to help the mix stick together. The mixture is then pressed around a skewer. Koobideh Kabab is typically long.
Kabāb-e Barg () is a Persian style barbecued lamb, chicken or beef kabab dish. The main ingredients of
Kabab Barg – a short form of this name – are fillets of beef tenderloin, lamb shank or chicken breast, onions and olive oil.
Marinade is prepared by the mixture of half a cup of olive oil, three
onions,
garlic, half teaspoon
saffron, salt and black pepper. One kilogram of lamb is cut into 1 cm thick and 4–5 cm long pieces. It should be marinated overnight in refrigerator, and the container should be covered. The next day, the lamb is threaded on long, thin metal skewers. It is brushed with marinade and is barbecued for 5–10 minutes on each side.
Jūjeh Kabāb () consists of pieces of chicken first
marinated in minced onion and lemon juice with
saffron then grilled over a fire. It is sometimes served with grilled tomato and pepper. Jujeh Kabab is one of the most popular Persian dishes.
Kabab Bakhtiari is a combination of Jujeh kabab (chicken kabab) and Kabab barg (beef or lamb meat) on the same skewer. Its name comes from the
Bakhtiari region of Iran.
Kabab Kenjeh, also known as Chenjeh (, ) is a kabab traditionally made with chunks of marinated lamb meat. It is typically served with grilled tomatoes and rice or bread.
Kabab Torsh is an Iranian Kabab from the northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran, renowned for its sour, pomegranate based seasoning. Kabab Lari, Kabab Tabei (Pan Kabab), Dande Kabab, Kabab Shandiz, Shishlik Kabab, Kabab Ghafghazi, Kabab Soltani, Kabob Vaziri, Kabob Loghmeh, Taas Kabab, Mahi Kabab (Fish Kabab) and Kabab Jegar (Sheep Liver Kaba) are among other types of Persian Kababs popular in Iran.
Iraq Several types of kebab are popular in
Iraqi cuisine, although the word kebab in local use is reserved for skewers of spiced ground lamb, traditionally grilled on natural wood charcoal to give the kebab its special flavor. Skewers of grilled marinated meat chunks are called tikka.
Mizrahi Jews brought various types of grilled meat from their native Middle Eastern countries to Israel, where they have become an essential part of
Israeli cuisine. •
Alinazik kebab – Ground meat kebab
sautéed in a saucepan, with garlic, yogurt and eggplants added. •
Beyti kebab – Ground lamb or beef, seasoned and grilled on a skewer, often served wrapped in
lavash and topped with
tomato sauce and yogurt, traced back to the famous kebab house Beyti in
Istanbul and particularly popular in Turkey's larger cities. •
Bostan kebabı – Lamb and aubergine
casserole. •
Cağ kebabı, 'spoke kebab' – Cubes of lamb roasted first on a
cağ (a horizontal
rotating spit) and then on a skewer, a specialty of
Erzurum region with recently rising popularity. •
Ciğer kebabı, 'liver kebab' - usually eaten with sliced onions, salad and bread. •
Çökertme kebabı – Sirloin veal kebap stuffed with yogurt and potatoes. •
Çöp şiş, "small skewer kebab" – a speciality of
Selçuk and
Germencik near
Ephesus, pounded boneless meat with tomatoes and garlic marinated with black pepper, thyme and oil on wooden skewers. •
Döner kebap, literally "rotating kebab" in Turkish, is sliced lamb, beef, or chicken, slowly roasted on a vertical rotating spit. The Middle Eastern
shawarma, Mexican
al pastor, and Greek
gyros are all derived from the Turkish döner kebab, which was invented in
Bursa in the 19th century. The German-style döner kebab sandwich, sometimes called simply "a kebab" in English, was
introduced by Turkish immigrants in Berlin in the 1970s, and has become one of the most popular
take-away foods in Germany and much of Europe. It is commonly sold by Turks and considered a Turkish-German specialty in Germany. •
Hünkâri kebabı, 'Sultan's kebab' – Sliced lamb meat mixed with
patlıcan beğendi (aubergine purée), basil, thyme and
bay leaf. According to tradition, the dish was invented by medieval soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires. In Turkey, shish kebab does not normally contain vegetables, though they may be cooked on a separate skewer. It can be prepared with lamb, beef, chicken, or fish, but pork is not used. The
Pontian Greeks made a dish similar to shish kebabs, although theirs were cooked in a saucepan. •
Shish taouk –
Yogurt-marinated chicken grilled on a stick.
South Asia are native to the
Awadh region of India and are popular in Indian subcontinental cuisine kebab with
naan South Asia has a rich kebab tradition with a great variety of different kebab dishes. Many modern kebabs in
Indian subcontinental cuisine (
Bangladeshi,
Indian and
Pakistani cuisine) trace their origins back to the time of the
Mughals and the strong influence of
Mughlai cuisine in medieval India, that persists to this day. Kebab dishes common to one or more of these countries include: • Tandoori kebab (, ) • Naga doner kebab • Kathi Kebab (including
Porota Kababs, kebab wraps) •
Shami kebab (, ) – A Shami kebab is a small patty of minced beef or chicken and ground
chickpeas and spices. •
Seekh kebab (. ) – A long skewer of beef mixed with herbs and seasonings, it takes its name from the skewer. •
Tunde ke kabab (, ) – Tunde ke kebab, also known as Galouti kebab, is a small patty of minced beef or chicken native to the
Awadh region of India. •
Bun kebab (, ) – A unique kebab sandwich with beef, lamb, fish or chicken. •
Chapli kebab (, ) – A spiced, tangy round kebab made of ground beef and cooked in animal fat. A speciality of
Peshawar in
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and now found across the Indian subcontinent. •
Bihari kebab (, ) – Skewer of beef mixed with herbs and seasoning native to the
Bihar region of India. •
Kalmi kebab (, ) •
Sheesh kebab (, ) • Burrah kebab – made from goat or lamb chops, liberally
marinated with spices and charcoal grilled. Eaten in the Indian subcontinent, the
tikkia is a related food, though these are often made from potatoes (known as
aaloo).
Afghanistan Afghan kebab (
Pashto/
Dari: کباب) is most often found in restaurants and outdoor vendor stalls. The most widely used meat is lamb. Recipes differ with every restaurant. In
Afghan cuisine, kebab is served with naan, rarely rice, and customers have the option to sprinkle
sumac or
ghora, dried ground sour grapes, on their kebab. The quality of kebab is solely dependent on the quality of the meat. Pieces of fat from the sheep's tail (jijeq) are usually added with the lamb
skewers to add extra flavor. Other popular kebabs include the
lamb chop,
ribs, beef,
buffalo, and chicken.
Chapli kebab, a specialty of Eastern Afghanistan, is a patty made from beef mince. It is prepared flat and round, and served with naan. The original recipe of chapli kebab dictates a half meat (or less), half flour mixture, which renders it lighter in taste and less expensive.
Bangladesh In Bangladesh they make variations of kebab (Bengali কাবাব or "Kabab"). In the old
Mughal province of
Bengal Subah's capital of Dhaka, various Pakistani and Indian-influenced dishes started to be made. Amongst these were kebabs. In
Bangladeshi cuisine, most kebabs are made using fish or beef.
India Indian kebabs feature in various cuisines of the country, such as
Awadhi cuisine; a number of them developed under the influence of
Mughlai cuisine in the medieval era.
Galouti kebab is native to the
Awadh region of India.
Pakistan In Pakistan kebabs trace back their origin during the time of the Mughals
Mughlai cuisine, and their influence on the
cuisine of modern-day Pakistan. There are all sorts of kebab varieties such as seekh, chapli, shammi and other forms of roasted and grilled meats. As Pakistan is a predominantly Muslim country, pork is not used. Instead meats like beef, chicken, lamb, fish and sometimes
buff are used in the making of kebabs.
Southeast Asia served with
peanut sauce in
Jakarta Satay is a kebab of seasoned, skewered, and grilled meat, served with a sauce. It is a dish of
Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Satay may consist of diced or sliced chicken, goat, lamb, mutton, beef, pork, fish, other meats, or
tofu. Traditionally skewers from the midrib of the
coconut palm frond are used, although
bamboo skewers are often used instead. It is grilled or barbecued over a wood or charcoal fire with spicy seasonings. It may be served with various sauces, though most often a combination of
soy and
peanut sauce. Hence, peanut sauce is often called satay sauce. Satay was developed by
Javanese street vendors as a unique adaptation of Indian kebab. The introduction of satay, and other now-iconic dishes such as
tongseng and
gulai kambing based on meats such as goat and lamb, coincided with an influx of
Indian and
Arab traders and immigrants starting in the 18th century. It is available almost anywhere in Indonesia, where it has become a
national dish. In Sri Lanka, it has become a staple of the local diet as a result of the
influences from the local Malay community.
Sub-Saharan Africa East Africa Mshikaki is a traditional Kebab cooked on skewers which is a common and popular food item across East Africa.
South Africa Sosatie (plural
sosaties) is a traditional
South African dish of meat (usually lamb or mutton) cooked on skewers. The term derives from
sate ("skewered meat") and
saus (spicy sauce). It is of
Cape Malay origin. Sosatie recipes vary, but commonly the ingredients can include cubes of lamb, beef, chicken, dried apricots, red onions and mixed peppers.
West Africa Suya is a spicy kebab which is a popular food item in West Africa that originated in
Nigeria. It is traditionally prepared by the
Hausa people of
Nigeria,
Cameroon,
Niger,
Ghana and some parts of Sudan (where it is called
agashe).
Kyinkyinga is common and popular in
West Africa. It is a
Ghanaian dish, very similar to or synonymous with the Hausa
suya kebab, also known as
sooya, tsinga, chichinga, tsire agashi, chachanga or
tankora. ==Other variants==