Keep Calm and Eat Kebabs!

Today, I would like to recognize the contributions of the humble Kebab to global cuisine. Kebab appears to be an omnipresent comfort food and almost all cultures have some version of this evergreen favorite.

Is the kebab simply just a kebab? How is it different in different countries and cultures? For starters, what is a kebab?

Kebab is simply a piece of meat that is cooked but it comes in many different varieties. Typically made of lamb, goat, or beef but now pork, chicken, or even impossible meat.

Doner kebabs, shawarma, or Gyros eaten in Turkey and Greece are typically vertically roasted meat that is shaved and put into a pita alongside a host of other toppings and sauces.

Cubes of meat that are skewered and grilled are called Shashlik in Persia and Central Asia or Shish Kebab in India. The ingredients, spices, and how the meatballs are rolled are so unique in different places around the world. For instance, in Italy, meatballs are typically made with veal. Eggs with breadcrumbs are often used as a binder while it is hand rolled into 2-inch diameter meatballs. However, in Central Asia or the Indian subcontinent, typically kebabs are mutton-based (goat or lamb) or made of beef outside of India. A multitude of spices alongside finely chopped garlic, onions, lentils, and fresh herbs like mint are mixed into the minced meat. This mixture is then rolled into smaller size balls about 1-inch in diameter. These balls are flattened in your palm and usually pan-fried.

Kebabs are typically eaten as appetizers/snacks and less often made into a curry, unlike in Italy where they are typically cooked in a tomato-based sauce and seldom had as an appetizer.

Kebabs come in many different shapes and sizes across the globe. I hope you have a chance to enjoy the many different varieties from around the world.

Nota Bene: Mint aids in digestion and is a great source of nutrients.