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Doner kebab

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Doner kebab is a delicious meat dish from Turkey.

Bursa8
Bursa8

The name comes from the Turkish word "döner," which means "rotating." People love this food because it is tasty and easy to eat. It can be served on a plate with sides. You can also find it as a sandwich in pita bread. Some people prefer a wrap called a dürüm.

Doner Kebap in Hanoi
Doner Kebap in Hanoi

This wrap uses a thin flatbread called lavash or filo.

Making this dish is a very interesting process. First, seasoned meat is stacked into a tall, upside-down cone shape. This cone sits on a vertical rotisserie, which is a spinning pole. The meat turns slowly next to a heat source. As the outside cooks, the cook uses a knife to slice off thin shavings.

Döner Kebab, Berlin, 2010 (01)
Döner Kebab, Berlin, 2010 (01)

These thin pieces are then added to bread or plates. Many sandwiches also include fresh vegetables like lettuce, tomato, and onion.

History shows that meat has been cooked this way for a long time. In the 17th century, people in the Ottoman Empire cooked meat on horizontal poles. The vertical style we see today likely started by the mid-19th century. The town of Bursa in Turkey is often called its birthplace. One story says a man named İskender Efendi had the idea in the 1850s. Another person named Hamdi Usta might have done it even earlier around 1830.

İskender Kebap
İskender Kebap

Doner kebab has spread to almost every corner of the world. In the 1970s, Turkish immigrants in West Berlin made the sandwich version popular. Kadir Nurman is often linked to this success at Berlin's Zoo Station. Today, Germany is a huge market for this food. In 2011, there were over 16,000 shops selling it there.

Wien Bellaria Kebab Pizza Dez2006
Wien Bellaria Kebab Pizza Dez2006

In France, more than 10,000 shops sell about 300 million kebabs every year. It is a truly global favorite.

Many different cultures have created their own versions of this meal. In Greece, a similar dish is known as gyros. In Mexico, Lebanese immigrants helped create the taco al pastor. Canada has its own version called the donair, which is the official food of Halifax.

King of Donairs
King of Donairs

Even in Vietnam, you can find stalls selling meat with chili sauce. Whether it is called shawarma, gyros, or kebab, people everywhere enjoy it.

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🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Dönerci, 1855.jpg
Dönerci, 1855.jpg
File:Bursa8.JPG
Bursa8.JPG
File:İskender Kebap.jpg
İskender Kebap.jpg
File:Moses kebab.JPG
Moses kebab.JPG
File:Doner Kebap in Hanoi.jpg
Doner Kebap in Hanoi.jpg
File:Wien Bellaria Kebab Pizza Dez2006.jpg
Wien Bellaria Kebab Pizza Dez2006.jpg
File:Döner kebab in Helsinki.jpg
Döner kebab in Helsinki.jpg
File:Döner Kebab, Berlin, 2010 (01).jpg
Döner Kebab, Berlin, 2010 (01).jpg
File:King of Donairs.JPG
King of Donairs.JPG
File:Halal Snack Packs.jpg
Halal Snack Packs.jpg
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