Bodrum Çökertme Kebab
Çökertme Kebab, one of the most popular traditional flavors of Aegean and Bodrum cuisine; It is served with finely julienned delicious beef, crispy golden yellow match potatoes, silky garlic strained yoghurt and an aromatic sauce of butter, cumin and thyme that meets the meat's own flavor juices in the pan. Prepare this indispensable taste of the Aegean table in its perfect form at home.
Ingredients
1. Meat and Cooking Ingredients
2. Crispy Matcha Potato
3. Garlic Yogurt Layer
4. Traditional Garnish
Step-by-Step Method
Chopping and Resting the Meat
Cut the veal meat (tranch, sodum or tenderloin) into thin, long pieces with a sharp knife. Chop into julienne strips. Mix it lightly with olive oil and freshly ground black pepper, cover it and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Preparing the Crispy Matcha Potatoes
Peel the potatoes and cut them into matchstick-thin julienne. Leave it in plenty of cold water for 15 minutes to release its starch. Pass it through a strainer and dry completely with a paper towel. Heat the oil in a deep pan and add the potatoes little by little and fry until golden and crispy. Place it on paper towel and salt it immediately.
Whisking the Strained Yogurt with Garlic
Whisk the strained yoghurt in a deep bowl until it reaches a smooth and fluid consistency. Add crushed garlic and a small amount of salt. Before serving, take the yoghurt out of the refrigerator and prepare it so that it is neither too cold nor too warm.
Quickly Cooking the Meat on Medium-High Heat
Heat a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the meat in the pan in a single layer, without crowding the pan (cook in batches if necessary). Without letting the thin strips release their water, seal them by turning them for a total of 2-4 minutes, depending on their thickness. Sprinkle salt while cooking.
Natural Meat Sauce with Butter and Spices
Add butter to the pan in which the meat was cooked. While the butter is melting and foaming, add cumin, thyme, dried mint and chili pepper. Let the meat's own natural cooking juices and buttery spices combine in the heat of the pan for 30-40 seconds (in the traditional Bodrum method, the sauce is this natural buttery aromatic sauce that the meat leaves in the pan).
Assembling the Layers and Serving Hot Immediately
Spread crispy matcha potatoes on the bottom of a large serving plate. Pour the whipped garlic and strained yoghurt on top. Without waiting, pour the hot meats and the sizzling buttery and spicy meat sauce in the pan over the yoghurt. Serve hot immediately before the potatoes soften, accompanied by roasted peppers, tomatoes and fresh parsley.
Chef's Tips & Tricks
Chef's Tips: 1) To make the potatoes more crispy, after grating them, leave them in cold water for 15 minutes until the starch runs out and dry them with a towel. 2) Cook the meat in batches in a well-heated pan over medium-high heat, without filling the pan. To prevent the thin strips from releasing their water, it is sufficient to cook them for a total of 2-4 minutes, depending on their thickness. 3) In the traditional Bodrum method, no separate tomato sauce is cooked; The meat's own flavor juice is blended with the butter, olive oil, cumin and thyme in the pan and drizzled as a sauce. 4) In order not to lose the crispness of the potatoes, they should be served hot immediately after adding yoghurt and meat.