If my affection for the eastern Mediterranean started as a child, it blossomed into a full-grown love affair by the time I reached my late 20s and moved to north-east London, living just off Green Lanes in a house I’ve now called home for more than a decade. My neighbourhood has a distinctively Mediterranean air about it, yet it is also intrinsically Hackney, and undoubtedly London. Specialist fishmongers line the high street, selling red mullet from the Black Sea and sea bream from the Aegean; Turkish butchers, barbers and bakeries, lahmacun and pide cafes, and baklava confectioners provide countless opportunities for tasty, late-night snacks after an evening’s adventure. In today’s globalised world, finding these pockets of different migrant communities in major cities is commonplace. It’s one of the many benefits of migration; that wonderful exchange of labour, commodities and cultures that has enriched so many aspects of our lives, including our kitchen cupboards.
Adana kebabs (pictured top)
It’s hard to pick a favourite Turkish kebab, but if I had to, this would be it – richly spiced with cumin, sumac and cinnamon, and given some heat from pul biber chilli flakes. Essential Hackney accompaniments are flatbreads and orzo or rice (double carbs are encouraged), yoghurt with cucumber and mint (or natural yoghurt), Turkish shepherd’s salad, and a grilled onion salad with pomegranate and sumac. The best way to cook these is outside over hot coals, but you can also make them inside under a grill or on a griddle pan. If it’s the latter, turn the extractor fan on high and open all the kitchen windows, because it will get very smoky.
Prep 25 min, plus chilling
Cook 10 min
Makes 8, to serve 4
700g minced lamb (20% fat content)
1 small white onion, peeled and grated
1 handful parsley leaves and stalks, finely chopped
3 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or grated
2 tsp ground cumin
1½ tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper)
1 tsp biber salçası (Turkish hot pepper paste; optional)
1½ tsp sumac
⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and black pepper
To serve
2 tomatoes, quartered
White rice, orzo and/or flatbreads, such as nan or taboon
Full-fat Greek-style yoghurt, or yoghurt with cucumber and mint
Pickles and salads
Put all the ingredients for the kebabs in a large bowl with a teaspoon and a half of salt and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Use your hands to pound the mix together for five minutes or so, really working the ingredients by squeezing them in your hands so the meat gets broken down. This makes a big difference to the final texture of the kebabs, so don’t skip it.
Divide the meat into eight equal parts and mould each piece into a long kebab shape, ideally around a skewer. Cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours, so the flavours infuse. Take the kebabs out of the fridge 20 minutes before you want to grill them.
If you are cooking outside, fire up the barbecue and wait until the flames die down and the coals are white hot. Thread the tomatoes on to skewers and cook over the hot coals until just cooked through (they won’t need oil). Lay the kebabs on the bars and cook, turning every few minutes, for six to eight minutes, until browned and slightly charred.
If you are cooking indoors, do the tomatoes and kebabs under a medium-high grill or on a griddle pan. Start with the tomatoes, cooking them for a few minutes on each side until cooked through. Next, cook the kebabs, turning every few minutes, for six to eight minutes.
When the kebabs are ready, leave them to rest for a few minutes while you warm up the flatbreads, if using, ideally on the same surface the kebabs were cooked on, so they soak up any residual meat juices, then serve immediately with all the accompaniments.
Grilled onion salad with pomegranate and sumac
This zippy salad is an essential accompaniment to grilled meats at the Turkish restaurants where I live. In fact, I sometimes wonder if I order the kebabs just to get a side of this. You can cook the onions on a barbecue or on a griddle pan. In Hackney, this recipe is made with şalgam suyu, a fermented carrot and turnip juice, which you can find in any Turkish grocery store or online. If that proves a bit hard to track down, use a couple of spoons of sour and salty gherkin pickle juice instead. This may seem like a lot of dressing initially, but fear not, you’ll definitely want to mop it up with flatbread, and I’ve been known to drink it straight from a spoon. To get the sweet and sourness you’re after here, tinker a bit and add more sour if you want.
Prep 15 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4-6
3 medium white onions, peeled and cut into 6 wedges (450g net)
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses, or to taste
3 tbsp şalgam suyu juice, or gherkin juice, or any other pickle juice, to taste
1 tsp pul biber (Aleppo pepper)
2 tsp sumac
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp lime juice, or to taste
1 handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 handful mint leaves, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
Toss the onion wedges in a little olive oil and half a teaspoon of salt. If you are cooking over a barbecue, thread them on to skewers and grill for about 10 minutes, turning every few minutes, until soft and charred; alternatively, heat a griddle pan until very hot, then grill on both sides and on their backs until cooked through – they may take a little longer on the hob, 12-15 minutes, depending on your pan. Transfer the cooked onions to a bowl and leave to cool for a few minutes.
Make the dressing by whisking the pomegranate molasses, pickle juice, pul biber, sumac, measured water, lime juice, two tablespoons of olive oil, half a teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of black pepper, then pour over the onions, add the herbs and toss to coat.
Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding a touch more salt, pomegranate molasses, lime juice or pickle juice as necessary. The salad will sit happily for a few hours, or serve it straight away.
