Thin-sliced grilled lamb on toasted Anatolian bread, finished with brown butter, tomato sauce and a quenelle of strained yogurt — Bursa's masterpiece refined.
⭐Inspired by Mehmet Yalçınkaya · 🇹🇷 TurkeyThis dish is inspired by Mehmet Yalçınkaya's signature approach — deep Anatolian heritage executed with modern fine-dining technique. İskender kebap is one of Turkey's most beloved dishes, invented in 1867 by İskender Efendi in Bursa. The traditional version layers thin-sliced döner lamb over toasted bread cubes with tomato sauce, brown butter and yogurt. Yalçınkaya's approach refines the proportions and plating without abandoning the Bursa soul.
Serves 4
Toss the sliced lamb with olive oil, cumin, coriander, Aleppo pepper, sumac, minced garlic, lemon juice and salt. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
In a small pan, simmer the tomato purée, tomato paste, Aleppo pepper and salt for 12 minutes until thick and glossy. Keep warm.
Toast the bread cubes in a 200°C oven for 8 minutes until golden and crisp on the outside but still slightly tender inside.
Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, swirling, until deep golden-brown and nutty. Off the heat.
Mix the strained yogurt with the minced garlic clove and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth.
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Sear the lamb in batches for 90 seconds per batch — high heat, quick caramelisation. Don't overcrowd.
On warm plates: place 6-8 toasted bread cubes in a circle. Drape the seared lamb on top. Spoon the tomato sauce over the lamb (not the bread). Drizzle abundant brown butter over the lamb. Place a generous quenelle of garlic yogurt to one side. Sprinkle with parsley and a final pinch of Aleppo pepper. Serve immediately.
Lamb must be VERY thinly sliced — freezing for 30 minutes makes paper-thin slicing easier.
Brown butter is non-negotiable — it's what gives İskender its signature aroma.
Strained Turkish yogurt is ideal — Greek yogurt is the closest substitute.
Chicken İskender (Tavuk İskender): substitute thinly sliced chicken thighs.
Beef Variation: substitute beef sirloin — popular in Eastern Turkey.
Stack Format (Restaurant Style): pile the lamb high in a tower with sauce, butter and yogurt around the base.
Best eaten immediately. Components keep separately for 2 days.
İskender kebap was created in 1867 by İskender Efendi in Bursa, who is credited with inventing the vertical döner spit. The original İskenderoğlu restaurant in Bursa is still operating and is considered the birthplace of the dish. Yalçınkaya's modern restaurant Mira and his teaching at MSA (Mutfak Sanatları Akademisi) have championed Bursa's culinary heritage.
İskender was invented in 1867 in Bursa, northwestern Turkey, by İskender Efendi who is credited with inventing the vertical döner spit. The original İskenderoğlu restaurant in Bursa still operates today, four generations later.
İskender uses the same lamb döner meat but plates it specifically over toasted bread cubes with tomato sauce, brown butter and yogurt. Regular döner is served in bread or with rice. İskender is a sit-down restaurant dish; döner is street food.
His version emphasises restraint and proportion — less bread, less sauce, more focus on the lamb quality. The yogurt is presented as a clean quenelle rather than smothered over everything. The traditional Bursa flavour is intact but plated for fine dining.
Ayran (salted yogurt drink) is the canonical Turkish pairing. For wine, a robust Anatolian red like Boğazkere or Öküzgözü works beautifully. Avoid white wines — they're overwhelmed by the brown butter.
Per serving (480g / 16.9 oz) · 4 servings total
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