Turkish Ali Nazik Kabab

Ali Nazik Kabab is a delicacy from the Turkish Gaziantep region. Easy to put together and wholesome in terms of taste and flavor. I’m a big fan of Turkish cuisine. Not sure how but I sense a deep connection to this cuisine, as it layers fresh tones in terms of taste, ingredients, flavor and textures. Many recipes originate from the Ottoman Empire which just spell out richness in simplicity. This recipe is one of them apart from the Balli Mahmudiye that is on the blog. 

So what’s with the name Ali Nazik? I did a little research and got hold of this backstory that dates back to the 16th century Ottoman Empire during the reign of Yavuz Sultan Selim. During one of his trip’s to the city of Gaziantep, the Sultan was welcomed with this local dish of charred eggplant-yoghurt mash topped with grilled meat, cooked to perfection with subtle spices. The Sultan loved the delectable platter and asked, “Who’s gentle hand made this?” which translates to “Eli Nazik” in Turkish. And going forward that’s how the dish came to be know as- Ali Nazik. 

Serve with steamed rice, Bazlama or Turkish milk bread. Enjoy!

Let’s get started!

For the Eggplant-yoghurt dip.

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. Make few cuts on the egg plant, drizzle some olive oil and place it in an oven proof tray along with 3-4 garlic cloves. Grill in the oven for about 30 mins or until fully cooked and mushy. 

3. Take out the eggplant -garlic cloves and place it in a mixing bowl. Cover it with a lid and allow it to rest for 10 mins.  You could do step no. 4 (optional).  Cover-resting the bowl  will further help the eggplant pulp to easily slide off the peel.

4. To get a nice bbq infusion, heat a coal piece and place it on an aluminum foil cup on the grilled eggplant. Drizzle few drops of ghee on the hot charcoal. This step is totally optional.

5. Peel and mash the eggplant-garlic. 

6. Mix in 3/4 cup thick yoghurt. Pour in a dash of Olive oil and season with salt. Eggplant-yoghurt base is ready. 

For the meat topping

1. Melt butter in a pan. Add the desired meat, (chicken, beef, mutton), (cubed or minced). Sauté for 2 mins. Add ginger garlic paste and sauce till raw smell is gone. 

2. Toss in the diced onions, green peppers and red peppers. 

3. Add the tomato paste, red chilly paste along with red chilly powder and black pepper powder. 

4. Mix well, add 3-4 tbsp of water. Cook for 4-5 mins or till you see the melted butter separate and meat/chicken is well cooked. Take off heat.

For the assembling 

5. In a flat plate, spread the eggplant-yoghurt mixture. Sprinkle a generous pinch of sumac over it. Now carefully spread the meat/chicken topping over the eggplant-yoghurt dip. Garnish with handful of chopped parsley. And your Ali Nazik is ready! Serve with rice or Turkish milk bread. Enjoy!