Cag kebab
Encyclopedia
Cağ kebabı (ˈdʒaː cebabɯ) is a rotating
kebab
variety, originating in Turkey
's Erzurum Province
. The cities of Tortum
and Oltu
in the said province and Yusufeli
in the neighboring Artvin
province are in a heated debate concerning the origin of the dish. As such, in Turkish metropolises, this dish can be called called "Oltu kebabı" or "Tortum kebabı" depending on the origins of the chef.
This uniquely prepared kebab has become, as years passed, a trademark of Erzurum
where all the famous Usta like Şakir Aktaş and Kemâl Koç run restaurants each claiming to be descending from the exclusive inventors.
Note that while it is increasingly available in most Turkish cities, the Cağ kebabı is especially popular in Bursa, whereas enjoying an ever-growing success in Istanbul
and Ankara
, being mostly unknown in İzmir
.
Travelbooks of the 18th century cite a kebab cooked on wood fire consisting of horizontal stack of meat, known as "Cağ Kebabı" in the Eastern Turkish province of Erzurum
, which is probably the ancestor of the Döner as we know it.
dialects, literally means "spit". Hence the name of the kebab that consists of meat impaled on a huge spit.
are left to marinate in a mixture comprising a lot of yoğurt, black pepper and sliced onions for the length of a day. They are then impaled on the spit (Cağ), and stacked heavily. The spit is then locked and transferred to the fire where there is a fairly complicated device that controls the cooking of the spit. This typically includes a mechanism for turning the meat, another one for raising and lowering it, and also dents on the side to approach the stack towards the fire as it gets thinner after being served repeatedly.
Note that the meat used for Cağ kebabı is exclusively lamb,
Rotisserie
Rotisserie is a style of roasting where meat is skewered on a spit - a long solid rod used to hold food while it is being cooked over a fire in a fireplace or over a campfire, or roasted in an oven. This method is generally used for cooking large joints of meat or entire animals, such as pigs,...
kebab
Kebab
Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Middle East and later on adopted by the Middle East, and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer...
variety, originating in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
's Erzurum Province
Erzurum Province
Erzurum Province is a Province of Turkey, in the Eastern Anatolia Region of the country. It is bordered by the provinces of Kars and Ağrı to the east, Muş and Bingöl to the south, Erzincan and Bayburt to the west, Rize and Artvin to the north and Ardahan to the northeast. The provincial capital is...
. The cities of Tortum
Tortum
Tortum is a town and district of Erzurum Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey.The population is 4,507 as of 2010.There are 4 different ethnic group in the district.Ethnicity distribution*Turkish*Hemshin*Kurdish*Zaza- External links :...
and Oltu
Oltu
Oltu is a town and district of Erzurum Province in the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey. The mayor is İbrahim Ziyrek . The population is 19,969 .-History:...
in the said province and Yusufeli
Yusufeli
Yusufeli is a town and district of Artvin Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. It is located on the bank of Çoruh River 104 km south-west of the city of Artvin, on the road to Erzurum....
in the neighboring Artvin
Artvin
-History:See Artvin Province for the history of the region.-Places of interest:* Artvin or Livana castle, built in 937There are a number of Ottoman Empire houses and public buildings including:* Salih Bey mosque, built in 1792...
province are in a heated debate concerning the origin of the dish. As such, in Turkish metropolises, this dish can be called called "Oltu kebabı" or "Tortum kebabı" depending on the origins of the chef.
This uniquely prepared kebab has become, as years passed, a trademark of Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
where all the famous Usta like Şakir Aktaş and Kemâl Koç run restaurants each claiming to be descending from the exclusive inventors.
Note that while it is increasingly available in most Turkish cities, the Cağ kebabı is especially popular in Bursa, whereas enjoying an ever-growing success in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, being mostly unknown in İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
.
History
OttomanOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Travelbooks of the 18th century cite a kebab cooked on wood fire consisting of horizontal stack of meat, known as "Cağ Kebabı" in the Eastern Turkish province of Erzurum
Erzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
, which is probably the ancestor of the Döner as we know it.
Etymology
The word "Cağ" ˈdʒaː in the Eastern TurkishTurkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
dialects, literally means "spit". Hence the name of the kebab that consists of meat impaled on a huge spit.
Preparation
Slices of lamb and large quantities of tail fatFat-tailed sheep
The fat-tailed sheep is a general type of domestic sheep known for their distinctive large tails and hindquarters. Fat-tailed sheep breeds comprise approximately 25% of the world sheep population, and are commonly found in northern parts of Africa, the Middle East, Pakistan, North India, Western...
are left to marinate in a mixture comprising a lot of yoğurt, black pepper and sliced onions for the length of a day. They are then impaled on the spit (Cağ), and stacked heavily. The spit is then locked and transferred to the fire where there is a fairly complicated device that controls the cooking of the spit. This typically includes a mechanism for turning the meat, another one for raising and lowering it, and also dents on the side to approach the stack towards the fire as it gets thinner after being served repeatedly.
Note that the meat used for Cağ kebabı is exclusively lamb,
See also
- KebabKebabKebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Middle East and later on adopted by the Middle East, and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer...
- Gyros
- Döner kebabDöner kebabDoner kebab is a dish made of roasted meat cooked on a vertical spit. It is also known regionally as gyro , shawarma, and al pastor . It consists of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or mixed meats roasted on a spit. Less common alternatives include fish and sausage...
- DürümDurumDurum wheat or macaroni wheat is the only tetraploid species of wheat of commercial importance that is widely cultivated today...
- ShawarmaShawarmaShawarma is a Levantine Arab sandwich-like wrap of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or mixed meats. The meat is placed on a spit, and may be grilled for as long as a day. It is eaten with pita bread, tabbouleh, fattoush, taboon bread, tomato and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus,...
- List of kebabs
External links
- http://www.gelgorcagkebabi.com/ - the restaurant of Şakir Aktaş in Oltu, Erzurum, claiming the invention
- http://www.cagkebap.com/cagkebap.htm - the restaurant of Kemâl Koç from Tortum, Erzurum, claiming the invention