Adana Kebabı

Method

1. Put 180 g of lamb shoulder and 20 g of lamb tail fat in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up, then chop them together on a board with a heavy knife or zırh until you have a coarse, slightly uneven mince — never a machine paste, as the texture is what makes an Adana.
2. Tip the mince into a wide bowl with 0.75 tsp of salt, 1.5 tsp of pul biber and 1 clove of garlic crushed to a paste. Knead and slap the mixture against the side of the bowl for 5 minutes, until it turns tacky and clings to your palm in one mass. Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes so the fat sets.
3. Light a charcoal grill and let it burn down to glowing embers with no flame, or set a ridged cast-iron pan over high heat. Dip your hands in cold water, take the chilled meat and press it firmly along a wide flat metal skewer, working it into an even strip about 25 cm long and 1.5 cm thick, then ridge the surface with the sides of your fingers so it grips the skewer.
4. Skewer 1 tomato and 1 long green pepper and set them over the coals first, turning until the skins blister and char and the flesh softens, about 6-8 minutes. Move them to the edge to keep warm.