Ali Nazik

5 from 7 votes

Ali Nazik (or Alinazik) Kebab is a delicious Turkish speciality originating from the "Gaziantep" province of Turkey.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Turkish

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: portions

Calories: 673kcal

To prevent the eggplants from bursting, prick each one with a toothpick a few times and place them on a gas burner or BBQ.
Cook them until soft and the skin is charred while turning them frequently.
Alternatively, preheat your oven to 200 °C and bake the eggplants for 30-40 minutes until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
Place them in a bowl and then let them cool down.
Peel the eggplants and discard the seeds if there are any.
Finely chop the eggplants and then place them in a sieve to get rid of their bitter water.
Stir the eggplants along with the ½ teaspoon of salt into the yogurt, and set them aside.
Keep the base warm while cooking the lamb topping.

Preheat your oven to 200° C (390° F). You can roast your vegetables while cooking the eggplants.
Place the peppers, onions, and tomatoes in an oven dish.
Drizzle some olive oil on the vegetables and sprinkle some salt.
Place the dish in the oven and roast the vegetables for 15 minutes, until they are lightly browned and soft.

Place a wok or a large pan on medium heat.
When the pan is hot, add the lamb mince. Cook it until brown, breaking it down into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
Add olive oil if needed and then sauté the onions until soft and translucent without browning them.
Stir in the garlic and then sauté for another minute, stirring continuously, without burning the garlic.
Add the tomato paste, red pepper paste, chili flakes, freshly ground black pepper, and another ½ teaspoon of salt.
Cook for a few minutes and then add water, bring it to a boil and cook for another couple of minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and build your kebab dish.

Spoon ¼ of the eggplant base into a plate and spread it evenly.
Place ¼ of the lamb topping on top of the eggplants purée, and drizzle the remaining juices over the meat.
Garnish the plate with roasted vegetables and sprinkle on some chopped parsley.

To prevent the eggplants from bursting while grilling them, prick each one with a toothpick a few times.

The highlight of this dish is the smoky eggplant purée. However, you can roast them in the oven if you can't cook them over fire. Check the recipe card to find out how to cook the eggplants in the oven.

To make Ali Nazik Kebab, you can also use ground beef or chicken as well as diced lamb, beef, or chicken meat.