Destination
Antalya
The story
Yoğurtlu tantuni is Adana's rich take on the classical Mersin tantuni (see separate recipe). Instead of being wrapped in a lavash, the sizzling hot chopped lamb tantuni is spooned over a bed of torn Turkish flatbread cubes, topped with a heavy layer of thick garlic yogurt, and finished with a drizzle of hot paprika butter and a scatter of dried mint. The result is a hot-and-cold, rich-and-cutting layered plate that has more in common structurally with the Turkish family of yoğurtlu kebab dishes (iskender kebab, yoğurtlu kebap, ali nazik) than with the classical wrap-style tantuni. Sold at Adana and Mersin restaurants that specialise in Anatolian meat cookery, and served as a rich lunch or Sunday family dish.
Method
Warm oil and butter in a wide heavy pan over the highest heat. Add diced lamb; sear 3 minutes without stirring. Toss and cook 3 more minutes. Add water, salt and pepper. Simmer 12 minutes until water has evaporated and meat has crisped at the edges. Off the heat, fold in diced tomato, sumac, Aleppo pepper, dried mint and cumin.
In a separate pan, melt 3 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and toss for 5 minutes until crisped at the edges and lightly buttered.
Whisk yogurt with the garlic paste and salt. Leave at room temperature.
Melt butter in a small pan. Add red pepper paste, Aleppo pepper and dried mint. Cook 60 seconds until deep red and fragrant. Do not burn.
Spread toasted bread cubes across the base of 4 wide shallow bowls. Spoon a heavy layer of garlic yogurt over the bread. Pile hot tantuni lamb over the yogurt.
Drizzle each bowl with a generous spoon of the hot paprika butter.
Scatter with chopped parsley and a dust of extra sumac.
Serve immediately with lemon wedges. Diners break through the layers and eat everything together.
Tips
- Layer order matters. Bread on the bottom soaks up the yogurt and juices from the meat. Yogurt in the middle keeps the meat hot without dulling the flavours. Meat on top stays hot longest.
- Room temperature yogurt. Cold yogurt shocks the hot meat and dulls the flavours.
- Paprika butter over hot lamb. The classical Turkish trick: hot butter over hot meat over cool yogurt over crisp bread. Four textures, four temperatures.
- Serve immediately. This is a hot dish. Do not assemble in advance.
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