Whether it is a döner from a snack stand, Adana in Istanbul or koobideh in Tehran – hardly any dish has travelled as far as meat on a skewer over glowing coals. The history of kebab spans thousands of years and three continents: from ancient fireplaces and the court kitchens of Baghdad and Delhi to the takeaways of Berlin and Vienna. In this article we follow that journey, introduce the most important types of kebab and show why Persian kebab still holds a special place today.
Where does the word kebab come from?#
The history of kebab begins with the word itself. In Persian and Arabic, grilled or roasted meat is called kabāb; in Turkish it is kebap. Linguists suspect an even older root: Aramaic and Akkadian had similar words meaning "to roast" or "to burn". Whether the word first travelled through Persia or through the Arab world is debated. What is certain is that it has been at home in many languages of the Middle East since the Middle Ages. It reached European languages much later, and in everyday German "Kebab" usually just means a döner. The Wikipedia article on kebab gives a good overview of the many variations.
The history of kebab: fire, skewers and court kitchens#
Cooking meat on a skewer over an open fire is one of the oldest cooking techniques of all. Even in Homer's Odyssey, pieces of meat are threaded onto skewers and roasted. In the 10th century, the cookbook Kitab al-Tabikh by the Baghdad author Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq describes kabab as cut-up meat cooked in a pan or over the fire. The famous traveller Ibn Battuta reported in the 14th century that kebab was served at the court of the Delhi Sultanate – and that even ordinary people ate it for breakfast with naan.
A popular legend tells of soldiers grilling meat on their swords over the campfire. This is said to be where the name shish kebab comes from: şiş means "sword" or "skewer" in Turkish.
Persian kebab: chelow kabab, the national dish#
In Iran, kebab is not a quick snack but a festive meal. Chelow kabab – fluffy steamed rice (chelow) with grilled kebab – is considered the national dish of Iran and was probably created during the Qajar dynasty. Persian kebab is almost always served with rice, traditionally with grilled tomatoes, a knob of butter on the rice, sumac for sprinkling, raw onions and fresh herbs. In Tehran, an old tradition even places a raw egg yolk on the rice – today entirely optional.
The best-known Persian kinds#
- Kabab Koobideh: minced lamb or beef seasoned with grated onion and shaped by hand around wide, flat skewers. Our Kabab Koobideh recipe shows how to make it at home.
- Kabab Barg: thin, marinated strips of meat, usually beef fillet or lamb.
- Joojeh Kabab: pieces of chicken, often marinated with saffron, lemon and yoghurt.
- Soltani: the portion "in the style of a sultan" – barg and koobideh together on one plate.
Saffron is the signature, giving colour and aroma to both marinade and rice. Read more about the "red gold" in our article on Persian saffron.
Types of kebab in Turkey: from shish to döner kebab#
Ottoman cuisine developed an enormous variety. Adana kebap is boldly spiced minced meat on a skewer; shish kebap consists of cubes of meat – in Turkey usually without vegetables in between. A small revolution happened in 19th-century Bursa: there, İskender Efendi is said to have turned the spit from horizontal to vertical. The result was döner kebab, literally "rotating kebab". To this day, İskender kebap, served on flatbread with tomato sauce, butter and yoghurt, is a speciality of the city.
From Delhi to Berlin: kebab in India and Europe#
Seekh kebab and Mughal cuisine#
Many kebabs of the Indian subcontinent go back to the time of the Mughal rulers. Persian was the language of their court, and with it came recipes, rice dishes and spice techniques. Seekh kebab – spiced minced meat on long skewers, often cooked in a tandoor – resembles koobideh for good reason. Rice shows the same connection, as we described in our article on pilaf and the Silk Road. Lucknow produced especially tender varieties such as galouti kebab, which legend says was invented for a toothless nawab.
Döner conquers Europe#
In the 1970s, Turkish immigrants in Berlin made döner in flatbread with salad and sauce popular. It became one of the favourite snacks in German-speaking countries – and in Vienna, too, döner kebab has long been part of the cityscape.
Conclusion: the history of kebab is a journey around the world#
From a skewer over the campfire to the takeaway around the corner: the history of kebab shows how food crosses borders. Every region has its own style – spicy in Turkey, aromatic in India, saffron-scented and served with rice in Iran. Anyone who has eaten kebab with Persian saffron rice understands why it is a festive dish in Iran. And as with every Persian meal, generosity is part of it – more on that in our article on taarof and Persian hospitality.
Enjoy Persian cuisine at SANTOOR#
Craving the flavours of Persia? Visit us at SANTOOR, Florianigasse 20, 1080 Vienna. We are open daily from 12:00 to 22:00, and our kitchen is 100% halal. The easiest way to book your table is our reservation page. Nooshe jan – enjoy your meal!