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A union of meat, eggplant and tomatoes: Tokat kebab
One of these master chefs is Hacı Osman Usta, who has devoted years to producing perfect Tokat kebabs. Osman Ustam, who is 62 years old, never tires of serving up his specialty to guests and then watching their faces as they dig in to see the pleasure they got from the food. Osman Usta's kebab career began at age 13, when, in the town of Pazar -- considered by many to be the hometown of the Tokat kebab -- he began to learn from his father, Hasan Usta, who was also a chef. However, now Osman Usta complains of not being able to pass on the same knowledge he gained from an early age to the next generation: “I am not secretive about my knowledge, but I am very particular. I want to teach this business to someone who will really be successful at understanding its many details.” This seasoned kebab chef describes how one hopeful learner spent some years with him, learning the art of the kitchen, until one day he left to open his own restaurant, declaring, “I am an expert now.” Some time later, though, he was forced to close the doors of his eatery. As Osman Usta describes it, “They just aren't able to capture the same tastes.”
Osman Usta shared with us a few of the secrets he believes are imperative to creating the truly magnificent flavors people expect in their kebabs. He says: “Everyone in Tokat makes the Tokat kebab. In fact, people even make it at home.” As he describes it, though, the important thing to keep in mind when it comes to this dish is the details. He takes us by the hand and guides us toward the kitchen. The Tokat kebab, first of all, is a dish that must be cooked in an oven. The meat and vegetables are first loaded onto hooked shish kebab sticks and then hung on iron sticks with flames burning on both sides. As the meat and vegetables slowly cook, Osman Usta watches, noting that timing is critical. He says, “If you leave the meat too long on the fire made from hornbeam wood, you'll burn it, so what you need to do is to push the meat to the back part of the oven on time.”
The juice from the lamb meat and vegetables which flows into the center part of the oven is carefully collected in a container and used later as a sauce for the kebabs. And, of course, one of the most vital factors of this dish is the ingredients you use. Osman Usta underscores the fact that he never ever uses meat that has been already cut up with a cleaver and that he himself selects all the lamb meat and the tail fat he uses. Also, he procures all of his seasonal vegetables -- from tomatoes to peppers, seedless eggplants and even garlic -- straight from Tokat. As you taste his Tokat kebab, it is quite clear that it comes from the hands of a master. Every bite contains evidence of his 48 years of experience.
Some of Osman Usta's other tips
He only uses lamb meat in his Tokat kebab, and he only starts making these kebabs after April onwards.
He uses fresh tomatoes, peppers and hot peppers from Tokat.
Tail fat or oil is an essential part of these kebabs.
The meat, eggplant, potatoes and other ingredients are stacked on top of one another on the kebab sticks.
Special hornbeam wood is used in the two-sided oven in which the Tokat kebab is cooked. This kind of wood (called “gürgen” in Turkish) does not produce smoke and gives the meat a delicious flavor.
After the meat and vegetables have been initially cooked in the flames, they are pushed to the back of the oven, called the “hazne” section. This allows them to cook more slowly for the remaining time in the oven.
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