İskender Kebab (Turkish Döner-Style Kebab) at Home - Restaurant-Style at Home

• Have the butcher thinly slice 500 g (about 1 lb) of beef grilling steak (döner-style), then freeze it for 1 day.
• In a pan, cook 3 peeled and grated tomatoes, 1 tablespoon salça (Turkish tomato/pepper paste), 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) oregano, 2 sugar cubes, 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 water glass (about 200 ml / 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp) water, and half a tea glass of vegetable oil together.
• In a separate pan, sauté 1 long pide (Turkish flatbread) cut into small squares with 3 tablespoons of butter until lightly crisped.
• Heat a cast iron or non-stick pan until very hot and sear the meat over high heat with the remaining half tea glass of vegetable oil.
• To serve: Place the sautéed pide pieces at the bottom of a deep oval plate. Pour the tomato sauce over them, then add the meat. Drizzle 3 tablespoons of butter melted in a small pan over the top. Serve with strained yogurt. Enjoy!

Pro Tips

• Freezing the meat the day before and slicing it while semi-frozen allows you to get very thin slices.
• You can also ask your butcher to slice the steaks thinly. Storing them in the freezer afterward helps you achieve that authentic döner texture when cooking.
• Simply cutting the pide isn't enough — sautéing it in butter until lightly crispy prevents it from absorbing too much sauce and becoming soggy.
• Adding two sugar cubes while cooking the tomato sauce cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and gives it that classic kebab restaurant flavor.
• When cooking the meat, make sure to get the pan very hot over high heat. Searing the meat quickly without releasing its juices is key to keeping it tender.
• Drizzling the butter over the İskender just before serving — when it's lightly foamy — doubles the flavor.

If you like, you can also serve it alongside İçli Köfte (Turkish Stuffed Meatballs) to make the meal even more special...