This dish is a variation of what is known in English as Lamb Bursa. The latter was invented in the 1850s by chef Iskander Effendi, a restauranteur in the north-western Turkish town of Bursa, and is still prepared in the restaurant where it was invented and which is still run by the same family. The original and classic version is made, of course, with lamb or goat, but chicken is an acceptable substitute. Regardless of the meat, it is always cooked either on skewers [kebabs] or as a sauté in the pan, mixed with a tomato sauce and served over pita bread croutons and garnished with yoghurt and parsley.
Ingredients.
2 pita breads, cut into squares and made into croutons.
1 tablespoon olive oil.
1 chicken breast fillets, diced.
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped.
1 400g can chopped tomato.
2 tblsp tomato paste.
2 tsp ground cumin.
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
75g butter, melted.
½ cup Greek yogurt.
½ cup chopped fresh parsley to garnish.
Method.
Prepare the croutons and keep warm. Heat the olive oil in a deep pan over a medium flame. Add the chicken, onion and garlic and sauté until the chicken juices run clear. Add the chopped tomato, the tomato paste, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for another 10 minutes. Arrange the croutons on 2 plates, drizzle with the butter and top with the chicken mixture. Pour the yoghurt around the edge and scatter the parsley all over. Serve immediately.
Serve with: Pilaf rice and a fresh green salad, but you may not need these as the main meal itself is pretty filling.
Serves: 2.
Poddimok 