Eggplant Kebab is a traditional kebab variety unique to the Şanlıurfa cuisine. It is prepared by placing minced lamb meat, finely chopped with a zırh knife, and large seedless eggplants sequentially on forged iron skewers, then grilling them over a charcoal fire. Also known locally as “balcanlı kebap” in Şanlıurfa, this dish distinguishes itself through the use of regional ingredients and traditional production methods. The dish received a geographical indication registration as "Urfa (Şanlıurfa) Patlıcanlı Kebabı" on May 21, 2018. Beyond its distinctive flavor, it holds cultural significance within Şanlıurfa's collective memory.

^{Eggplant Kebab (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

Geographical Indication Information

• Registration Number: 351
• Application Number: C2013/059
• Registration Date: 21.05.2018
• Application Date: 02.05.2013
• Type of Geographical Indication: Mahreç İşareti (Origin Mark)
• Registrant: Şanlıurfa Chamber of Commerce and Industry
• Geographical Boundary: Şanlıurfa Province

Distinguishing Characteristics

Ingredient Quality:

• Meat: Sourced from İvesi breed male lambs raised in Şanlıurfa, specifically from the abdominal section known locally as “boşluk.” The meat is rested for one day before being minced with the zırh knife.
• Eggplant: Birecik eggplants, recognized for their seedless, purple or lavender-colored, long, and soft flesh. Their low moisture content helps maintain texture and flavor during cooking.
• Fat: The minced meat naturally contains tail fat; no additional fat is added.
• Others: Fresh Şanlıurfa peppers, salt, roasted red isot pepper, dry onions, and open bread.

Production Technique:

• The meat is minced using the zırh knife—a large crescent-shaped blade—that preserves the fibrous texture and imparts the kebab's characteristic consistency.
• Eggplants and meatballs are alternately threaded on skewers, with each skewer containing four eggplant slices and three meatballs.
• The kebabs are exclusively cooked over a charcoal fire, rotated on all sides to ensure even grilling.
• After cooking, they are moistened with pomegranate juice or light water and traditionally rested under a cover.

Production Process

Ingredients (per serving):

• 200–210 g minced lamb meat prepared with the zırh knife
• 2 large, regular, seedless Birecik eggplants
• 3 g salt
• 2–4 fresh Şanlıurfa peppers

Steps:

• After resting for one day, the meat is minced with the zırh knife, adding only salt to preserve texture and develop flavor and aroma.
• The green tops of the eggplants are removed, and the remainder is cut into four equal cylindrical slices.
• The slices and meatballs are alternately arranged on forged iron skewers, 50–60 cm long. Meatballs are hand-formed without excessive pressure.
• Skewers are placed on a charcoal fire with extinguished flames and grilled for approximately 20 minutes, turning on all sides.
• A fully cooked kebab is indicated by the meat turning from red to brown and the eggplant skin blackening.
• The cooked skewers are removed and placed on a tray in one movement. Pomegranate juice is sprinkled seasonally, and the tray is covered with another tray to rest the kebabs for 15–20 minutes.
• Served with roasted Şanlıurfa peppers, dry onions, flatbread, and ayran (yogurt drink).

^{A Serving of Eggplant Kebab (Generated by Artificial Intelligence)}

Cultural and Historical Context

Eggplant kebab is more than a dish; it is an essential communal element in traditional Şanlıurfa social gatherings such as “sıra gecesi.” The 17th-century French traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier notably praised the local cuisine during his 1644 visit to Urfa, signaling the historical recognition of Şanlıurfa’s culinary heritage in Europe.

The word “kebab” originates from Arabic, meaning “meat cooked without water over fire.” Patlıcanlı kebab stands as a tangible example of this definition within Urfa cuisine.

Inspection and Protection Mechanism

To ensure compliance with traditional standards, the Şanlıurfa Chamber of Commerce and Industry coordinates an inspection committee composed of:

• Şanlıurfa Municipality
• Şanlıurfa Restaurant, Meatball, and Confectioner Tradesmen Chamber
• Şanlıurfa Provincial Directorate of Food, Agriculture, and Livestock

Inspection Criteria

• Sensory analysis: taste, aroma, appearance
• Physical examination: weight, texture, foreign matter inspection
• Chemical analysis: fat, salt, moisture, and ash content
• Regulatory compliance: adherence to the Turkish Food Codex and the geographical indication registry

Inspections are conducted at least annually, documented, and reported to the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office. Additional spot inspections may occur upon complaints or suspicions.