Adana-Style Lamb Skewers
Hand-chopped lamb and tail fat grilled on flat skewers, with warm flatbread, charred vegetables and sumac onions.
Kars style
Last updated:
Last updated:
Lamb and Chickpea Stew
Piti
Lamb and chickpeas in turmeric broth, finished with tomato and green pepper in an earthenware casserole. This home adaptation follows the Kars lamb-and-chickpea preparation. It is distinct from other regional dishes also called piti. Use oven-safe cookware and protect the table from the hot casserole.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 3 hr 15 min
- Rest
- 12 hr 10 min
- Total
- 15 hr 50 min
- Servings
- 8
Ingredients
- 1 lb Lamb neck (raw, bone-in), cut by the butcher
- 1 lb Lamb shank (raw, bone-in), cut by the butcher
- 3 oz Fat (sheep tail), diced
- 2 ½ cups (500 g) Chickpeas (dried)
- 2 Tomatoes, sliced
- 2 Peppers (green), cut into large pieces
- 1 tbsp Turmeric (ground)
- Table salt, to taste
- Water, for soaking and cooking, as needed
- ½ lb Pide bread, torn, for serving
- 1 Onion, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tsp Sumac (ground), for the onion (optional)
- 2 tbsp Parsley, chopped, for the onion (optional)
Method
Soak chickpeas in plenty of water in the refrigerator for 12 hours. Drain, cover with fresh water, bring to a boil and simmer until nearly tender, 60–90 minutes.
Meanwhile cover lamb and tail fat with water in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, skim, then partially cover and simmer gently for 2–2½ hours, adding hot water to keep the meat covered.
Meat pulls apart easily; it must reach at least 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest, although slow-cooked neck or shank needs substantially longer to become tender.
Add drained chickpeas, turmeric and salt to the lamb; simmer 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 375°F. Transfer meat and chickpeas to an oven-safe earthenware casserole with broth almost covering them. Arrange tomato and pepper on top. Bake uncovered for 25–35 minutes until bubbling and vegetables are soft.
Rest 10 minutes. Remove bones carefully as you portion the meat; spoon broth over the bread and serve meat/chickpeas alongside, with onion, sumac and parsley if using. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Keep at 40°F or below and reheat cooked leftovers to 165°F.
Cooking guidance
Meat pulls apart easily; it must reach at least 145°F followed by a 3-minute rest, although slow-cooked neck or shank needs substantially longer to become tender.
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