Introducing Kebab in Finland
You probably know Pizza well, don’t you? That flat round Italian food that’s a junk food that can be dressed up… that can be thin-crust or deep-dish. But how well do you know Kebab? In Finland, kebab has risen to a cult status in the past years. Pizza has traditionally been the number one food to eat but now kebab, the meaty underdog, threatens pizza’s position as the leader of greasy, no-hassle fast food. In this article you will find basic information about kebab in Finland.
What is kebab?
Originating from kabab, the word “kebab” can mean two things: a ready-to-eat dish or the meat found in the dish. Traditionally, lamb is the meat used in kebab. However, nowadays beef is widely used as well. In Finland, beef is the more commonly used meat. You will probably see the stock kebab meat (when you are standing on the counter ordering) either in two ways: rotating on a vertical spit or put in the microwave oven from a little plastic bag.
Now you know about kebab meat but something is missing; you don’t want to eat meat only. Hence, kebab meat is usually served with:
Pita bread: The meat is put inside the bread. Salad, sauce, and whole chili are put on top. This is probably the most common way of eating kebab in Finland.
French fries: Kebab and french fries compliment each other well. Some salad and sauce are, of course, included. This is a popular style of kebab too.
Thin bread wrapped around it. We call it “rullakebab” and this translates to “roll kebab”. Have a look at the photo. It’s kebab meat, salad, and sauce stuffed together in the middle of a thin, round bread and then the bread rolled around them like a tortilla. Very delicious!
These are the basic types of kebab dishes. There are variations, but the ones listed make the foundation of kebab sales in Finland.
What makes a great kebab?
All kebabs are good but some are better than the others. When looking for high quality kebab meat, you should look for how it is served. It’s a rarity if microwave heated meat is as good as meat from a rotating vertical spit, because spit meat is usually more fresh and moist. There are cases, however, when spit sliced meat is put into a heated container near the counter. Upon ordering the chef takes a chunk of meat from the container and some may confuse this with microwave meat.
What about the accompaniments to kebab meat, aka Bread and French Fries? Freshness is the number one important factor but several other things should be considered as well. Bread that is too dry and thick is horrible and will have you drinking gallons of water. If the thickness is less than 0.2 inches and just a bit moist there is no problem. On the other hand, a common problem with french fries that accompany Kebab is a lack of taste. Some restaurants get this and others don’t. Barbeque seasoning should be put on the french fries and they should be dipped in the kebab sauce to maximize the taste.
Now you know the basics about kebab in Finland. Have ever had kebab here, or how popular is Kebab in your area? Drop a comment in the comments section below!
[Pictures courtesy of flickr: 9stiches11stars, volvodriver, telegraph, geschmack, and holamun2]
