In a recent survey conducted by Amazon among its employees across Europe in celebration of the European football championships, the humble kebab has emerged as the preferred food choice, outshining traditional options like English beans on toast by a significant margin.
According to the poll, which garnered responses from over 75,000 participants, more than half revealed they indulge in kebabs at least once a week. Despite its classification as fast food, the appeal of kebabs spans across diverse social classes. Even global celebrities like Taylor Swift are known to appreciate a good kebab upon touching down in cities like London.
While the poll’s representation of the wider population may be subject to debate, one undeniable fact is the kebab’s status as a staple among football enthusiasts traveling to Germany for the Euros. Its popularity as a late-night snack extends beyond national borders, with its modern variant widely believed to have originated in Germany.
But what exactly defines a kebab? At its core, it consists of skewered and grilled slices of meat, akin to Indonesian satay or Greek souvlaki. The origins of the kebab are steeped in history, with one plausible theory suggesting it evolved as a convenient method for roasting meat using swords as skewers, pioneered by soldiers.
The term “kebab” finds its roots in the Arabic word “kabab,” and its early recipes are documented in medieval Arabic culinary texts dating back to the 9th to 15th centuries, particularly from Aleppo in the 13th century. These recipes often included lamb seasoned with sesame oil, coriander, garlic, and sometimes rose water, roasted over low fires or in clay ovens (tandoors).
The kebab’s journey continued through the Ottoman Empire, where it gained popularity among sultans despite its distinctive aroma requiring dedicated kitchen spaces away from royal quarters. Ottoman influence further spread the kebab across regions, leading to variations like the Turkish “şiş kebab” (skewer kebab) and the “döner kebab” (rotating kebab), the latter popularized by its vertical spit-roasting method.
Across cultural borders, the kebab took on new identities: in Greece as “gyros” and in the Arabic-speaking world as “shawarma,” reflecting its evolution and adaptation through linguistic and culinary exchanges.
The modern kebab as a fast-food item, served in flatbreads with vegetables and sauces, is credited to a Turkish immigrant in West Berlin during the early 1970s, although the exact origins remain debated.
Despite criticisms of its fast-food nature and calorie content, the kebab continues to thrive, diversifying with variations including chicken, beef, and pork (as seen in gyros).
As Euro 2024 unfolds, football fans and consumers alike embrace the nutritious and culturally rich appeal of the German-Turkish kebab, echoing sentiments shared centuries ago by Baghdadi physician Ibn Jazla, who praised kebab as a wholesome roast, albeit cautioning against its consumption for those with delicate stomachs.
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