Cağ kebabı — Erzurum, Turkey

Cağ kebabı is a lamb kebab built by stacking thin, marinated slices of meat onto a thick skewer that turns horizontally rather than standing upright, so the meat cooks sideways next to the heat rather than in front of a vertical flame. As the outer layer browns, it is shaved off in thin strips before the next layer is exposed to the fire. The dish is reported from Erzurum Province in eastern Turkey, where it carries a geographical indication registered in 2010 under the name Erzurum Oltu Cağ Kebabı. Once mainly a regional specialty, it has spread to restaurants in Istanbul and Ankara, though it remains closely identified with Erzurum. To prepare it, lamb shoulder or leg is cut into thin slices and left to marinate, commonly with onion juice, salt, and sometimes milk or yogurt, which tenderizes the meat and seasons it through. The marinated slices are threaded one by one onto a long, thick skewer, alternating lean meat with pieces of fat to keep the stack moist as it turns. The skewer is set horizontally near a bed of wood embers or charcoal and rotated slowly; as each outer layer cooks through, it is sliced away with a long knife and often re-threaded onto a thinner serving skewer before reaching the table. What distinguishes this kebab from the more widely known vertical döner is both its orientation and its two-stage skewering: the horizontal turn exposes the meat to gentler, more even heat along its length, and the practice of re-skewering the shaved meat onto a slim spit for serving is specific to this preparation. It is commonly eaten plain off the skewer, or tucked into flatbread with grilled tomato and pepper.