Urfa Kebab — Şanliurfa

Urfa Kebab comes from Şanliurfa, a city in southeast Turkey simply known as Urfa until 1984, when the Turkish National Assembly passed an act adding the word şanli to its name. A word meaning glorious in Turkish, it honors the townsfolks’ resistance against French troops that occupied the city in 1919. 

Urfa is also called the City of Prophets as it was once home to various individuals from the Old Testament. These days, devout Muslims and families come to marvel at Balıklı Göl, turquoise ponds full of carp said to be where Prophet Abraham transformed into ashes after King Nemrut threw him into the flames. In a nearby cave, allegedly the birthplace of Abraham himself, miracle seekers queue to fill bottles with water from a holy spring.

Prepared like its cousin from Adana but without the hot spices, and cooked on round rather than flat skewers, Urfa Kebab should feature prominently on any itinerary to the area.

Lisa Morrow is from Sydney, Australia, but has lived in Turkey since 2010. She’s written five books about her adopted home country, including a new travel guide to Istanbul.