Doner kebab chili sauce
As a young early 20’s Canadian living abroad in your lovely country 20+ years ago, I got to experience all that English culture has to offer – such as the late night Turkish doner kebab wrap. In the 2 years living there, I was eating them nearly weekly as we don’t have them in Canada and I really liked them. There is something similar called a donair here, which is essentially the same meat with a different sauce that is sweet, – but it’s just not nearly as good as a doner kebab the way they’re done in England.
After being back home in Canada for 20 years, I returned to London for a wedding in 2022. I of course needed to have a doner kebab to see if I still loved them like I did when I was a lad. And after the prerequisite 10 pints I fell back in love with those beautiful terrible meat rockets.
Here’s why I’m posting: I can get nearly all of the ingredients in Canada (spiced meat, pita, garlic sauce, veg) except the chili sauce like you see in the photo I took – thick and sorta chunky but blended. I have scoured the internet, reddit, and YouTube. What I’ve found is there is no real consensus on what type of chili sauce is served, or how to make it from scratch. I pieced together a recipe using parts of others here and there, and after a bit of trial and error I think I’m getting close. Please see the recipe below and if you have any additions, amendments, or comments please feel free. I realize this is a bit silly, but I really look back fondly on my time living it England and this was part of it. I’ve been able to get/make other great food I had there, this is the missing piece.
Lastly, I’m guessing I’m going to get comments about German doner as it came up frequently during my research. I’ve never had it, but will if I get the chance but its also not a thing in Canada.
Thank you!
Doner kebab chilli sauce
300ml Passatta
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped white cabbage
8 green Thai chili peppers (or whatever peppers you like in whatever amount)
2 cloves garlic
Juice half a lemon
2 Tbsp white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Tsp salt (I think I added a bit more)
Tsp sugar
Everything in food processor till it’s all chopped up
Cook in a frying pan at medium high for 5 min, turn down and cook for another 5 min.
by woofingpony
1 comment
Many vans will have their own secret recipe – but yours has the basics. I’d chop, fry, add wet ingredients, simmer, then blend. I’d also experiment with different chilli pepper mixes for a balanced burn – some of the more recent cultivars (Dorset naga, carolina reaper etc…) have incredibly long burns that pair nicely with more traditional varieties. And adding a little sugar (or possibly molasses but i haven’t tried it) is often helpful for bringing out fruit flavours. And FFS wear gloves.