Source: Alisa Korolevskaya, AdobeStockA saj is a large concave pan, making it excellent for preparing a wide variety of dishes (especially meat or vegetable-based). Saj is quite common in Turkish and Balkan cuisines. We're sharing 8 delicious recipes!
1. Lamb on Saj
Source: postila.ruWe recommend sprinkling the finished dish with pomegranate seeds and chopped cilantro.
You will need: 500 g lamb, 80 g lamb fat (kurdjuk), 2 bell peppers, 1 head of garlic, 1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 5-6 mushrooms, 3 tomatoes, cumin, salt, ground black and red pepper, herbs.
Preparation: Slightly freeze and slice the lamb into thin pieces. Cut all vegetables into medium pieces and finely chop the lamb fat. Melt the fat on the saj with cumin, then remove the cumin and cracklings to the edge of the pan.
Fry all ingredients in order, starting with the meat. Then the vegetables in this order: carrots, onions, bell peppers, eggplants, mushrooms, zucchini, and tomatoes. As they cook, move the fried vegetables to the side. Periodically sprinkle everything with herbs, spices, and minced garlic.
2. Veal on Saj
Source: mykaleidoscope.ruAnother classic recipe for meat with vegetables!
You will need: 600 g veal, 4 tbsp lamb fat (kurdjuk), 1 carrot, 1 onion, 2 bell peppers, 1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 3-4 tomatoes, spices, herbs, garlic.
Preparation: Place the lamb fat on a heated saj, sprinkle with spices, and add thinly sliced veal. Fry until the meat is cooked and move it to the side. Cut the vegetables arbitrarily. Fry the onions with carrots, then the bell peppers and all other vegetables in turn. Move the cooked vegetables to the side with the meat. Sprinkle the finished dish with spices, chopped garlic, and herbs.
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3. Beef with Vegetables on Saj
Source: rutube.ruYou can use any vegetables you like for cooking on a saj.
You will need: 500 g beef, 1 purple onion, 1 eggplant, 1 bell pepper, 100 g cherry tomatoes, 50 g baby corn, 3 cloves garlic, 100 g asparagus, 4 tbsp soy sauce, spices.
Preparation: Slice the beef into thin strips and marinate it for 1 hour in soy sauce and spices. Cut all vegetables. Heat the saj with a little oil and fry the beef for 10 minutes. Add the onion and eggplant, and fry for another 5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and asparagus, and after another 5 minutes – the remaining ingredients. Stir, season, and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
4. Chicken Wings on Saj
Source: AdobeStockYou can marinate the wings in your favorite marinade beforehand.
You will need: 600 g chicken wings, 200 g mushrooms, 600 g potatoes, 1 eggplant, 1 bell pepper, 1 onion, spices, herbs.
Preparation: Fry the chicken wings on the saj for about 10 minutes until golden brown. Add the sliced potatoes and fry them on both sides as well. Add the remaining chopped vegetables, and after another 2-3 minutes – the mushrooms. Season and fry everything until cooked, then sprinkle with chopped herbs at the end. The total cooking time will be about half an hour.
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5. Qutab on Saj
Source: dzen.ruA traditional Turkish and Azerbaijani dish with a rich meaty flavor.
You will need: 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup water, 0.5 tsp salt, 200 g boiled beef, 1 onion, spices.
Preparation: Pass the beef through a meat grinder, mix with chopped onion, and season. Knead a smooth dough from flour, water, and salt. Refrigerate it for 1-2 hours, then divide into pieces and roll out thinly. Place the filling on the flatbreads, fold in half, and firmly seal the edges. Fry the qutabs on the saj on both sides until golden brown.
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6. Chicken on Saj
Source: postila.ruYou can cook any part of the chicken on the saj using this recipe, not just thighs.
You will need: 3 chicken thighs, 200 g mushrooms, 400 g potatoes, 100 g tomatoes, 1 bell pepper, 1/2 eggplant, 1/2 zucchini, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic, spices.
Preparation: Slice the mushrooms, and cut the potatoes, zucchini, and eggplant into rounds. Cut the remaining vegetables arbitrarily. Fry the chicken thighs on the saj until golden brown on all sides, add the potatoes, and fry for another 5-7 minutes.
Gradually add the vegetables in this order: onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes with garlic. After each addition, stir and lightly fry everything together. After adding the tomatoes – season, cook for another 1-2 minutes, and remove from heat.
7. Sausages on Saj
Source: pinterest.comChoose any sausages or other meat products to your taste.
You will need: 600 g sausages, oil or lamb fat (kurdjuk), 2 bell peppers, 1 hot pepper, 1 eggplant, 200 g mushrooms, 2 onions, 1 carrot, 3-4 tomatoes, spices, herbs, garlic.
Preparation: Slice the eggplant and carrot into rounds, mushrooms into slices, onion into wedges, and bell pepper into strips. Cut tomatoes into wedges, and finely chop the hot pepper, garlic, and herbs.
Heat the saj with a little oil or fat, fry the sausages until golden brown, and add the onion with carrot. After a few minutes, add the eggplant and bell pepper, and after another 3-4 minutes – the tomatoes. Fry everything together until the vegetables are cooked. At the end of cooking – add spices, garlic, hot pepper, and herbs.
8. Vegetables on Saj
Source: mirtesen.ruAn excellent lean recipe for outdoor recreation.
You will need: 2 bell peppers, 500 g potatoes, 1 hot pepper, 1 head of garlic, 120 g asparagus, 1 eggplant, 1 zucchini, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 120 g mushrooms, 3 tomatoes, cumin, vegetable oil, salt, ground black and red pepper, herbs.
Preparation: Cut all ingredients into medium pieces, and peel and mince the garlic. Heat a little vegetable oil on the saj, fry the potatoes until golden brown, and move them slightly to the side.
Following the same principle, fry and move the remaining ingredients, from denser to less dense. The last ones will be – zucchini and tomatoes. During cooking, sprinkle the cooked vegetables with spices, salt, and herbs.