The European Commission (EC) has given Turkey and Germany six months to reach a compromise on the doner kebab dispute, reports the British magazine “Economist”.
Turkey recently asked the European Union for a protected status for düner kebab, because the recipe of the dish popular in Germany differs significantly from the traditional version.
Düner kebab appeared in Germany in the 1970s, when many workers from Turkey arrived in the country.
The classic recipe that Turkey wants to protect includes meat, rice, tomatoes, hot peppers. As a rule, this stuffing is served in pita bread.
Düner kebab, which has gained popularity in Europe, usually includes cabbage and lettuce leaves. The filling is heavily coated with sauces, including garlic sauce, and wrapped in lavash.
Because of these differences in the recipe, Turkey has sought support from the EU in defense of the traditional way of preparing the dish, according to “Economist”.
The publication says that Turkish requirements include the use of beef or chicken. The way meat is marinated and cut can also become protected by EU rules.
Sales of düner kebab in Europe amount to about 3.5 billion euros per year, and in Germany they are 2.3 billion euros.
If Turkey succeeds in obtaining the right from the EU to protect the name of the traditional dish, the düner kebab will have to be sold in Europe under a different name.
Meanwhile, the price of a döner kebab in Europe has gone up a lot – average around 10 euros per portion.
The word “duner“ derives from the Turkish verb “donmek“, which means “turn“. The dish is grilled for hours on a spit and sliced when the meat is crispy and brown. In Turkey, the dish was originally made from lamb and sold only by the plate. In the 1970s, however, Turkish immigrants in Berlin decided to serve it in a bun and modified the recipe to make it special for Berliners.