Hype Dish: Mangal 2’s seriously smoky cull yaw kofte

When Mangal 2 opened 30 years ago, it was one of the first ocakbasi restaurants in London. Now with a cult following, Sertaç and Ferhat Dirik are still finding ways to surprise. Their cull yaw kofte (meat from older ewes) pays homage to their Turkish heritage, but with a twist. They use ‘retired’ sheep instead of lambs, giving a unique flavour. ‘Things that are considered waste are opportunities to create something that might not be on other menus,’ says Sertaç. They tell us how it’s made.

The supplier

‘We get our cull yaw from Matt Chatfield. He has all these wild ideas about silvopasture and bringing life and certain species back into otherwise dead soil.’

The meat

‘Using an animal that has lived for eight years rather than eight months makes a massive difference. It’s almost like a prime steak: it’s so nutty and clean.’

The kofte

‘We break the rump down, grind it and spice it with sweet Aleppo pepper, cumin, oregano and salt. It rests for 12 hours before it’s shaped on to skewers for grilling.’

The schmaltz

‘We render our fat from chicken wings in the oven so it caramelises. That goes in a mixture to make a basic schmaltz, which we emulisfy with egg yolk and some salt.’

The aroma

‘The street is filled with a smoky grill smell, it makes your mouth water immediately. The underlying tone of Mangal 2 is that smoky nuttiness and our connection to Turkey.’

4 Stoke Newington Rd. £5.

More from our Hype Dish series:

Roti King’s buttery, flaky and fragrant roti canai.

Café Cecilia’s juicy onglet with peppercorn sauce.