Sydney has a thriving Muslim popular from across the world. Early migrants from Turkey and Lebanon brought a taste of the Middle East to the country.
Sydney has a thriving Muslim popular from across the world. Early migrants from Turkey and Lebanon brought a taste of the Middle East to the country. Now the second and third generations of these migrants are exploring new foodie ideas and setting up new restaurants catering to the diverse culinary taste of Sydneysiders.
Most restaurants serve Halal food as a major chunk of the Muslim population prefers Halal (Kosher) meat. You can find a number of quality butcheries serving Halal meet across the western suburbs as well as Inner West.
All through the Eighties, Lakemba & Auburn have been the hub of Muslim eateries. With the population growing in Pakistan, India Bangladesh, and Afghanistan a halal restaurant can be found in almost every suburb of the city.
What makes a perfect Kebab
Kebabs ( on skewers ) or Seekh Kebabs are a specialty of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Indian Sub-Content. Middle Eastern Restaurants serve these kebabs in a slightly different flavour. The meat mince is mixed with aromatic herbs, fat, onion, and tomatoes. The kebabs are then put on skewers and cooked over charcoal.
The right mix of meat and fat infused with aromatic spices creates a perfect Kebab. The use of spices across Pakistani and Middle Eastern menus varies considerably.
A major ingredient in Pakistani Kebab is the use of crushed ginger and garlic mixed with red chilli powder, cumin, peppercorns, coriander seeds powder and salt to flavour. The ingredients can vary across various restaurants.
The Middle Eastern Kebab on the other hand used a mix of cumin, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika and sumac. The middle eastern spice mix is normally as hot as most Indian or Pakistani recipes.
Dafa Al Arabi Halal Restaurant - Fairfield Sydney
I have eaten at over 40+ restaurants across the city and one of my favourite Restaurants is Dafa Al-Arabi, a small family-run business based in the western suburb of Fairfield. This restaurant is managed by an Iraqi family and the cooking style is absolutely amazing. The menu is relatively small with a fixed number of dishes that are sure to sell before 8 pm on regular days. Therefore, if you really want to check out this venue, try to make it by 6 pm.
The Meat is mixed with special spices and beef lard to give an amazing texture. The kebabs are cooked to perfection and served with mint sauce and freshly baked bread.
Other popular dishes are Okra in a sauce, mixed platter (meats on skewers), grilled barramundi, and rice. The Kebab serving is reasonably sized and priced below $20.
I visit this lovely restaurant once a month at least to water my tastebuds.
Al-Aseel Halal Restaurant - Greenacre Sydney
An old and reputed name, Al-Aseel has several branches across the city. I love the one in Greenacres, probably one of the oldest. The newer branches are opened on Bourke Street in Alexandria.
The Kebabs, are amazingly served in a platter of Middle Easter Salads, including Tabouli, hummus, and Baba Ganoush. Served with Lebanese bread, these Kebabs taste amazing with Garlic Sauce which is a must on the Middle-Eastern Menu.
I like the texture and serving size of Kebabs. Other accompanying dishes include deep-fried eggplant with dipping sauce, mezes, and a platter of mixed salads.
Himalaya Pakistani and Indian Restaurant
Himalaya restaurant captures the flavours of Pakistan's Punjabi cuisine. Most meat dishes are cooked in authentic Pakistani Style and served with fresh bread, naan, and mint sauces. Seekh Kebabs occupies a special place in Pakistan's culinary scene. The foodies in Pakistan are surely addicted to a wide range of Kebabs prepared in a unique style with a range of mixed spices and prepared skewers.
Kabul House & Kebab Al-Hojat in Merrylands Sydney
Kabul House has captured the heart of Afghani Food lovers with a great mix of popular Afghani dishes including Afghan Palau, Mixed meat platters, meat dishes and mantu (dumplings) amongst the popular dishes. Kabul House is a great location for get-togethers and more formal dinners as they can cater to large crowds.
Merrylands is home to a large ex-pat population with a good mix of Arab, Pakistan, Afghan and Middle-Eastern. There are a number of other restaurants serving fresh bread and kebabs.
Another amazing small cafe-styled kebab shop located on Pitt Street in Merrylands is Kebab Al Hojab. This shop attracts large crowds for lunch over the weekends and serves a wide range of BBQ dishes with fresh salad and bread.
Try out their mince meat kebab, chicken kebabs on skewers and grilled lamb chops served with mind sauce in yogurt.
