Make Turkish wrap “Tantuni” with ground beef. It is popular street food in Istanbul and all of Turkey but the recipe known from Mersin City on the coast of the Mediterranean. I am also going to show you how to make Turkish flatbread lavash too.

Traditionally Tantuni is made from a steak or tender beef and doesn’t have peppers. But in this home version, I used ground beef for making it easy and lox budget and some veggies to give extra juice and taste.

“Story of the Word Tantuni”

According to the story, a Yoruk (A nomadic man) boils the meat to preserve it longer, sets up his counter, and puts a stove near a school. His purpose is to roast boiled meat in oil and sell it to students. He also adds Tomato, parsley, and onion to the wrap. Students ask the man who made this food, which has no name yet, “you hit the spoon every time and make a sound “tan tun” what are you selling?” This reflection sound of the spoon, the sound of “tan tun”, inspires the man and gives the answer AS “tantuni”.

Ingredients For Tantuni, Turkish Meat wrap:

500gr. minced meat (preferable fatty or a mix of beef and lamb if you like)
4-5 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
1 sweet red pepper
3 sweet or mild hot green peppers
1 big ripened tomato
If your meat doesn’t have much fat, you can add 1-2 tbsp butter
salt, red pepper flakes, ground red pepper, cumin (about a tsp each or as desired)
about 4-6 tbsp water
For Assembling The Wrap: 1 red onion, 1/2 tsp salt and sumac (sumac optional)
preferably 1/4 crisp iceberg lettuce or regular lettuce, tomato and pickles, thinly sliced

How To Make Turkish Wrap Tantuni (Turkish Beef Wrap)

Heat a big skillet or sac tava, add olive oil and ground beef. Stir frequently to cook on medium-high heat until it changes its color.
Meanwhile diced onion, green and red peppers, and peeled tomato.
When the ground meat is cooked make a well in the center and add the onion. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and stir everything. You can halfway close the lid from time to time while cooking.
Next add the peppers, again making well in the center, cooking the first 2 minutes and mixing everything.
Repeat the same steps after adding the tomato. If your meat doesn’t have much fat, add 1-2 tbsp butter. Season it with salt, peppers, and cumin. Add about 1/4 cups water, close the lid, and cook for about 5 more minutes until everything is soft. Your home-style tantuni is ready.

If you don’t want to make a lavash wrapping bread just buy any flat wrapping bread and continue to assemble after slicing the fresh veggies.

I served my Tantunis with Ottoman Sherbet and it is very easy to make: http://www.turkishfoodtravel.com/2020/07/21/ottoman-sherbet-drink/

Make Lavash Flat Wrapping Bread

1 cup lukewarm water
3-4 tbsp milk
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp active dry yeast
about 3 cups or little more flour (don’t add all at once)
1 tsp salt
a rolling pin, griddle, or big nonstick wide pan to cook
more flour to dust

Instructions For Lavash Bread:

To a mixing bowl add lukewarm water, milk. Sprinkle the yeast and sugar. Add 2+1/2 cups flour (all-purpose or bread flour) and salt on top of the flour and begin to mix.
Continue to mix until it forms into a smooth, soft unstick dough adding more flour if needed. Shape the dough into a ball, oil the bowl, and put the dough back to the bowl. Cover and let it rest about 1/2 hour.
Deflate the dough and portion into 8 pieces and shape them into a ball again.
Spread some flour on the countertop and roll the dough first with a rolling pin then with thinner oklava if you have. Watch the video to see how I roll the dough thinly. It is OK to misshape it for the first time. After practicing you will get used to it:)
Cook the rolled lavash dough on a medium-hot griddle checking and turning frequently, not to dry out the bread. When you see some small brown spots you can turn it over. If ist burns very quickly then lover the heat. Usually, it takes about 2 minutes to cook each piece. But can change depends on the heat and the pan.
Place the cooked lavash breads into another pan, brush or sprinkle some water to make it soft again, and cover it with damp clothes. Repeat the steps until you finish all the dough pieces.

Tips When Making Lavash:

Cover unused dough pieces with a damp cloth while you are rolling the first one and meanwhile heat the griddle.
I used a big cast iron griddle to cook so if fit to it perfectly. If your biggest nonstick or cast iron pan is smaller then make smaller pieces so you can roll out the dough thin and it fits your pan 🙂

Assembling The Tantuni:

Cut the red onion in half and thinly slice. Rub it with sumac and salt, transfer it to a small plate. Thinly slice other veggies and pickles and place it to another wide serving plate. Fold the lavash bread in half and arrange it into another serving plate.

Reheat the tantuni and bring everything onto the table. Pour some of everything generously 🙂 Wrap it and enjoy it! Afiyet Olsun!