Balkan · lunch, dinner
Kavarma Kebap (Bulgarian Pork and Vegetable Stew)
Кавърма кебап
Video by Bulgarian Recipes - Zvezdev's Kitchen on YouTube, in Bulgarian · Open on YouTube
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Contains: none of the common allergens in the listed ingredients. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
About 37 g protein and 14 g net carbs a serve: pork neck slowly braised with leek, peppers, tomato and red wine, with no flour or potato.
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Ingredients 13
Method
The cook speaks Bulgarian; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step in the video. The video’s English subtitles come on by themselves.
- Peel the onion and cut it into fairly large pieces; have the pork neck cut into bite-size cubes. 1:44
- Heat 1–2 tbsp lard in a large heavy pot over high heat. Add the pork and leave it 2–3 minutes without stirring so it starts to caramelise. 2:03
- While the meat fries, cut the carrot into chunks and the leek into rings or half-moons. 2:32
- Stir the meat so it browns evenly, then add the onion, leek, carrot and diced celeriac and fry 4–5 minutes; the vegetables and meat release their juices. 2:48
- Add the bay leaf and salt, pour in the red wine and let it bubble, then lower the heat to medium and braise 10–15 minutes, checking there is still some liquid so it doesn't catch. 3:50
- Chop the roasted peppers and add them with the chopped tomatoes. 5:10
- Season with black pepper, pour in hot water to about a third of the way up, cover and simmer slowly at least 30 minutes, until the meat is tender, the liquid has cooked away and the fat shows on top. 6:11
Tip. Pork shoulder or leg also work. On camera he uses 1–2 spoons of lard; his written recipe says 4 tbsp. It is rich, so serve it with a shopska-style tomato and cucumber salad rather than bread. Keeps 3 days in the fridge and freezes well.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 4
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 10%
- Protein 27%
- Fat 63%
Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Selenium High93%
51 µg a serve, mostly from pork neck (98%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Vitamin C High69%
62 mg a serve, mostly from roasted red peppers (77%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Zinc High55%
6 mg a serve, mostly from pork neck (92%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Vitamin B12 High50%
1.2 µg a serve, mostly from pork neck (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Vitamin B6 High46%
0.8 mg a serve, mostly from pork neck (56%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin A High28%
249 µg a serve, mostly from carrot (59%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Iron High22%
3.9 mg a serve, mostly from pork neck (49%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Potassium High20%
960 mg a serve, mostly from pork neck (51%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin K High20%
25 µg a serve, mostly from leek (72%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Folate Source17%
67 µg a serve, mostly from leek (36%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Magnesium Source15%
61 mg a serve, mostly from pork neck (44%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Omega-3 Source14%
0.2 g a serve, mostly from pork neck (47%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin E Source13%
2 mg a serve, mostly from roasted red peppers (30%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin D Source12%
2.4 µg a serve, mostly from pork neck (93%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Show the other 1
Calcium8%
101 mg a serve, mostly from pork neck (36%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Bulgarian Recipes - Zvezdev's Kitchen; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.