Succulent chicken and colorful peppers soaked in simple ingredients, saffron dominating them to give mild yet flavorful kebabs. Then grilled to perfection with basting saffron syrup! Mouth watering or what?
Special Persian dishes are characterized by ingredients such as saffron, dried limes, cinnamon, and parsley mixed delicately in meat and other foods to give a unique flavor and exotic aroma.
One such delicacy is this chicken kebab (adapted from Indian and Persian ingredients) made by my friend and foodie, Indresh Datar. His barbeque potlucks are delightful, his kitchen covers an entire second floor - a masterpiece in itself. His wife Seema is a great host. Sangria on the rocks, steaks, kebabs and fish smoking on the grill, kids playing in the backyard, great friends, fun and laughter, I couldn't have asked for a better relaxing weekend. After a stuffed lunch, I came away with yet another unforgettable recipe.
Here is a link to another great barbeque recipe Dajaj Mashwi, from Indresh.
What you need: Makes 8 skewers
2 lb boneless chicken cut into 2 inch pieces
Colored peppers, red onions, jalapenos or other vegetables of your choice
8 metal skewers
For the marinade:
A tsp of saffron strands, soaked in 1 Tbsp of hot water
1 cup onion, diced
1 tsp pepper powder
1 Kashmiri chili soaked in olive oil overnight
1/4 tsp turmeric
Juice of two limes
Salt to taste
For the basting saffron syrup:
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp saffron soaked in 2 Tbsp warm water
Salt to taste
Puree the marinating ingredients. Massage this into the chicken. You can also soak the vegetables in it for a few hours or overnight in the fridge for the best results.
Skewer chicken and veggies. Coat a generous layer of the basting syrup on them. Grill until golden brown and cooked through. When you flip the skewers, coat it again. Once it is cooked, brush it with a final coat of syrup. Serve hot with saffron rice and a cold beer. Enjoy! We did :-)