I grew up for four or five lovely years on Bahrain island and enjoyed the food - a lot. We left when I was almost nine but the flavours stayed with me. Then a few weeks ago we were walking through our local Coles supermarket and saw these electric shishkebab makers and spouse asked me "Would you use one of these?" She's really lovely like that - because she knows anything cooking-related she presents me with ends up making our dinners deliciouser and deliciouserer, to paraphrase Alice.
I checked it out and liked it. But. Price. Ack! Not what I'd spend on a whim, so I said something like yes I would but I was expecting something half the price mumble mutter mumble greedy bas....ds. .
The following week I went solo shopping and there was the rotisserie - AT HALF PRICE!
So you bet I grabbed one and brought it home cos - sign from the Gastronomy Gods, people! I was meant to have this thing!
Then I got busy and this is the result - these yummy shish, and this recipe.
(Also, we went back the following week and they were back to their old price... I think maybe someone at the shop overheard me and decided to give me a chance... Curioser and curioser...)
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Starter:
1 level tsp cooking salt
2 tsp sugar (raw if you have it, or use honey even)
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp mustard powder
Take about 4 large cloves or 6-8 small ones, mash really fine, needs to make about 1 level tbsp and a bit more, two normal spoons(ish)
(optional) 1 tsp powdered dried mint
Add:
1/2 cup - 1 cup water
1/4 cup white wine vinegar (or malt, or brown, just not that white distilled rubbish)
about a tbsp of lemon juice.
Last Add:
1 cup olive oil.
METHOD:
In a suitable sized bowl put the salt, sweetener, coriander, cumin, mustard powder, and garlic (and mint if using) and fork mix together until well combined, add the water and vinegar, stir again until well combined. Add a cup of olive oil and mix well again.
Best for chicken or other poultry but I suppose you could also marinate beef, veal, pork, or what have you.
Marinate your shish-sized chunks in this for from one to 24 hours. Refrigerate if doing anything longer than about two hours, it'll quite happily keep in the bowl, just cover it to prevent the fridge smells getting in.
SERVING:
See the photo above, I like the thin slices of corn, red pepper / capsicum, and red (or white) onion squares. Put an onion square near the top and the flavour will run down. Marinate the vegetable ingredients if you like but only long enough to coat them - ideally do that right as you're ready to thread the skewers. Really get some caramelisation on the pieces, it's delicious! Serve over rice with a small salad with a nice vinegary dressing.
NOTES:
NOTES:
Makes enough for a kilo or two of chicken thigh cubes.
ENJOY!
