Shish tawook
The Lebanese grill classic: chicken cubes in a yoghurt, lemon and tomato-paste marinade, skewered and charred hard so the edges blacken while the inside stays juicy. Served with toum and hot bread, it is the dish every Beirut grill house is judged on.
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the yoghurt, tomato paste, lemon juice, olive oil and garlic until the paste is fully dissolved and the marinade is a soft coral colour.
- 2
Stir in the paprika, oregano, white pepper, cinnamon and salt.
- 3
Fold the chicken cubes through, cover and refrigerate 4-12 hours. Under four hours and the yoghurt has not had time to tenderise the meat.
- 4
Soak wooden skewers 30 minutes, or use flat metal skewers — round skewers let the cubes spin when you turn them.
- 5
Thread the chicken with a gap of a few millimetres between cubes, alternating with onion petals and pepper squares. Tightly packed cubes steam rather than char.
- 6
Heat a grill, barbecue or ridged pan until very hot. Grill the skewers 4-5 minutes per side, turning twice, until the edges are blackened in spots and the internal temperature is 74°C.
- 7
Rest the skewers 3 minutes under loose foil, then slide the chicken off with a piece of flatbread.
- 8
Serve immediately with toum, warm bread, and a squeeze of lemon over the top.
Notes
Thighs give a far better result than breast, but if you must use breast cut the cubes larger and reduce the grill time by two minutes. The tomato paste is what produces the signature colour and the slight sweetness on the char.
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