Asia is great, and there are a lot of peoples in it, so it is not surprising that its cuisine is so vast and diverse. Some dishes that many peoples consider to be native, have spread far beyond the borders of their native steppes, supplemented and modified, thanks to which even those who have never been to Asian countries have come to love. One of such dishes, which are usually cooked on the grill, is kebab.
The recipe with the photo, considered in our article, will help to understand all the difficulties of cooking for those who want to enjoy the taste of this food, but are not going to either the sunny Abkhaz coast or the spacious Kazakh steppe, or even the Caucasian zucchini.
Professional chefs believe that the complexity of making a good kebab is quite high, but any gourmet who at least tasted it once, will confidently declare: the game is worth the candle. If you want to not only taste this dish, but also comprehend the ancient art of its creation, let's take a look at the old recipe in stages.
Dish features
If you look at the photo of the finished kebab, you can assume that these are ordinary meatballs baked over coals. Like any meat dish cooked at the stake, they are certainly delicious. But the first impression is far from complete. In fact, you have to tinker with the kebab, and you have to spend on the ingredients.
The main difference between this dish and other minced meat treats is the preparation of meat. It must not be passed through a meat grinder, but finely chopped. Why is that? It's simple: the knives and screw squeeze the pulp before chopping, squeeze the juice from it, and with it a natural mouth-watering smell and taste. When chopping, each small piece remains juicy and fragrant.
Traditionally, lamb is used for this dish. But today, recipes for pork and beef kebabs are becoming more common. On the grill, such options are no less tasty. Moreover, the food is difficult to spoil even the oven. However, we will begin with the original recipe, so that we can understand all the subtleties using its example.
Classic Lamb Kebab Products
It's no secret that Central Asian cuisine treats this type of meat with special respect. That's kebab, especially for the holiday or the arrival of the long-awaited guests, it is prepared from lamb. In addition to it, fat tail fat, spices and salt are put in minced meat.
Each owner prefers his own proportions of products for a signature recipe for kebab on the grill. Some people like fatter, but someone prefers to have less fat. On average, you will need about 200 grams of fat per 1 kg of pulp.
About fat tail
Some are wondering about how fat tail fat differs from ordinary pork fat. However, no gourmet will argue that pork and lamb have different tastes. With fat, things are about the same. It is it that gives a special taste and aroma, and also - is responsible for the density of minced meat.
Therefore, puzzled by the purchase of fat tail fat is still worth it. In many cities, this will not be difficult. First of all, you should familiarize yourself with the assortment of counters on farmers' markets and large hypermarkets.
Optional components
There are different variations of this recipe. Lulia kebab on the grill is saturated with aromas of smoke, and spices make its taste more full and bright. But some people prefer to add onion, garlic, and herbs to the minced meat. Sometimes vinegar, lemon and pomegranate juice are used as supplements.
All of these components are optional. But if you decide to experiment with them, do not forget that the more moisture in the minced meat, the more difficult it is to sculpt it. By the way, many experienced chefs find adding onions a waste of food and time. This component practically does not affect the final taste. And the juiciness that the vegetable gives to other minced meat dishes, in kebab, in general, is not needed.
Fresh greens do not give moisture, so it is worth being guided only by one’s own taste. You can add chopped cilantro or basil to the meat. The total amount should be small, because the taste of lamb should still dominate. Limit yourself to a few twigs per 1 kg.
With spices, you also need to show restraint. Prefer allspice, coriander and zira. Do you like spicy? Probably worth experimenting with the sauce. And there is no place for hot pepper in minced meat.
Cooking minced meat
The easiest way to use a hatchet knife for meat. It has a rectangular shape and quite impressive mass, which facilitates the work of the cook. You can use the usual kitchen ax, and the most ordinary knife. The main condition is that the tool must be very sharpened. A knife (or ax) should be chopped and cut, not crushed.
Try to keep the pieces the same size and shape. The side of the “cube” should not exceed 0.5 cm. When everything is ready, you need to add spices, carefully knead the minced meat with your hands and wrap it in a clean woven napkin. It is necessary to rest the workpiece in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours.
There is one more obligatory action, regulated by old recipes of grill kebab on the grill: minced meat must be carefully beaten off. The physics of the process involves the removal of excess moisture. It is enough to get the meatball out of the bowl several times and toss it back with force. Do not overdo it, and even more so do not drop the meat and let the lumps fly apart.
Coal Preparation
Work with a bonfire is equally important. This shish kebab sooner or later ripens on any coals, but the kebab immediately needs a high temperature. If it’s not enough to fry, the mincemeat will simply begin to crumble from skewers, and this is the most undesirable and at the same time the most common mistake.
Whatever recipe you use for the kebab, you should pay enough attention to the barbecue. Purchased coal will facilitate the brazier's task, but thoughts of liquids for ignition should be abandoned.
Light a fire, adding fruit tree branches if possible. As soon as the chips flare up well, you can put larger firewood, and when they flare up and begin to blaze confidently and they, a turn of coals will come. Feast your eyes on fire overflows, but don't rush with kebab. Only when the surface of the coals is covered with a whitish ash coating, and there is still a rosy amber heat inside, the turn of skewers will come.
The process of cooking kebab on the grill
Gather minced meat in lumps the size of a cutlet and sculpt it tightly on a skewer. Fat tail fat, sliced, beaten and chilled, will do its job and will not allow the minced meat to crumble. But it is important to continue to adhere to the technology.
Fold the skewers onto the wire rack, and after 20 seconds turn them over. This will make it possible to seal the kebab. After turning the skewers too often is not necessary. Let the food bake calmly.
Alternatives Available
And why not adapt the old recipe for barbecue to modern realities?
Chicken lula kebab is prepared according to the same principle. It is advisable to use a dry breast, rather than thighs, the meat of which contains a large amount of moisture. To make the kebab juicy, you can use regular bacon. This option will appeal to even those who follow the figure and try not to eat too heavy food. Despite the presence of fat, the caloric content of this option is low, because part of the fat will melt during baking.
Perfect for cooking on the grill a recipe for a kebab of pork, turkey, beef or a mixture of different types of meat.
Cooking in the oven
There is not always time to look for lamb, and even in any weather a trip to the forest is possible. And you always want tasty, so it’s quite possible to make this a wonderful dish in the oven. This version of the dish is similar to recipes for barbecue.
Beef kebab can not be supplemented with bacon if you use, for example, a neck that already has fat in it. Instead of skewers, you can use bamboo skewers.
Form neat kebabs, focusing on the size of the baking sheet that you will use for baking. Well preheat the oven to 200 ° C. If there is convection, turn it on, but it is better to wait a bit with the grill. Place the skewers on the onion pillow (chopped onions, pre-marinated in white wine or in water with vinegar). Bake kebab for about half an hour, turning in the middle of cooking. If you want a golden crust, turn on the top grill 10 minutes before the end of cooking.
Serving to the table
Be sure to try cooking kebab on the grill. The recipe, as we see, is simple, but it will require some skill and diligence.
Skewers or skewers are served on the table on a large dish, spread with greens (for example, lettuce or wild garlic).
It is worth taking care of sauces: tomato, quince, sour cream. You can make the sauce yourself, for example, by adding finely chopped greens to the yogurt and garlic passed through the press. It is perfectly acceptable to use ready-made solutions, for example, purchased Caucasian sauce "Satsebeli" or "Tkemali". Be sure to complement the serving of young fragrant herbs.
As drinks, you can prefer tomato, plum or pomegranate juice, cranberry juice. And if you plan to bring something stronger to the table, make a choice in favor of cognac or red table wine.