Ramadan 101: Day 10

Even though kabobs are enjoyed year round, they are especially coveted during Ramadan. No one seems to tire of Morocco's brochettes, Turkey's Shish Kabobs, or the increasingly popular cuisine of China's Muslim minority. While kabobs are a popular barbecue items in American homes, in the Muslim world, they are considered to be a street food- made by experts- in restaurants and market places. The above photo shows a Kebabgy (kabob maker) in Alexandria, VA making veal kabobs which will be served on a bed of watercress. Traditional accompaniments are rice, french fries, salad, tahini sauce, and pita bread. If you'd like to try kabobs on your own, these can be made in minutes under the broiler, or on the grill. Recipe: (From Nile Style: Egyptian Cuisine and Culture)

Chicken and Beef Kabob Bouquets Kebab Firakh wa Lahma 4 Servings Kabobs are popular street and restaurant fare throughout the Egypt. They can be bought virtually anywhere and are made from chicken, beef, veal, and lamb. For formal buffets, kabob skewers are pushed into carved melons or arranged in glass containers to form meat “bouquets”.

Ingredients:

1. ¼ cup expeller pressed corn oil
2. 2 cloves garlic, minced
3. Juice and grated peel of 2 lemons
4. Pinch of saffron
5. Salt, to taste
6. Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
7. 1 pound chicken breast meat, skinned and cubed
8. 1 pound beef cubes, for kabobs
9. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
10. 1 melon, for serving

Preparation:

• Combine corn oil, garlic, lemon juice and peel, saffron, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Divide into 2 medium size bowls. Add the chicken cubes to 1 bowl, mixing to coat all pieces of chicken well. Add the beef cubes to the other bowl, mixing to coat all pieces of meat well. Cover both bowls and marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Prepare skewers.* Thread the chicken pieces onto 2 skewers by piercing chicken piece through the bottom.Avoid pushing the meat to close together, they should be touching, but not crowded, in order to ensure even cooking. Thread the beef onto the other two skewers. Sprinkle cumin on top of each skewer.
• If using a grill: Preheat grill and place chicken skewers directly on a prepared grill for 7 to 10 minutes on each side until chicken is cooked through. Wrap in tin foil and repeat the process with the beef skewers.
• If using a broiler: Preheat broiler and place chicken skewers onto a baking sheet. Broil for 7 to 10 minutes on each side, or until chicken is cooked through. Wrap in tin foil and repeat the process with the beef skewers.
• To serve, cut the melon in half, and place it, cut side down on a serving platter. Push the pointy end of the kabob skewers down into the melon skin to hold it into place. Arrange the remaining skewers close together, as if they were flowers. *If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes to prevent them from burning. Metal skewers need no preparation.