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Uzbek lamb shashlik
Shashlik: cumin and onion marinated lamb skewers from the chaikhana grill
Walk past any chaikhana (teahouse) in Samarkand or Bukhara in the evening and you will smell shashlik: chunks of lamb, threaded with little cubes of tail fat, grilled over charcoal and fanned with a piece of cardboard. They arrive on long flat skewers with a heap of raw onion soaked in vinegar, a round of non bread and green tea. The marinade is simple, just onion, cumin, black pepper and salt, so the flavour comes from good lamb and real fire. The usual slip is to pack the meat tightly on the skewer, which steams the middle instead of searing it; leave a little gap between pieces. Chef's tip: grate the onion for the marinade rather than slicing it; the juice tenderises the lamb in a few hours.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the skewers
For the onion salad
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 2 lb boneless lamb leg or shoulder in a bowl with 2 onions, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tbsp sunflower oil. Mix with your hands so every piece is coated. Leave the salt out for now.
Step 2: Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Never leave raw lamb marinating at room temperature.
240 minStep 3: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Light a charcoal grill and let it burn down until the coals are covered in grey ash, or heat a gas grill or griddle pan to high.
30 minStep 4: Take the lamb out of the fridge 20 minutes before cooking, wipe off most of the onion and season with 1 ½ tsp salt. Thread onto skewers, putting a piece of 3 ½ oz lamb fat or fatty lamb trimmings between every two pieces of meat if using, and leave a small gap between pieces.
20 minStep 5: Make the salad: toss 1 red onion with 2 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp water and ½ tsp sugar and leave for 15 minutes, then squeeze lightly and mix in ⅓ oz fresh parsley or coriander.
Step 6: Grill the skewers 8–10 cm above the coals for 10–12 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until the outside is browned and crusty and the fat has crisped. Cut into the thickest piece: for juicy shashlik it should be faintly pink in the very centre, or cook 2–3 minutes more if you prefer it well done.
12 minStep 7: Rest the skewers on a plate for 3 minutes, then serve with the onion salad and flatbread.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does uzbek lamb shashlik take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of cumin seeds?
- Ground cumin, three quarters of the amount (add it with the other ground spices, not to hot oil first).
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