Joojeh Kebab

kجوجه کباب // [d͡ʒuːd͡ʒe kebɒːb] // Djoo-jay Keb-baab

Chicken Barbeque (Kebab), with Saffron & Yogurt

ORIGIN Persia / Iran

TAGS chicken, mild, Persian, Iran, kebab, kabab, kebob, grill, barbeque, saffron, yogurt

Pad Thai - the dish that many people unfamiliar with Thai cuisine tend associate with Thailand's culinary landscape. However, that couldn't be further from the truth! This dish was said to been concocted by the country's prime minister in the late 1930s, when the nation first changed its name from Siam to Thailand. Noodle dishes in Thai cuisine were usually a legacy of historical Chinese influence. When nationalism was souring, this dish was first imagined to boost pride in Thailand's own culinary genius, and therefore heavily features quintessential South-East Asian ingredients, like, tamarind and fish sauce. It soon developed into a street food, popular across the country, spreading from Bangkok in Central Thailand.

.This dish was said to been concocted by the country's prime minister in the late 1930s, when the nation first changed its name from Siam to Thailand.

Pad Thai is not particularly spiced for heat. The sauce is a perfect blend of sweet (palm sugar), salty (fish sauce), and sour (tamarind pulp). The aromatics - garlic and shallots - also found in Thai curry pastes - lay the base for the stir-fry of rice noodles. These rice noodles are available dried and need to be soaked adequately before stir-frying. Though hard to source without an Asian grocery store nearby, the sweetened preserved daikon radish adds more texture and pungency in every bite. The dried shrimp add a burst of umami. Asian garlic chives have a mild taste and get wilted during the stir-fry. Mixed in with juicy and crunchy mung bean sprouts, this noodle dish is like taking a bite of heaven!

Served usually with more chives and sprouts on the side, the noodles are topped with seared shrimp (the original recipe), crushed roasted peanuts and with fresh lime juice squeezed in. Add in the chili flakes to cut the sweetness, and prepare for love-at-first-bite! Pad Thai is by no means a healthy dish, but it is an indulgence that we can afford once in a while, so don't skimp on the oil during cooking, otherwise you will get a clumpy noodle mess.

Pad Thai can also be made with fork-sized cuts of chicken, pork, or beef. Stir-fry them until cooked, just like you would with the shrimp. Buy the tamarind pulp or paste from your local Asian grocery store. It is usually sold in can-sized plastic bottle, with salt and preservatives. Do not use the Indian tamarind concentrate, as it is not applicable for this dish. Alternatively, you could try to source dried and seeded tamarind is available in Indian grocery stores. Soak a fistful of dried tamarind in boiling hot water for at least 30 minutes, then use a strainer to get the pulp or juice. It should have a thick consistency.

"Substitutes for the other ingredients will definitely alter the flavour profile, and it will not be real Pad Thai. However, that should not stop you from attempting this dish. Do not skip the tamarind pulp, if you can help it."

On a final note, the yellow tinge on the noodles will be due to the palm sugar. If you're using a different type of sugar, the hue may be quite different. White rice noodles get easily stained, so a pinch of turmeric powder can do the trick (definitely not endorsed by Thailand!).

SERVINGS: 3

PREPARATION: 4 hours (ideal), 1 hour (min.)

COOKING: 30 minutes

EQUIPMENT || grater, whisk, brush, mixing bowls, baking tray, oven / grill ||

INGREDIENTS

Meat

450 g or 1 lb bone-in, chicken thighs and drumsticks cleaned, skin removed, each piece lightly scored 3 - 4 times on each side

Marinade

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 & 1/2 tbsp sea salt
1 medium white onion peeled and grated
1/2 large lemon juiced, kept aside, add half at first
10 - 12 saffron strands mix with 2 tbsp of boiling-hot water and steep for 10 minutes
1 cup (240 g or 8.5 oz) regular whole-milk yogurt
1/8 stick of unsalted butter melted, kept aside

Yogurt Sauce

1 cup (240 g or 8.5 oz) regular whole-milk yogurt
1 medium clove garlic grated or finely minced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp crushed dried mint
1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
1 tsp sea salt

Garnish & Serving

1 tsp sumac powder optional for dusting before serving
6 - 8 tomato (any kind, smaller)
mixed herbs (basil, tarragon, spring onion, mint, chive, parsley) optional
baby red radish sliced
steamed basmati rice optional

DIRECTIONS

Add all marinade ingredients other than butter to mixing bowl, whisk smooth. Add chicken and mix throroughly until all pieces are well coated. Cover and keep aside, refridgerated, for at least 1 hour, but ideally for 4 hours.
Add ingredients for yogurt sauce in another mixing bowl. Whisk smooth. Keep aside in refridgerator.
When ready to bake or grill chicken, pre-heat oven or grill to 200°C or 400°F. If time permits, allow marinated chicken to warm up at room temperature. If using oven, use raised and place baking tray in middle of oven. Place chicken pieces on raised rack or grill rack and cook for 30 minutes, turning pieces every 10 minutes. Towards the last 5 minutes of cooking time, bake or grill tomato. And using brush, coat melted butter on all pieces, on all sides. Finish baking or grilling chicken. Lightly sprinkle sumac on each piece. Serve immediately with yogurt sauce, tomato, and herbs, on a bed of steamed basmati rice.

SUBSTITUTIONS & OMISSIONS

1/2 lemon : 1 lime

white onion : yellow or red onion

crushed dried mint : chopped fresh mint

sumac : skip