Shish Tawook-Chicken Kebab Skewers and Yellow Rice with Nuts

Shish Tawook is traditionally served as a part of a Kebab trio of Lamb or Beef kebab and kafta kebab. Shish means skewer and Tawook is Turkish for chicken. This trio is usually served in a split pita to keep it warm and a spread of Mezza dishes that include Hummus, Baba Ghanouj, Tabouleh, and a variety of cold and warm dishes eaten with copious amounts of Pita Bread.


Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, skinless                         4-6 peeled garlic cloves
and boneless                                             2 tbs. canola oil
Juice of 1 lemon                                        ½ tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika                                        ½ tsp. Aleppo pepper*
1 tsp. black pepper                                   ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
* You can substitute with medium hot chili
Bamboo Skewers soaked in water for about half hour

Directions:

Trim chicken breasts removing any fat. Cut breasts into 1” cubes. Place in a bowl. Place oil, lemon juice, garlic and spices in a food processor and process until a paste is formed. Add garlic mixture to chicken and mix until chicken is covered. Marinate chicken for half hour. Start your grill or grill pan, temperature should be high at first so you can sear the chicken. Grill for about 3 minutes until you get grill marks, turning skewers then grilling for 3 more minutes, then moving skewers to a less hot area. If you are using a grill pan lower the heat to medium low. You can test the doneness of the chicken by piercing it with a fork; if the liquid comes out clear then the chicken is done.

Variations and Serving Suggestions:
You can keep breasts whole and grill that way.
For a round meal, serve with yellow rice sautéed mushrooms or any favorite vegetable and a romaine salad tossed in lemon juice vinaigrette.

Stuff  it in a pita sandwich with hummus, tomatoes, lettuce and pickles.
Latin Version:
Add to the marinade ½ tsp. of each, ground cumin, ground coriander and oregano. Serve in a taco with salsa and guacamole.
Italian Version:
Add ½ tsp. dry basil, cook the chicken in a skillet and serve it with pasta.
Asian Version:
Omit salt and add 1tbs.of grated ginger and 2tbs. of low sodium tamari or soy sauce and you will have an Asian version. Present it with a peanut sauce as an appetizer or with white rice and a vegetable stir fry.
Yellow Rice with Nuts

This is my version of spice rice that the Lebanese traditionally serve with poached chicken. Spice Rice or Roz Mofalfal is cooked with chicken broth cinnamon, all spice, black pepper, nutmeg and cloves; topped with fried in butter or ghee. Mine is simpler but as tasty.
Ingredients: Serves 4-6
2 cups Jasmine or Basmati rice         4 cups water or chicken stock
1/4 cup golden raisins                      2 tbs. butter                              
1 tsp. ground turmeric                     ½ tsp. cardamom powder
½ tsp. black pepper                         1tsp. salt
Garnish:
1/8 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds          2 tbs. butter or oil
Or a combination of both
Instructions:
Melt you butter in a wide bottomed pan on medium high heat. Sauté golden raisins until plump. Add washed rice and fry for a few minutes while stirring constantly. Add spices and salt and mix, add water and cover. When water starts boiling mix once, reduce heat to low and cook until water is completely and rice is fluffy. While the rice is cooking toast your nuts on medium low heat stirring constantly until golden brown, remove immediately off the stove and ladle it onto a bowl to stop cooking. Top the rice with the nuts and serve.

Thum- A Lebanese Equivalent to Garlic Aioli

This sauce/spread is very addictive if you love garlic. It is similar to Aioli except that it is made without an egg yolk. It gets milder after a day or two and it can keep for at least three weeks. Be patient while making it especially when you are adding the oil, the slower the stream the fluffier and lighter the sauce. The sauce may separate if you add the oil too fast.
Ingredients:
6 cloves of peeled garlic 3 tbs. water
1 ½ -2 cups canola oil 1 tsp. salt or to taste
1 tsp. citric acid or juice of 1 lemon or to taste
Instructions:
In a food processor chop garlic, while motor is running add water, salt, citric acid or lemon juice. Add oil in a slow stream and continue processing until sauce is fluffy and light resembling whipped cream .
Serving Suggestions:
We traditionally serve this sauce with roast chicken, grilled chicken or Shish Tawook. It can be used instead of mayo in sandwiches, with seafood or garlic bread.