LAHM MESHWI
LEBANON
Sunday is grilling day in Lebanon. Whether in the city or in the countryside, people will take out their manqal (a low grill made of a rectangular metal box set on short legs) to put on their balcony, in the garden, in the courtyard, or simply outside their front door and make a charcoal fire for their grilled meat, chicken, or even fish if they live near the sea. My grandmother lived in Beirut, and every Sunday she would take her manqal out onto the balcony where my uncles built the fire while she was in the kitchen seasoning whatever was going on the grill that day. In high summer and autumn, it would often be little birds, which my uncles would have shot in the mountains that morning—during bird season, they often woke up very early to drive outside of the city to shoot the little birds known as becfigues in French because they feed on figs. People are forbidden from shooting them in the West, but the Lebanese still happily feast on these little birds when in season. And I have to admit to forgetting my principles when I am back home during this season and joining in the feasting. My grandmother also grilled fish that used to be brought to her doorstep by door-to-door fishmongers. However, both birds and fish were reserved for special days and, more often than not, she would have chicken wings, other pieces of chicken, or simply the kebabs in this recipe on the grill. The same marinade can be used for both chicken wings and boneless chicken. The kebabs made with chicken are called shish tawuk, and the wings jawaneh.
SERVES 4 TO 6
FOR THE MARINADE
5 cloves garlic, minced to a fine paste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, or to taste
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon Lebanese 7-Spice Mixture
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Sea salt and finely ground black pepper
FOR THE KEBABS
1¾ pounds (800 g) boneless lamb leg, trimmed of most of the fat and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
16 baby onions, peeled
Flatbread, for serving
1. To make the marinade: Mix together the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, spices, and salt and black pepper to taste.
2. To prepare the kebabs: Add the meat to the marinade and mix it well. Let marinate for at least a couple of hours, or longer if you can.
3. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
4. Thread the meat onto 8 skewers, inserting a baby onion in between every two or three pieces of meat. Grill over high heat or broil for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until the meat and onions are done to your liking. Serve very hot wrapped in flatbread.