Shish taouk is a traditional dish of the middle eastern cuisine. It consists of traditional marinated chicken and shish kebab. Shish kebab also known as Seekh kebab is a popular meal of skewered and grilled meat cubes.

A skewer is used while roasting or grilling fish and meat and even in other culinary applications. It is a thin wood or metal stick used to hold the pieces of food together.

Shish taouk is a kebab of Turkish origin but is now found throughout most of the middle east and also in some parts of Africa. It is simply small bite-sized chicken cubes marinated in different Turkish spices then skewered and grilled. It is just like the regular grilled chicken, but the difference is in the spices and method of preparation hence the name Shish taouk.

Shish taouk is a widely eaten meal in Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Syria, Jordan, and Israel. There is also a similar dish in the Persian cuisine called the traditional jujeh kabab and is also served in kebab houses in most cities around the world.

What are some defining characteristics of Shish Taouk?

Shish taouk consists of chicken cubes that are maintained, skewered and grilled. Some of the common marinades are based on yogurt, tomato puree, and lemon juice as well as other variations to make it spectacular. The lemon juice and yogurt provide flavor and also tenderizes the meat as it marinates. Marinating chicken for four hours is enough to give the chicken a nice flavor but some chefs believe in marinating overnight to provide more flavor.

The chicken cubes are threaded to the wood or metal skewers along with vegetables such as eggplants, tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. If you have smaller pieces of chicken and marinade, the kebabs will cook quickly on the grill.

Another secret that makes shish taouk taste amazing is once the chicken is pulled off the grill, its covered in a warm, covered pot before serving. This makes the chicken taste juicy and tender. You can also experiment with how long you should leave the chicken in the heated covered pot before serving for best flavor.

Shish taouk is served differently in different countries in the numerous middle eastern countries. It can be served with yogurt, rice and skewer grilled vegetables. In Israel, Shish taouk is served in flatbread or a pit with fried onions, a sumac flavored tahini and grilled hot chili peppers with a side of Israeli salad.