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Shish tawook is an ancient Middle Eastern meat dish. It's a tender, succulent chicken marinated with lemon, yogurt and garlic, along with pita bread. The grilled chicken skewers are extremely popular in Lebanon but they are also seen throughout Turkey, Egypt, Syria, United Arab Emirates as well as now it is available in Canada.
Nutrition in Shish Taouk
Shish taouk often called shish tawook is a popular chicken dish that was first introduced in Lebanon however it is now sold across other countries as well as those in Canada. While chicken is a meat that is lean, shish taouk is fat-laden since it contains ingredients like yogurt and olive oil. It offers a variety of different flavors due to the addition of spices like cinnamon oregano, allspice garlic, and parsley.
Protein in Shish Taouk
Like other dishes made with chicken, Shish Taouk is also high in protein. Each 100-gram portion of this food contains the body with 14g of protein. Protein intake gives your body amino acids, the building blocks of tissues, such as muscles. It is suggested by the Institute of Medicine that protein should make up between 10 to 35 percent of your calories daily.
Carbohydrates in Shish Taouk
Shish Taouk is a carb-free dish, since 100 grams of food contains about 2 grams of nutritional elements. This means that this dish could be a good option for those who are on a diet that is low in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy, and you might want to consume shish taouk alongside a carbohydrate rich diet, such as pasta, rice, or potatoes.
Calories in Shish Taouk
Shish Taouk is an incredibly low-calorie meal, as 100 grams of this food has only 127 calories. This is approximately 6 percent of the 22,000 calories that are suggested as a daily dose for an average adult. If you're looking to burn off the calories contained in the 100g of shish taouk you can achieve this by 14 minutes of high-intensity aerobics as well as 13 minutes of basketball. This calculation assumes that you weigh 160 pounds. People with heavier weights are able to burn calories more quickly.
Fat in Shish Taouk
Although shish taouk is energy-efficient, it's high in fat. Every 100 grams serving has seven grams of fat. Fat is rich in calories. It is crucial for good health and may assist in providing energy for exercise.
Ingredients in Shish Taouk
For marinade
2 lbs chicken breast cleaned and cut into pieces
1/4 cup Yogurt/Curds
1 Lemon juice
1 Tomato pureed/paste
5-6 Garlic cloves crushed
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Red Chili powder is a good substitute for paprika , if you prefer.
14 tsp of Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder
For skewers
7-8 Skewers of wood submerged in water
1 Slices of Onion (optional)
8 -10 Cherry Tomatoes (optional)
2. Bell bell peppers (multi-colored) (optional)
Shish Taouk Recipe
Mixing bowl combines all the ingredients needed for marinade.
Cut and clean the chicken pieces into the container that is sealable or in a ziplock bag. Then, pour the marinade over each chicken piece, making sure that all chicken pieces are coated.
Cover the container or ziplock bag with a freezer bag and then refrigerate it. If you are able to refrigerate it overnight the flavor will be enhanced. If you're there is a shortage of time, four hours of marinating is sufficient too.
Preheat your oven or grill at 350F for 10 minutes.
Then, put the chicken pieces marinated onto the skewers soaked in water Mixing your favorite vegetables including bell peppers, onions cherries, etc. and then press them in close proximity.
Then, cook the chicken on skewers 8-10 minutes per side, turning them gently to ensure that the meat is cooked and becomes golden brown
Enjoy it along with pita bread or rice, or grill vegetables of your preference.
What is it that makes Shish Taouk so delicious?
There are three main ingredients needed to create an incredibly tasty Shish Chicken Satay or Taouk Kebab.
Yogurt
Lemon
Garlic
Marinating the chicken pieces in lemon and yogurt helps in reducing the tenderness of and tenderizing the chicken ( the calcium and lactic acid in yogurt aid in breaking down the protein present in the chicken, making it more tender as well as moist). Addition in lemon juice can contribute to the light, brighter taste and garlic gives a spice and sweetness to the dish.
The addition of spices. The rest of the ingredients are identical to the recipe that is traditional. You can sprinkle it with parsley, if you wish, it also tastes delicious.
Some people like tomato paste. Some prefer tomato puree to be added to the marinade. Again, it's up to you to add tomato puree and enjoy the fresh tomato puree over the canned tomato paste.
Tips To Make Shish Taouk Restaurant Style
Chicken breast is more soft and succulent. Avoid using chicken with skin. Personally, I would prefer fresh chicken to frozen.
Fresh lemon juice acts as a catalyst and aids in speeding up the tendering process of chickens.
Tomato paste/puree can give you that vibrant red color that's the signature of shish Tawook.
Make sure that the marinade does not become too watery.
To avoid watery marination make sure to use thick yogurt.
It is important to marinate your chicken for a prolonged period. (8 hours maximum, 3 hours minimum) to achieve the most effective result.
Make sure to add enough oil when cooking the chicken, as excessive oil could ruin the flavor of the chicken.
Don't cook chicken over extremely high temperatures. Initially, cook on high. as the chicken begins to change color or forms the crust, turn down the heat to medium.
Do not cover the chicken while cooking.
Make sure to soak the wooden skewers in water for 1 hour prior to cooking.
What Can You Serve along with Shish Taouk?
Most people consume it as a shawarma sandwich made of pita bread. If you're serving Shish Taouk as an appetizer, then you can also include coleslaw, oven baked fries on the form of a platter.
It can also be served with tabbouleh, fattoush, tahini sauce, hummus and Lebanese toum. A meal alongside butter garlic rice is the perfect combination.
Conclusion
Shish Taouk is a classic and well-loved marinated skewered chicken from Middle Eastern cuisine. The tender, juicy chicken is marinated in earthy spice and lemon juice, yogurt, and garlic. It is then grilled to perfection and served alongside pita bread or rice.
It is a popular dish throughout Turkey, Azerbaijan, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Iraq and now this Shish Taouk is also available in Canada. A similar dish found in Persian food is called the classic Jujeh kabab. It can be found in many kebab restaurants throughout the globe.
Who wouldn't want to try these deliciously flavorful, beautifully grilled pieces of chicken? It's this time of the season again, for cookouts and barbecues! Do you plan to try this delicious fusion meal this weekend? Try this Shish Taouk in Canada from Levantine Restaurant and tell us what it tasted like your way in the comment section below.