Time-Tested Treasures

Recipe: Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kebabs

The other day my parents announced that they were going to throw out some old stuff. Amongst them was the Philips table-top kebab grill which did not work anymore.

Grilled meat was one of my favourites ever since I was a child and suddenly a big part of my childhood seemed tied to that gadget. This grill and the happy times we had with it was etched into memory. I couldn't let them throw it away. Even though this machine is as old as I am, I begged them to let me keep it.

I admit that I tend to develop a deep affection to gadgets that help make good food :)





Seeing my enthusiasm, my Dad fixed the machine for me (He can fix just about anything). In fact it looked brand new after Dad was done with it. Even after all these years, there was not even a scratch on it.

Mom gave me the recipe for one of our favourite marinades.





The recipe for this lip-smacking yet wonderfully easy marinade was created by mom one really busy day when she had to rush to work and just had about 10 minutes to marinate chicken for dinner. Mom is a whiz at easy, healthy and tasty food. It was an essential skill she had to master as she had 3 kids with huge appetites as well as a full time job.

GRILLED CHICKEN AND VEGGIE KEBABS
Recipe Source: Mom


Boneless chicken cut into bite-sized pieces and marinating in your favourite marinade for 5-6 hours in the fridge - 150-200g (I used mom's easy-peasy lip-smacking marinade - recipe follows) Vegetarians can replace the chicken with paneer


Tomatoes - 1 or 2 - cut into bite sized pices
Bell peppers - 1 or 2 - cut into bite sized pieces
Onions - 1 or 2 - cut into bite sized pieces.

Olive/Coconut oil or butter - 2-3 Tbsp


Wooden or metal skewers - 10-12 (If using wooden skewers, make sure to soak them in water for 2 hours before using them)

These kebabs are really easy to make. And any vegetable of your choice can be included here. Though potatoes and brinjals will not work here.

Thread the skewers with meat and veggies or paneer (if using). Grill them either in an oven or OTG or even an electric grill making sure to turn the skewers every 3-4 minutes as well as basting them with a few drops of oil after 5 minutes or so to avoid drying up. The excess oil will drip down

Chicken cooks fast. And as soon as the veggies begin to get slightly charred at the sides, the chicken would have cooked. You can test it by pulling off a piece of meat from the skewer. If it falls off easily, then the chicken is cooked.

Serve hot with lime wedges. This can also be served with dips such as hummous or yoghurt or even ketchup.


Mom's easy-peasy lip-smacking marinade:
Soy sauce: 3 tbsp
Garlic cloves - 3-4 
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Powdered pepper - 1/2 tsp
salt to taste

Crush the garlic cloves finely. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade together. Check for salt.





This dish can be served either as an appetizer or even with the main course. For the slow-carb diet serve with a side of baked or cooked beans or hummus. For LCHF, serve with a fresh green salad with lots of olive oil and Toum.

Whether just for a quiet family dinner or for a party, this dish will ensure to get people eating our of your hand (or skewer...) and asking for more... The fresh and crunchy veggies with the wonderfully and simple-spiced chicken is a winner for sure.