Kabab-E Chenjeh

Ingredients

• 2 lblambboneless leg or shoulder, leave some fat on, cut into 2–3 cm cubes
• 2onionone finely chopped for the marinade, one cut into pieces for the skewers
• 2bell pepperone red and one green, cut into pieces the size of the meat cubes
• ⅓ cuplemon juiceabout 60 ml for the marinade, 2 tbsp for the saffron butter
• 2lemon zestin strips, for the marinade
• ⅓ cupolive oilextra virgin, for the marinade
• ½ tspsaffroncrumbled and steeped in hot water; about two thirds for the marinade, one third for the butter
• 2 tbspwaterhot, for steeping the saffron
• 4 clovesgarliccrushed or finely chopped, for the marinade
• 2bay leavesfor the marinade
• 3⅛ ozbuttermelted with lemon juice and saffron for basting
• saltcoarse, for the marinade
• black pepperfreshly ground, for marinade and butter
• 7 ozyogurtin the marinade, tenderizes the meat (optional)
• 7 ozlamb fatin pieces threaded between the meat cubes for extra flavor (optional)

Method

1. Trim and cube the lambTrim the lamb, leaving some of the fat on, and cut it into even cubes of 2 to 3 cm.
2. Steep the saffronCrumble the saffron threads. Steep about two thirds of them in 1 tablespoon of hot water for around 5 minutes, and set the rest aside for the butter.
3. Mix the marinadeFor the marinade, stir together the lemon juice, lemon zest, coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, garlic, finely chopped onion, bay leaves, saffron water and olive oil. If you like, stir in the yogurt as well; it makes the meat especially tender.
4. Marinate the lambTurn the lamb cubes in the marinade until they are coated all over, then cover and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
5. Thread the skewersCut the red and green peppers and the second onion into pieces the size of the meat cubes. Lift the lamb out of the marinade, removing any bay leaves and lemon zest, and discard the marinade. Thread the lamb onto metal skewers, alternating with the pepper and onion; tuck pieces of lamb fat in between if you are using it.
6. Make the saffron butterFor the saffron butter, steep the remaining saffron in 1 tablespoon of hot water. Melt the butter with the lemon juice, then stir in the saffron water and black pepper.
7. Grill and baste the skewersPrepare the grill for direct heat. Grill the skewers for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, brushing them with the saffron butter every time you turn them.
8. Serve straight awayTake the skewers straight from the grill to the table while the meat is still juicy and the butter still warm.

Tips and variations

Beef works in place of the lamb. For a milder marinade, use yogurt, onion juice (grate an onion, squeeze out the juice and discard the pulp), lemon juice and olive oil, leaving out the saffron, garlic and bay. You can also skewer the meat on its own with pieces of fat in between, and grill tomatoes and chillies on separate skewers. Thick cubes can be finished in the indirect zone after about 8 minutes over direct heat; without a grill, the skewers cook well in a ridged cast-iron grill pan on the stove. Serve with grilled vegetables, steamed rice or pita bread, and a yogurt dip.