Chicken Kabab (Jujeh kabab)

1. 1In a large bowl, combine half the saffron water and the lime juice, olive oil, onions, garlic, orange zest, yogurt, salt, and pepper. Beat well with a fork. Add the pieces of Cornish hen or chicken and toss well with marinade. Cover and marinate for at least 8 hours and up to 2 days in the refrigerator. Turn the chicken twice during this period.
2. 2Start a bed of charcoal 30 minutes before you want to cook and let it burn until the coals glow evenly. (You can use a hair dryer to speed up the process.) Otherwise, preheat the oven broiler.
3. 3Skewer the tomatoes.
4. 4Spear wings, breasts, and legs onto different skewers (they require different cooking times).

For the baste:

1. 1Add the juice of 1 lime and the remaining saffron water to the melted butter. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix well and set aside.
2. 2Paint the tomato and chicken with the basting mixture. Grill the chicken and tomatoes 8 to 15 minutes, until done. Turn frequently and baste occasionally. The chicken is done when the juice that runs out is yellow rather than pink.

To serve:

1. 1Spread a whole lavash bread on a serving platter. Paint the chicken with the baste mixture. Remove the grilled chicken from skewers and arrange the pieces on the bread. Garnish with lime juice and sprigs of parsley. Cover the platter with more bread.
2. 2Serve immediately with fresh herbs, torshi (Persian pickles), and french fries. Nush-e Jan!

Note:
You may broil the chicken pieces in a broiler pan for 10 minutes on each side. During the cooking the door of the broiler should be shut. In this way the broiled chicken will be tender. There is no need to spear chicken pieces onto skewers.

Variation:
For quail and partridge, cut into pieces and marinate for 2 hours in milk. Rinse and substitute for chicken.

Goose or Duck Kabab (Ghaz kabab)—Goose or duck meat must first be cooked for one hour with 2 onions, 1/2 tablespoon parsley, 2 tablespoons vinegar, and 4 cups water. As in the recipe for Chicken Kabab before grilling.

© 2007 From New Food of Life by Najmieh Batmanglij by permission of Mage Publishers

Beverage pairing: Bergerie de l’Hortus Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup Rosé de Saignée, France. There’s nothing like a bright, crisp rosé from the south of France to bring together the charred goodness of grilled chicken with the sweetness of tomatoes and spice. The wine is simple and fresh, and will let the complexities of the dish shine through.