A Kebab You Won't Find on the Pavement. Hopefully.

Kebabs are amazing (shish, definitely NOT donner), fast to cook and super tasty, sadly I still haven't mastered the art of looking lady-like with my face full of lamb and chilli sauce outside the takeaway at two in the morning, but that would kind of ruin the fun. Many times I've been in a cab home with my meaty treasure safely tucked up in it's polystyrene box, wafting it's delicious scent my way so I have to pick at it discretely (or not so) in fear of being told off by the cab driver who has seen far too many kebab accidents in his car to let me munch away freely.

But kebabs don't have to be drunken delights, they are equally tasty sober and home made (OK, maybe not quite as deliciously naughty but still pretty good). They have a bad rep due to questionable donner meat, but what could be better than charcoal grilled marinated meat? Not much. Note to self: a BBQ is not just for summer, it's for life.

This feeds two with an extra skewer for quality control purposes and late night snacking. Or a third diner I suppose. Combine approx 200g natural yoghurt with a couple of teaspoons each of ras el hanout  and hot paprika. If your paprika isn't very hot then add some cayenne pepper to the mix. Also add a few finely chopped cloves of garlic, juice of half a lemon, and a good pinch of salt. Slice 6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs into large kebabish chunks and mix well with the yoghurt. Leave for a few hours, if you only have half an hour it's fine, but generally the longer the better. When ready to cook, preheat your grill to 200, and get the chicken onto skewers. Grill for 15 minutes, when they are just starting to char round the edges turn them over. Give them another 10 minutes and test a piece, it should be slightly blackened on the outside but juicy on the inside with no pink meat. Serve with some fluffy cous cous (I can hear my Father shudder with horror) that has had lemon and chopped coriander stirred through it and a wedge of lemon to squeeze over if desired. Or, with more yogurt salad and in a pitta bread.

If it makes you feel better, eat this standing up, swaying in the street, or gobble surreptitiously in the back of a cab.