What Does Shish Tawook Mean?
Shish tawook is a Middle Eastern dish that is most popular in countries such as Turkey. In fact, the term “shish tawook,” or “taouk,” is a Turkish expression that means “skewed chicken.” It’s made a lot like shish kabob but only with chicken rather than beef.
Shish tawook apparently has yet to make it to our summer grills here in the West. However, it has served as a popular meal for those in the Middle East and other parts of Asia. In India, the shish tawook is taking hold because of its flavor. People also love it because the chicken meat is boneless, which not only makes it fun to eat but also keeps you safe from choking.
Origins of Shish Tawook
There is no exact origin for the shish tawook, but some scholars opine that it could have originated from the Middle East. Others claim the skewers were the result of fine Mediterranean cuisine, and others have said that it might date back to Egypt. In any case, these chicken skewers are famous throughout those regions, and there are several local and regional recipes that reflect this theory.
Some evidence points to the theory that shish tawook originated in the Ottoman empire before making its way towards the Middle East. Today, the shish tawook is served in various kabob houses worldwide. It’s Persian cousin is the Jujeh kabob, which is still served in Iran today.
A popular way to serve shish tawook in the Middle East is with grilled tomatoes and peppers. Other ways include slicing the chicken and marinating in with onions and lemon juice. Another method is to cook it with saffron, an aromatic spice that gives the chicken its slight golden touch.
What Can You Serve With Shish Tawook?
It goes with several different appetizers. One of the top recommendations for a match are Greek oven fries. From all appearances, these spicy golden potatoes look like your average home cooked thick fries, but they’re not. These thick cut potatoes are baked in olive oil, which makes them a better alternative to fries.
What’s more, you can use oregano, garlic, or feta cheese. Any of these ingredients add extra flavor and make them an excellent side dish for the shish tawook. If anything, they can blend the Greek fries right in for an excellent flavor match that says East meets West.
Toum is another excellent meal companion for shish tawook. Its concoction of garlic, water, oil and lemon juice with a hint of salt can easily make a good dipping sauce for shish tawook. You could even remove the items from the skewer and place them onto a pita that’s lined with toum for a tasty meal.
Tzatziki sauce is another excellent pairing for your shish tawook. You can easily throw in the Greek yogurt, cucumbers and dill or mint to whip up a healthy batch. The yogurt is even tastier when made with low fat alternatives such as goat’s milk.
And here’s another treat for the palette. What about trying your shish tawook with a classic hummus dip? You can go for plain, or you can mix it up with a flavored hummus of your choice. One of the best flavored hummus dips to try might be a roasted bell pepper variety. You could also sample the shish tawook with a spinach and artichoke flavored hummus. In any case, adding hummus allows room for flavor without all the fat.
But before we begin with anymore side dishes, let’s first try a recipe for making the shish tawook.
Shish Tawook Recipe
What you need:
- Diced boneless chicken, about 400 grams
- 1/2 cup of basmati rice, soaked
- 3 tbsps. olive oil
- Salt to taste(optional)
- 3 cans of chicken stock
- 2 tbsps. hung curd
- 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 2 tsps. lemon juice
- 2 tbsps. tomato puree
- 1 medium diced green capsicum
- 1 medium diced red capsicum
- 1 medium diced yellow capsicum
Cooking Instructions
Heat the oil using a rice cooker then add in the rice and chicken stock. Add salt to taste then stir and cover. Cook until done (about 5 minutes). Set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine your cayenne pepper, salt and chicken pieces with a cup of yogurt. Blend well until ingredients are smooth and the chicken is covered. Set the bowl aside and begin making your marinating sauce.
Next, combine the tomato puree with a hint of lemon juice and 1 tbsp. of oil. Blend well then set aside for 4 hours. Sauce will marinate and be ready for use by then.
Next, start putting the diced chicken onto the skewers and use the green, red and yellow capsicums to liven them up a bit. Use your discretion when working with the different types of capsicums. Divide and distribute them throughout the skewers as you wish.
Next, heat oil in a pan and place your skewers in it. Cover, cook, and rotate each skewer until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Place in a serving dish and cover with rice.
Although this recipe calls for more calorie consumption, it’s still a delicious treat. The level of fat content is most likely relative to the type of oil you use and how much.
But there’s no mistaking the fact that this dish is pretty mild in flavor despite the spicy yogurt blend. So even if your into hot and spicy, you just might enjoy this one. It’s all a matter of giving it a chance.
Shish Tawook vs. Shawarma: Is There a Difference?
Shish tawook and shawarma are very similar in many ways. Both use chicken as the base protein in the recipe. They are cooked using a yogurt marinate to add more protein while accentuating a spicy flavor.
But that’s where the difference lies. The yogurt-based marinate for the chicken shawarma uses an entirely different spicy blend. It includes turmeric, allspice and cinnamon, and each help in bringing out a sweeter flavor. That’s the single difference between a chicken shawarma and a shish tawook.
Conclusion
The ingredients for the shish tawook may be expensive. Goat or sheep cheese can be costly. Working with a budget may require you to opt for plain yogurt instead.
And who says shish tawook is limited to being on a skewer?
You can remove all of the items after cooking and enjoy them in a fresh cucumber salad or on pita bread with hummus. Plus, you can add the cooked chicken bits into any rice dish or a salad of your choice. The possibilities are endless.
