Kebabs!...

I made some chicken kebabs, this evening, in the rotisserie (too chilly to want to use the bbq). I had seen a recipe in an Indian cookbook for a very simple chicken kebab with honey, lemon, garlic, ginger, chile and a bit of soy sauce. Being me...by the time I went in the kitchen to cut up and marinate some chicken, it began to morph. We ended up with more of a Central Asian kebab that came out tender and moist, sweet and spicy. There's still a little tweaking needed, and I'd love to cook them over hardwood charcoal, but here's the basic idea right now...

SWEET-HOT SILK ROAD CHICKEN KEBABS

4 boneless, skinless half-breasts of chicken, cut into about 8 cubes each

1-1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger root

1-1/2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon crushed Sichuan chile, or to taste

1 tablespoon Silk Road spice mix (my adaptation of the Xinjiang spice mix bouncing around the Internet)

2 tablespoons peanut, sesame and/or vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce or mushroom soy sauce

2 tablespoons black rice vinegar (Gold Plum Brand Chinkiang is a good choice)

1 cup honey or agave syrup

Mix together the ginger, garlic, Sichuan chile, Silk Road spice mix, oil, soy sauce and vinegar. Put the chicken in a bowl, dump the marinade over and toss well. Set aside in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours, or as long as overnight.

When ready to cook, thread the chicken pieces onto skewers...not to close together, leave space between the pieces...and cook either on the grill or in the rotisserie for the recommended time.

Approximately 10 minutes before finishing, begin brushing the chicken pieces with the honey, working to build up a good glaze on the chicken.

Let sit a couple of minutes before serving. We served 'em with rice and coleslaw.