Serves 4
4 onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
Juice of 5 lemons
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground turmeric
400g Greek yoghurt, plus extra to serve
1 tsp crushed sea salt
Generous pinch of saffron threads
6 large chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Tortilla wraps or basmati rice, to serve
Salad, to serve
Method:
1
Put the onions, lemon juice, olive oil, turmeric, yoghurt and salt in a large bowl and mix well.
2
Using a pestle and mortar, grind the saffron. Add 3 tbsp boiling water and leave to infuse for 5-10 mins.
3 Add the chicken to the bowl and coat well in the yoghurt. Add the saffron water and mix well. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight.
4 Preheat the grill to high. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and lay on a lined baking sheet. Grill for 18-20 mins, until slightly charred around the edges. Serve with wraps or rice, salad and yoghurt.
Saffron and
lemon chicken joojeh kabab from Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour (Mitchell Beazley, £25; www.octopusbooks.co.uk). Photography by Liz and Max Haarala Hamilton.