Towuk Shashlyk (Turkmenistan Chicken Shashlik) is a traditional Turkmen (from Turkmenistan) recipe for a classic barbecue of chicken marinated in spices with onion and lemon juice threaded on skewers with onion and mushrooms that are cooked on a barbecue. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Turkmen version of: Turkmenistan Chicken Shashlik (Towuk Shashlyk).
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Ingredients:
1kg boneless organic chicken breast and thigh meat, cut into large cubes
1 red onion
Mushrooms, cleaned
For the Marinade:
1 Onion, sliced
1 Lemon, thoroughly rinsed and microwaved for 10 seconds to make it easier to juice
4 bay leaves
3 tbsp Khmeli Suneli spice mix
Fresh Mint
Salt and freshly-ground black Pepper, to taste
250ml + lots more Mineral water/Seltzer water
For Garnish (optional):
1 sliced onion (very thinly sliced)
Chopped fresh mint
White Vinegar (small amount, enough to just moisten the onion)
Method:
Place the chicken in a non-reactive bowl and add all the marinade ingredients (except the lemon which should be halved and juiced). Mix the chicken with all the marinade ingredients. At this point add in more carbonated water so that the chicken is just submerged in the spice liquid.
Set a plate over the meat so that it's weighed down then cover the bowl with clingfilm and set aside to marinate over night.
Pre-heat your barbecue and slice the red onion into chunky wedges (about 4cm). Take metal skewers and thread on a wedge of onion, a large mushroom followed by two pieces of chicken. Continue threading in this fashion until the skewer is filled up.
Once your barbecue is hot set the skewers on the barbecue and cook, turning frequently, until the meat is thoroughly cooked through and nicely charred all over.
Mix a little white vinegar with water in a squeezy bottle and squeeze the acidulated mixture over the kebabs as they cook.
Mix the garnish ingredients in a bowl then scrunch them together with your hands, mixing until the onion, mint and vinegar are well combined. Serve the garnish either on top of or as an accompaniment to the chicken shashlyk; with bread on the side.
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