26 replies to this topic

[scott123]

My favorite Egyptian restaurant when I was living in NYC had four great items, tahini dressing, hummous, babaganoush and chicken kebabs. Over the years I've managed to successfully replicate everything but the kebabs. I'm just about do a web search looking for recipes, but before I do, I was wondering if anyone had a really good authentic chicken kebab recipe of their own that they'd be willing to share.

If my taste bud memory serves me correctly, there was definitely lemon juice in the marinade and possibly some oregano.

[boaziko]

No Egyptian connection, apart from being a neighbor from the Middle East.

My chicken kebabs are as follows:

1 kilo of chicken, (thigh or breast) fresh, free range or organic, or the best you can get. Cut into (+-) 3 centimeter cubes.

10-15 wooden skewers (soak them in water before use)

For the marinade/rub I use a mixture of the following:

Juice of 1/2-1 lime, Olive oil, paprika or shredded dry chili, salt, chopped parsley, chopped Zaa'tar, (or dry) diced garlic, Sumac, Baharat.

Don't worry if you lack one of the ingredients.

Let the skewered chicken rest in the marinade for at least two hours in the fridge. Take it out 3/4 of an hour before you grill it.

That recipe is 100% Authentic in our home

[scott123]

Boaziko, thank you for the recipe. I'm curious about the length of time you marinate the meat. Your directions say to let the meat rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Is there a maximum time you would leave it in the fridge for?

[Pan]

Scott, please post in the New York forum about your favorite Egyptian restaurant in New York. For one thing, I want its name and how long ago you most recently ate there.

[ludja]

Thanks for that great sounding recipe Boaziko.

I have another middle eastern recipe based on a yogurt marinade that is easy and very good. The kebabs stay nice and juicy and I've made them many times. It is adapted from a recipe by Joyce Goldstein.

for marinade combine:

4 garlic cloves
1 chopped small onion
1 Tbs paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp cayenne
4 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 cup plain yogurt

Cut chicken breasts and/or thighs into 1 1/2 inch cubes and marinate (up to 4-6 hrs for breasts and up to twice as long for thighs). Soak wooden skewers, brush chicken with olive oil, s & p and grill. (I've always made on grill; but can broil also). Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Make a nice pilaf to go with and some grilled zucchini!

[boaziko]

Boaziko, thank you for the recipe. I'm curious about the length of time you marinate the meat. Your directions say to let the meat rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge. Is there a maximum time you would leave it in the fridge for?

Scott,

Uasually the maximum would be overnight but it would do no harm if it stays 24 hours as well.

Boaziko

[FoodMan]

my marinade is usually made of lots of mashed garlic, lemon juice, a little red wine vinegar, dry oregano, paprika and olive oil

[chefzadi]

Algerian Chicken Kebabs-

Olive oil
garlic
thyme
saffron
turmeric
cumin
lemon juice

All of the other versions (minus the yoghurt) could be found in Algeria as well. The thing is some dishes are ubiquitious in the Arab countries. So there's no Libyan version or Palestinian version or Lebanese version per se. But a whole lot of different cook's versions.

[Smithy]

This seems like a good time to re-ask a question I asked here about a year ago with no success. Does anyone know what goes into tawouk motefa? It's a chicken kebab dish I had at a Lebanese restaurant (named Tabouli) in Cairo a little over a year ago. It may have had more sauce than their standard shish tawouk (which was also excellent, but quite different). The grilled chicken chunks were sprinkled with a reddish spice that might have been sumac (or paprika?). The sauce had garlic, and had a hint of spicy heat that might have been paprika or might have been something hotter but in very small amounts. My memory is getting more vague about it all the time, but I remember it as being well worth trying to make at home - but I haven't been able to find a recipe, or even someone else who knows what I'm talking about. My post last year scrambled the name (a friend has since corrected me), and that couldn't have helped.

Does this sound familiar to anyone here?

[chefzadi]

olive oil
garlic, chopped
fresh lemon juice
cumin
salt and pepper
cayenne pepper
sumac

tomato paste or yoghurt might explain the more sauce part.

or

there could have been vinegar in the marinade.

The answer to your question is a bit tricky, because you are not asking what a typical version might be from a certain region. You are asking about what a particular cook/chef made at a very specific restaurant. I'm just giving you some things to play around with. I think that what you are looking for is in a combination of something above. The restaurant version could have more spices.

Instead of searching for tawouk motefa recipe. Try chicken taouk.

[Smithy]

Thank you for your answer, chefzadi. I have to admit, until just now I thought "taouk" (or tawouk or whatever, it's always hard to transliterate) meant cooked chicken. Now I have to ask, what does that word mean?

I take it the word "motefa" (I think that's how they put it in the English portion of the menu) doesn't sound like any recognizable Arabic word?

[boaziko]

Algerian Chicken Kebabs-

Olive oil
garlic
thyme
saffron
turmeric
cumin
lemon juice

All of the other versions (minus the yoghurt) could be found in Algeria as well. The thing is some dishes are ubiquitious in the Arab countries. So there's no Libyan version or Palestinian version or Lebanese version per se. But a whole lot of different cook's versions.

Thanks Chefzadi,
Came out just great and juicy, with chicken I got at Hinnawi's in Jaffa.
Boaziko

[wrek92]

Thank you for your answer, chefzadi.  I have to admit, until just now I thought "taouk" (or tawouk or whatever, it's always hard to transliterate) meant cooked chicken.  Now I have to ask, what does that word mean?

I take it the word "motefa" (I think that's how they put it in the English portion of the menu) doesn't sound like any recognizable Arabic word?

Hey Smithy,

I don't think you are too far off. As far as Turkish, "tavuk" is chicken. At least that's what I remember on my trip to Istanbul a few years ago. I distinctly remember that word because the lamb/beef kebabs I ordered at restaurants gave me heartburn. So, I usually ordered tavuk shish instead. I think tavuk shish is skewered/charbroiled chicken/skewered chicken. I could be wrong on that one.

As far as motefa, I am stuck on that one too.

HTH

[hazardnc]

We have two chicken kabob recipes we rotate and never seem to tire of: shish tawook (I use Anissa Helou's recipe from Mediterranean Street Food) servedwith fries, garlic sauce and Arabic flat bread, and chicken tikka - from a bit further east!

Here is a great recipe I have used for years: Chicken tikka

[MicBacchus]

Here is one of my favorite baste blends from Middle Eastern Cookery by Arto der Haroutunian (Libyan and Egyptian origin):

paprika
cumin
chili pepper
melted butter
salt

all in proportion to your taste

for chicken, best done on a charcoal grill

[Almass]

Thank you for your answer, chefzadi.  I have to admit, until just now I thought "taouk" (or tawouk or whatever, it's always hard to transliterate) meant cooked chicken.  Now I have to ask, what does that word mean?

I take it the word "motefa" (I think that's how they put it in the English portion of the menu) doesn't sound like any recognizable Arabic word?

Hey Smithy,

I don't think you are too far off. As far as Turkish, "tavuk" is chicken. At least that's what I remember on my trip to Istanbul a few years ago. I distinctly remember that word because the lamb/beef kebabs I ordered at restaurants gave me heartburn. So, I usually ordered tavuk shish instead. I think tavuk shish is skewered/charbroiled chicken/skewered chicken. I could be wrong on that one.

As far as motefa, I am stuck on that one too.

HTH

LoL@Smithy, this one made me laugh and you are of course very right and indeed "motefa" is an arabic word and very much cooking related. And of course wrek92 is right on the Turkish name for Tawuk.

But, it is the spelling that must have thrown the members off.

Let us try this spelling and instead of "Motefa" let us spell it correctly as "Em'taffa" or maybe try this one "Moutaffa".

Em'taffa or Moutaffa means litterary: Extinguished (as in to extinguish fire and douse water on it)

And Motaffa is the process of dressing up vegetables or poultry or meat with a sauce of some kind as soon as the grilled/fried/cooked item is out of the pan.

This brings to mind Red or Green Hot Peppers fried in oil and as soon as out of the pan you douse with red wine vinegar and eat as soon as temperature slows down. Very nice with bread and helps tremedously with ulcers.

You have mentioned that "The grilled chicken chunks were sprinkled with a reddish spice that might have been sumac (or paprika?). The sauce had garlic, and had a hint of spicy heat that might have been paprika or might have been something hotter but in very small amounts." So there you have it, the chicken was grilled and Em'taffa or Moutaffa with a sauce they have prepared hence the name of the dish: Tawouk Em'taffa or Moutaffa.

Riddle solved or in good Ol'English Sorted!

[Smithy]

LoL@Smithy, this one made me laugh and you are of course very right and indeed "motefa" is an arabic word and very much cooking related. And of course wrek92 is right on the Turkish name for Tawuk.

But, it is the spelling that must have thrown the members off.

Let us try this spelling and instead of "Motefa" let us spell it correctly as "Em'taffa" or maybe try this one "Moutaffa".

Em'taffa or Moutaffa means litterary: Extinguished (as in to extinguish fire and douse water on it)

And Motaffa is the process of dressing up vegetables or poultry or meat with a sauce of some kind as soon as the grilled/fried/cooked item is out of the pan.

This brings to mind Red or Green Hot Peppers fried in oil and as soon as out of the pan you douse with red wine vinegar and eat as soon as temperature slows down. Very nice with bread and helps tremedously with ulcers.

You have mentioned that "The grilled chicken chunks were sprinkled with a reddish spice that might have been sumac (or paprika?). The sauce had garlic, and had a hint of spicy heat that might have been paprika or might have been something hotter but in very small amounts." So there you have it, the chicken was grilled and Em'taffa or Moutaffa with a sauce they have prepared hence the name of the dish: Tawouk Em'taffa or Moutaffa.

Riddle solved or in good Ol'English Sorted!

elhamdulilla! At last, I can sleep again. Thank you very much for the explanation and the language lesson! Now, if I can manage to duplicate that sauce...

[touaregsand]

Smithy from your description of the dish it sounds like the chicken was Em'taffa or Moutaffa with lemon juice and garlic.

[Smithy]

Smithy from your description of the dish it sounds like the chicken was Em'taffa or Moutaffa with lemon juice and garlic.

Transliteration is a funny thing. The menu at Tabbouli definitely did not write the word as you and Almass have written it (either Em'taffa or Moutaffa), but it has to be the same word. Thank you both for unraveling the mystery and giving me a better way to search for that word.

So, basically, moutaffa or em'taffa means that the pan is deglazed and a sauce made from the juices? That's what I envision based on Almass' description.

[Almass]

So, basically, moutaffa or em'taffa means that the pan is deglazed and a sauce made from the juices?  That's what I envision based on Almass' description.

Nops, "the pan is not deglazed and a sauce made of the juices".
It is a separate prepared sauce which is poured or dressed on top of the coocked item. Usually the sauce is vinegar/lemon/pomegrenate or any acid based sauce which is the anti taste of the prepared dish.

Examples:
1- Sliced fried Aubergines lifted from the pan and doused with pomegrenate molasses (Debs Reman)
2- Sauted Hot green or red peppers in oil lifted from the pan and doused with red wine vinegar
3- Sauted/Fried chicken liver lifted from the pan and doused with Lemon and garlic concoction or Debs Reman.
4- And so on...

Also some purists cover the dish so that no crispiness is left and this is called Ma'khmour instead of Em'taffa.
The Arabic word Ma'khmour comes from the Arabic word Khamr or Khamra which stands for fermented alcohol. In this instance it is the fermentation and sweating of the fried Aubergines or Peppers or whatever when covered with the lid just after coming out of the pan and where the food steam goes back into the food and mollifies the item.

Mummm, try to fry some sliced aubergines and immediately cover when out of the pan after dousing with garlic pounded and macerated with Pomegrenate Debs Reman. Wait five five minutes and dig in with Arabic bread as a scoop. Heaven on earth.

When doused on open pan it is Em'taffa.
When doused and covered by a lid it is Ma'khmour.
When not doused it is Ma'kli or Em'hamar.
When simply boiled, it is Maslouk.
And all this is Ma'tboukh.
Could turn this into a song, I suppose

I say all this and I am not even an expert on ME food or a chef to that matter.

[Smithy]

When doused on open pan it is Em'taffa.
When doused and covered by a lid it is Ma'khmour.
When not doused it is Ma'kli or Em'hamar.
When simply boiled, it is Maslouk.
And all this is Ma'tboukh.
Could turn this into a song, I suppose

I say all this and I am not even an expert on ME food or a chef to that matter.

You may not be an expert or a chef, but you're surely helping my vocabulary - and giving me some cooking ideas to boot. Thank you very, very much.

[archestratus]

Smithy from your description of the dish it sounds like the chicken was Em'taffa or Moutaffa with lemon juice and garlic.

Transliteration is a funny thing. The menu at Tabbouli definitely did not write the word as you and Almass have written it (either Em'taffa or Moutaffa), but it has to be the same word. Thank you both for unraveling the mystery and giving me a better way to search for that word.

So, basically, moutaffa or em'taffa means that the pan is deglazed and a sauce made from the juices? That's what I envision based on Almass' description.

Here's the definitive word on transliterating, but unfortunately it is of help only to those who know Arabic. http://www.loc.gov/c...tion/arabic.pdf

[FoodMan]

the word motefa did not ring any bells with me but of course, now that Almass mentions it, it does sound like Em'taffa or m'taffa. I would agree with him on the explanation as well, simply the food is doused with the sauce. Not deglazed in the French sense, but if you are cooking some chicken or veggies in a pan the effect is more or less similar but not the same. You cook the food till done, then you would "taffi" (ie: douse) it with the sauce and remove from heat.

Elie

[Almass]

STOP PRESS
The Mystery deepens

Forget the Moutaffa or Em'taffa bit.

The restaurant name is not "Tabbouleh" but "Taboula" and the menu list the following chicken dishes:
- Chicken Fatteh
- Shish Taouk
- Chicken In Rosemary
Taboula is Lebanese based cuisine.

You might have ordered Chicken Fatteh as no Moutaffa or Em'tafa is on the horizon.

The problem is that Chicken Fatteh does not marry with the description of the dish you enjoyed at the place!
Fatteh is bread, chickpeas and yoghurt based and is usually lamb. This does not fit your description.

It was a bit of a surprise to find out that the big gonzo is called Nisha Sursok and last time I talked to him he had long hair, specs and drifting in and out of focus. Nisha has now around a dozen restaurants in Egypt and the phone number for Taboula in Cairo (Garden City) is:+202 7925261

Taboula menu:
Cold Appetizers
1. Vegetable Platter
2. Homos
3. Homos Beiruti
4. Motabbal
5. Babaganuj
6. Labneh Kishkeh
7. Tabboulah
8. Fattoush
9. Rocca Salad
10. Arabic Salad
11. Vine Leaves
12. Shankleesh
13. Mixed Pickles
14. Aleppo Olives
15. Mohammara
16. Tahalat
17. Kubbeh Nayyeh
18. Batarekh

Hot Appetizers
19. Homos With Meat
20. Foul Modames
21. Felafel
22. Spinach Rolls
23. Cheese Rolls
24. Meat Fatayer
25. Hallomi Cheese
26. Fried Kubbeh
27. Chicken Liver
28. Spicy Sausages
29. Sausages
30. Mushroom Provenscale
31. Chicken Wings
32. Fried Calamari

Soups
33. Vegetable Soup
34. Soup Of The Day

Lebanese Fattehs
35. Homos Fatteh
36. Chicken Fatteh
37. Eggplant Fatteh

Main Dishes
38. Minced Meat With Bread
39 . Shawerma
40. Kofta
41. Kofta With Tomato Sauce & Spices
42. Kofta With Yogurt
43. Lamb Cubes
44. Lamb Cutlets
45. Shish Taouk
46. Boneless Chicken
47. Mixed Grill
48. Grilled Shrimp
49 . International Dishes
50. Escalope Pane
51. Filet Steak With Pepper Or Mushroom Sauce
52. Chicken In Rosemary

Chefs Dessert
53. Kishta With Banana & Honey
54. Mohallabiya
55. Chefs Special Dessert

Tabboulah Special Meal
56. Homos, Baba Ghanoug, Vine Leaves, Fattoush, Labaneh, Mixed Pickles, Spinach Fatayer, Cheese Rolls, Kubbeh, Sausages
57 . Mixed Grill (Shish Taouk, Kofta, Lamb Cubes), Sweet Of The Day
58. Number Of Pax: 4 People & Above
59 . Price Per Person


But then again, you had your meal one year ago and it might have been a different menu then. So Em'taffa still stand or does it? LoL.
You can call and ask or wait until I see Nisha again but usually he cannot remember anything beyond 72hrs and I am being kind here!

Gulleters of the worls unite and solve the riddle.

[Smithy]

Thanks so much for all the checking! Unfortunately, the mystery is still as deep as the gaze of the Sphynx...(or some such nonsense). Taouk Motefa, or mofeta, or motofeyya, or em'taffa, still comes closest to what I remember... and I still have the old notes from back then, so I know I'm remembering it correctly. We had a lot of Fatteh too, and I know what that is, and that wasn't it. The Fatteh was wonderful, mind you, but it wasn't the taouk motefa.

I'm guessing that "boneless chicken" went by a different name back then, or else the menu has changed. Still, thanks very much for all the information. I'm glad to know he's doing so well, even if he hasn't kept all the dishes from 2004...as proof of the menu change, I note that tomeyya (here we go again...domeya? that wonderful garlic dip) isn't listed either, and it was there for 2 years running. Ohh, that stuff was to die for.

[Almass]

   
I note that tomeyya (here we go again...domeya? that wonderful garlic dip) isn't listed either, and it was there for 2 years running.  Ohh, that stuff was to die for.

OK. Now for the Tomeya, LoL.
This is a garlic dip and means "the one from the garlic".
Toum is Arabic for Garlic and in Egypt they pronounce it "Tomm' by dropping the "U" while in the ME they pronounce it "Toum"

The Toumeya recipe is a tricky one because the Egyptian version is a poor imitation of the original Lebanese version served with Shich Taouk (here we go again back to the original topic).
Anyway, it is a mix of garlic pounded with salt to a paste texture mixed with boiled potatoes and EVOO. Quantities are really to your taste as it depends on the sharpness of the garlic. The only proviso is to add EVOO very slowly while mixing to form an amalgamated paste.

The purist insist that no potatoe should be added and it is only garlic and EVOO.
Some other add Mayo but this should be a nono.

[Smithy]

   
I note that tomeyya (here we go again...domeya? that wonderful garlic dip) isn't listed either, and it was there for 2 years running.  Ohh, that stuff was to die for.

OK. Now for the Tomeya, LoL.
This is a garlic dip and means "the one from the garlic".
Toum is Arabic for Garlic and in Egypt they pronounce it "Tomm' by dropping the "U" while in the ME they pronounce it "Toum"

The Toumeya recipe is a tricky one because the Egyptian version is a poor imitation of the original Lebanese version served with Shich Taouk (here we go again back to the original topic).
Anyway, it is a mix of garlic pounded with salt to a paste texture mixed with boiled potatoes and EVOO. Quantities are really to your taste as it depends on the sharpness of the garlic. The only proviso is to add EVOO very slowly while mixing to form an amalgamated paste.

The purist insist that no potatoe should be added and it is only garlic and EVOO.
Some other add Mayo but this should be a nono.

I've tried making it a few times, from different recipes, including the one FoodMan offers in his Introduction to Lebanese Cuisine here on eGullet. So far my results never have come up to the Taboula standard. It probably is a matter of adjusting the proportions based on how the garlic tastes.