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A simple and delicious dish - this is the Lebanese version.
1 lb. lamb fillet or leg of lamb de-boned, cut in 1" cubes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
12 small onions (optional)
Skewers, metal or wood, charcoal broiler; non-reactive container to marinate.
Foreigners call this dish 'shish kebab'. It tastes best when made with very young spring lamb. Lebanese cooks broil the skewered meat over charcoal on their braziers called man'als. The juices which drip during the broiling are caught inside a loaf of Arabic bread. When the meat is done, it is slipped off the skewer into the bread. In Turkey the meat is marinated in olive oil before broiling.
CUT meat into one-inch cubes. Season with salt and pepper and let stand for an hour. Spear on to skewers, allowing six pieces of meat per person. Alternate lean and fatty meat with onions. Broil under a very hot flame, or over charcoal until outside is well browned and sizzling. If broiled in the oven, sprinkle a little olive oil over meat before broiling so that it will not dry out. Excellent accompaniments to this meat are laban and the savory Arabic dips called hummus bi tahini and baba ghannouj.
