Cookbook:Seafood Kebabs with Zhoug Sauce

| Israeli Cuisine

This recipe is for charcoal-grilled squid, prawn, and fish kebabs in zhoug (a spicy dipping sauce that can be used in a variety of different ways). The original recipe called for octopus, but it's been expanded with good results. Also, note that the original recipe didn't call for white wine in the marinade.

Kebabs

 * ½ kg large prawns/shrimp, peeled and deveined
 * ½ kg fish fillets, cut into 2½ cm (1 in) cubes
 * ½ kg squid, cleaned and cut into 2½ cm (1 in) pieces

Marinade

 * 5 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
 * 2 bay leaves
 * 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
 * 1 cup (240 ml) lemon juice
 * 1 tsp ground black pepper
 * ¾ cup (180 ml) extra virgin olive oil
 * ¾ cup (180 ml) dry white wine

Zhoug sauce

 * 1 cup (240 g) coriander leaves, washed, dried, and chopped
 * 1 cup (240 g) parsley, washed, dried, and chopped
 * 1 tsp caraway seeds
 * 1 tsp cumin seeds
 * 1½ tsp cardamom seeds
 * 1 tsp black peppercorns
 * 1 tsp garam masala
 * 8 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
 * 8 jalapeños, seeded and chopped (adjust the quantity according to your heat tolerance)
 * ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil

Procedure

 * 1) Combine all the marinade ingredients in a nonreactive (glass or ceramic) mixing bowl. Add the seafood and mix to coat well. Refrigerate overnight.
 * 2) Dry roast the cumin, caraway and cardamom seeds for 2–3 minutes in a cast iron skillet or wok over low heat. Cool, then add the peppercorns and pound in a mortar and pestle to a fine powder.
 * 3) In a blender or food processor, blend the coriander, parsley, spices, garlic, chilli peppers and olive oil together with ½ cup water until a thick, smooth paste is formed.
 * 4) Transfer the paste into a saucepan, heat until it starts bubbling, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring constantly, until the water is evaporated. Cool, transfer to an airtight container and chill.
 * 5) Remove the seafood from the marinade and drain in a colander. Save the marinade for basting the kebabs later. Thread the seafood onto skewers or satay sticks.
 * 6) Char-grill the kebabs over hot coals, basting and turning every few minutes. It should take about 10 minutes to cook.
 * 7) Serve with the zhoug sauce as a dipping sauce.