May 28, 2009
Grilled Shish Kebabs
Late summer in Armenia means Lamajun or shish kebab; the latter cooked out on the backyard grill with pilaf tomato/parsley salad on the side. Summer meals are always accompanied with Tahn (a yogurt drink served icy cold) or an iced tea that is more like a tea punch, blended as it is with the freshly squeezed juices of oranges and lemons, with enough sugar to sweeten it well. Hot summer evenings might also call for a cold bulghur wheat and vegetable salad called Tabbouleh; lots of fresh fruit and cheeses, special oil-cured Greek olives or, possibly, a gentle soup made from the insides of the zucchini used earlier for dolma.
In the Fall, Fasoula ( a kind of lamb, tomato and green bean stew), served usually with a pilaf and the ever-present flatbread, as well as Yogurt or Greek Lemon soup, Pasterma and Eggs, and casseroles like Mousakka or Sou-Berag.
By winter, shish kebab evolves into Tass kebab (which is basically a steamed version of the grilled lamb dish), with Persian Pilaf, or another sort of bulgur and vegetable dish, served piping hot, rather than the cold summer version. Fresh fruits give way to dried fruits, like dates and figs and apricots.
Wherever Armenians have settled, the taste and style of the cuisine never ceases to be Armenian. That is primarily because of the unique blend of traditional spices and seasonings that thread throughout the recipes.
