I was planning to make lamb kabobs for dinner last night, but, alas, there was no lamb to be had at the butcher’s. I decided to use chicken instead, and now I’m very happy there was no lamb! This is another good recipe from Canadian Living’s new grilling cookbook The Barbecue Collection. The Indian-style turmeric-spiced yogurt marinade made the chicken pieces incredibly succulent.

The kabobs are served with kachumber salad, which is a lovely fresh-tasting salad of cucumber, red onion and tomato that is hot, hot, hot from the jalapeno and cayenne (love it).

To avoid additives and preservatives in these recipes, be sure to use fresh lime juice, as concentrates tend to contain sodium benzoate. The recipe for the marinade suggests draining the yogurt for 30 minutes, but I skipped this step. If you are using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for 30 minutes so they don’t burn up on the grill. Basmati rice is a perfect accompaniment.

Lamb or Chicken Kabobs with Kachumber Salad

Ingredients:

Kabobs

1 cup Balkan-style plain yogurt

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 lbs. boneless lamb leg or chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

Preparation:

Drain yogurt in cheesecloth-lined sieve set over bowl for 30 minutes (this step is optional). Transfer yogurt to clean bowl, discarding whey. Stir in oil, garlic, ginger, spices, lime juice and salt. Toss with lamb or chicken until well coated. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 15 minutes or up to 8 hours. Thread lamb or chicken onto skewers. Grill, covered, on greased grill over medium-high heat, turning once, until done, about 10-15 minutes. Makes 6-8 servings.

Kachumber Salad

1 cup chopped cucumber

1 cup chopped red onion

1 cup chopped tomato

2 tbsp chopped coriander

1 green hot pepper, chopped

2 tbsp lime juice

1/4 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve.

From Canadian Living’s The Barbecue Collection