The World of Kebabs: Over 100 Recipes from Around the World

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

Kebabs are one of the oldest forms of cooking. Basically, it is food on
a stick cooked over a bed of red-hot coals. Kebabs are healthy because
two or three people can share what traditionally would be considered a
single portion of meat. Kebabs are economical because cheaper cuts of
meat can be used. Finally, kebabs are delicious and infinitely adaptable
to any combination of ingredients.

Author Anand Prakash is not a professional chef. He is an environmental
consultant, an occupation that has enabled him to travel all over the
world. He is also a kebab fanatic and he has spent the last 25 years
collecting recipes while working for the United Nations and World Health
Organization. Given his scientific training, it is not surprising that
he begins this book explaining the science of kebabs: where they came
from, the physics of grilling, the art of marinating, and the pros and
cons of different types of skewers. The next nine chapters feature more
than 100 kebab recipes arranged by location—Europe, the Middle East,
Africa, South East Asia, Oceania, etc. A final chapter offers kebab
accompaniments such as saffron rice pilaf, peanut sauce, or tzatziki. A
glossary and comprehensive index are included at the end of the book.

Beef, chicken, lamb, pork, fish, shellfish, tofu, and vegetable recipes
are included. If you want a break from the traditional choice of metal
or bamboo skewers, there are recipes that use skewers of lemongrass,
sugar cane, and rosemary. It is intriguing to compare the different
treatments of a particular ingredient; for example, lamb is prepared
with recipes from places as diverse as Poland, South Africa, Syria,
Canada, Peru, Spain, and Uzbekistan. Each recipe is laid out in
easy-to-follow steps and Prakash often adds notes to tell the reader
something about the history of the kebab or special ingredient used in
that particular recipe.

If you like to barbecue, this book should be part of your recipe
library.