🇦🇿 Azerbaijani Cuisine

Tika Kebab

Azerbaijani Marinated Lamb Skewers

Prep Time 20 min

Servings 4

Difficulty Medium

Calories 377 kcal

Cubes of lamb marinated in onion juice and spices, threaded onto wide metal skewers and grilled over charcoal until charred outside and juicy within. A cornerstone of Azerbaijani barbecue culture.

Ingredients

800g lamb leg, cut in 3cm cubes
3 large onions, grated for juice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sumac
Salt to taste
Lavash bread
Grilled tomatoes and peppers for serving

Instructions

1 Squeeze grated onions to extract juice, reserve pulp.
2 Marinate lamb in onion juice, salt, and pepper for at least 4 hours.
3 Thread lamb onto wide flat metal skewers.
4 Grill over hot charcoal, turning every 3 minutes, for 12-15 minutes total.
5 Slide meat off skewers onto lavash bread.
6 Serve with grilled tomatoes, peppers, onion pulp, and sumac.

Did You Know?

Azerbaijani grill masters insist that the best tika kebab requires onion juice marinade for at least four hours, and the charcoal must come from grapevines for the authentic smoky sweetness.