Gulf grammar, open fire

Charcoal and Spice

November to March in the Gulf, all summer elsewhere · €55 to €140 per guest

A charcoal menu built on Middle Eastern seasoning: yoghurt marinades, sumac and dried lime, flatbread from the coals, lamb cooked long and a dessert of dates and cream.

The menu

Course by course

01
Mezze and bread
Cold dishes on the table before anything is grilled, so nobody waits.
02
Skewers
Chicken in yoghurt and spice, lamb kofta, prawns with chilli and lime.
03
The lamb
Shoulder or whole leg cooked slowly with dried lime and cumin, lifted and shredded in view.
04
Rice
A proper rice with a crust, saffron and fried onion. The dish everyone remembers.
05
Dates, cream, pistachio
Cold, sweet, short. Coffee with cardamom.

Preparation

What happens when

The day beforeMarinades made and meat submerged, spice mixes ground, mezze prepared.
The dayCharcoal lit two hours before service, lamb started early, bread dough proved and baked to order.

Service

How to serve it

Serve in two waves: mezze and bread on the table, then skewers as they leave the coals, then the lamb and rice as the centrepiece. Keep the bread coming through the whole meal.

At home

Yoghurt marinated lamb for eight

The marinade does the work, the charcoal does the rest.

Blend 400 g thick yoghurt, 4 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp coriander, 1 tbsp sumac, 2 dried limes crushed, juice of 2 lemons and plenty of salt.
Coat 2 kg butterflied lamb leg and leave for twelve to twenty four hours in the fridge.
Cook over medium charcoal, fat side first, about 30 to 40 minutes, moving it away from direct heat when it colours. Rest fifteen minutes.
Serve with flatbread, a herb salad with sumac and lemon, and rice with saffron and fried onion.

Editor’s tip: Wipe most of the marinade off before it goes on the coals, or the yoghurt burns before the lamb is cooked.

Plan it

Quantities and timing

How much to buy

Quantity Calculator

Guest count, service style and menu shape turned into a shopping list in kilos, litres and pieces.

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Does this menu work?

Menu Composer

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What happens at 19:40

Service Timeline

A backwards plan from the minute your first course leaves the kitchen: crew arrival, prep, table setting, briefing, doors, courses, speeches, coffee and strike..

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