In the waning days of summer, I am reminded that next week will be the week after Labor Day, it seems like the summer flew by, and kids have gone back to school, I am back deep into packing lunches, and yet it feels like yesterday when we were waiting for the pools to open and school to end.  And wasn’t it just a few weeks back that I had a graduate in my house?  

Time is truly an illusion.  Let’s talk about graduation, peonies were in season, and I had a bunch all over the house, the weather held up in the low 80s and we could have indoor-outdoor seating, an open house of sorts, friends sitting, standing, perched on stools, friends who are more than that, so we call them family showed up to celebrate with us. There is nothing like other people loving on, investing in, and showing up for your kid. 

I attempted my first ever public grazing tables; and had a showboat of finger foods including these little cocktail kababs for the party.   Raise an eyebrow if you must, “she served what? kababs at a grad party!” but like wings and samosas, these were the first to go at the party.

Kebabs in any form are loved across the Middle East, Mediterranean and beyond.  There are endless regional preparations for kababs, and you are probably more familiar with Koobideh Kabab (minced meat wrapped around long metal skewers cooked over a charcoal).  My much-simplified version of the Koobideh, the Kabab Tabei (Tabei is Farsi for a frying pan) is cooked in a pan seared to juicy perfection.  I have used ground chicken, and kept the spicing subtle, wrapped it in a mini naan dipper smeared with homemade tzatziki and green leaf lettuce.

You can also serve these on a platter lounging on a bed of lettuce, with homemade laffa bread, tzatziki or any yogurt-based dip and a side of sumac-onion salad and let each person build their own wrap or use it to create a rice bowl with Persian cucumber, tomato, and a yogurt sauce.

It was a grand grad celebration without the fuss and all the intent: to simply gather with my tribe.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground chicken (60:40)
• 1 medium onion- grated 
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder or paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika (hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 
• 1/2 teaspoon mix of ground cloves and cinnamon powder
• 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper
• 5 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
• 1 tablespoons olive oil 
• Extra olive oil

• Stonefire® naan dippers

Method:

1. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the onion. Place it in a kitchen towel or using your hands squeeze as much liquid out as possible.
2. In a large bowl, combine the grated onion, ground chicken, all the dry spices, cilantro (or parsley), oil and mix by hand so that the mixture is pasty or sticky.
3. Let the mixture rest in the fridge for 30 minutes (it can also be done the day before). 
4. Portion the mixture using a medium cookie scoop to scoop out a portion of the meat to make even sized balls. 
5. Add a bit of oil to the palm of both hands, then roll the ball into an oval kabab.
6. Add a small amount of olive oil to the skillet on the stove.  Place the mini kababs in the skillet- do not over crowd, and cook for about 8 minutes, rotating often so that all sides get browned or until cooked through.
7. Smear a tablespoon of tzatziki on each mini pita, top with either baby spinach leaf or baby arugula or red lettuce leaf, place a kebab on the lettuce and fold the pita to secure the kabab and skewer with a toothpick. 

NOTES

• Flavor is where the fat is! I use a mix of 60:40 chicken breast to chicken thigh meat.
  
  
• It’s important to squeeze out the water from the grated onion so that the kebabs hold together. if it won’t hold together, add 1 tsp of breadcrumbs or chickpea flour.
  
  
• I recommend making this mixture a day ahead of time for maximum flavor. 
  
  
• Serve with Sumac onions (sliced red onions, lemon juice, sumac, olive oil, parsley and salt).