Joojeh Kabab

Joojeh kabab is chicken marinated in saffron, yogurt and lemon, threaded onto skewers and grilled until charred at the edges. It's the bright, tangy counterpart to the same grill house's ground-lamb koobideh — where that kebab is savoury and rich, joojeh kabab is meant to be lighter, sharper and distinctly saffron-scented.

What it really is

Boneless chicken, thigh or breast, cuts into chunks and marinates for hours, sometimes overnight, in a mixture of yogurt, saffron dissolved in warm water, lemon juice and grated onion — the yogurt and lemon both work to tenderise the meat while the saffron colours it a deep golden-orange throughout. Threaded onto skewers, often alternating with whole small tomatoes, it grills over hot charcoal until the outside chars in places and the meat cooks through while staying moist, helped along by that yogurt-based marinade.

The saffron marinade is what gives it that distinctive golden colour and flavour, not a light dusting of turmeric. A version made with turmeric instead of real saffron, sometimes done to cut cost, produces a similar colour but misses the specific floral, slightly bitter saffron note that defines the dish for anyone who knows it well.

How it's served

• Hot, straight off the skewer, with steamed saffron rice or flatbread.
• With a whole grilled tomato and a wedge of lemon alongside.
• As a main course, ordered alongside or instead of koobideh at any Persian grill house.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the dairy in the yogurt marinade.
• Say if real saffron is used, since some cheaper versions substitute turmeric for colour.
• Note that it's grilled to order, since the char and juiciness depend on fresh cooking rather than reheating.