Shashlik is the name for a traditional Central and West Asian barbecue consisting of marinated, skewered, and grilled chunks of meat such as lamb, beef, or pork, depending on regional and religious preferences. Lamb, beef, or pork is usually combined with chunks of vegetables such as bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, or tomatoes.
The meat is typically marinated overnight in vinegar, herbs, spices, and dry wine. In Russia, barbecue is traditionally reserved for men, who are in charge of the whole grilling process, while the women are usually busy slicing vegetables and setting the tables.
MOST ICONIC Shashlik
View more
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Mtsvadi is a traditional dish consisting of a skewered shish kebab. Pork, mutton, or veal is typically marinated in a mixture of lemon juice, pomegranate juice, tarragon, salt, pepper, and chopped onions, so that it remains tender and juicy when grilled.
Mtsvadi is often prepared outdoors over an open fire. It is recommended to serve the dish with tkemali plum sauce, raw onion rings, sliced tomatoes, and pomegranate seeds.
MAIN INGREDIENTS
Khorovats is a unique Armenian barbecue method where the meat is first placed on a set of high-quality skewers called shish and shampoors, then grilled on mangal, a grill often shared among neighbors, or less commonly, baking it in tonir, a built-in clay oven.
Although any quality meat is suitable for khorovats, most often it is prepared with pork chops and pork ribs that are typically only seasoned with salt and pepper, and marinated for a short time in a marinade that should not contain any vinegar, as it affects the meat's flavors.
MOST ICONIC Khorovats
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.