Every adult has a childhood food memory. While I am heavily influenced by Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, my childhood also has a layer of Soviet Armenia. The bbq called khorovaz is the centerpiece of all social and family gatherings. This recipe is a page from my childhood, with colorful faces around, some of whom are no longer with us or I don’t remember who they were.

The gatherings and everyone being busy getting the party ready are vivid in my memory. The men gathered around the wood-burning charcoal grill, doing vodka shots as they pulled out hot, greasy, delicious, and fatty pieces of Heaven called “Pork kebabs” to enjoy with vodka or wrapped in lavash to stay warm. The greased lavash becomes even more tasty as the juices of the kebabs soak in.

Ingredients

• 2 LBS of pork butt or shoulder
• 1 white onion puree
• 1 TBS salt or more (to taste)
• 1 TBS black pepper
• 2 TBS sweet paprika
• 2 TBS of dried oregano
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil

For serving
1 bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 white onion, thinly sliced
Lavash bread
5 bamboo skewers (presoaked)

Note:
*When trimming the meat, make sure some fat stays on it as it becomes very tasty when charred.
**After marinating, bring the meat to room temperature 1 hour before grilling.

Directions

1. Cut the meat into 1.5 inches cubes.
2. Place it in a deep bowl, add all ingredients except the sliced onion and parsley.
3. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for a minimum of three hours to overnight.
4. Thread each piece onto skewers and place in a pan.
5. Preheat oven to 375-400 F.
6. Bake and broil – Bake for about 20 minutes until tender, turning once or twice. Switch to broiler for a couple of minutes until it becomes brownish crust.
7. Lay Lavash onto a platter, place the cooked kebabs, add the parsley and sliced onions, cover with additional lavash, and serve immediately.

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