While there are many shops in Chakwal city selling barbequed tikkas and kebabs, the unique taste of ‘Shiraz Tikka, Kebab and Barbecue’ attracts so many food lovers each evening that the road on which the shop is located is now commonly known as Shiraz Tikka Road.

The most popular items are the tender chicken tikka boti and the minced beef seekh kebabs.

For the chicken boti, chicken is cut into small pieces and marinated for a number of hours. Shiraz Hassan, the young owner of the shop, says that the key to maintaining the unique taste are the ingredients. “We always use the freshest products, all locally bought,” he said.

Sharing the recipe that gives a unique taste to the barbequed food, Shiraz said: “We make our own marinade.”

The ratio in which the coriander, red chilli, turmeric, lemon juice, garlic, ginger and black pepper are mixed in yogurt makes all the difference.

Once it is marinated, the chicken is threaded onto skewers and grilled over coal. The small pieces of chicken cook very quickly, so the expert cook must ensure that it is cooked thoroughly but at the same time remains tender.

The minced beef ‘Seekh’ kebabs take their name from Seekh meaning skewer. The minced meat is again marinated for a number of hours in a number of spices before being put on the skewer.

The kebabs sold here are always juicy and the barbequed meat retains the smoky flavor from the grill.

The chicken boti and kebabs are eaten with an appetizing mint chutney that brings out the flavours in the meat. The chutney itself is not spicy but has a fresh taste because of the mint and becomes a perfect accompaniment to the spicy kebabs and tikkas.

According to Shiraz, this chutney is one of the shop’s specialties. It uses fresh mint, mixed with yogurt that is made at home by Shiraz’s wife.

“The milk is bought fresh, directly from the farm,” said Shiraz.

In the colder months, the shop also adds fish and chicken pakoras to its menu. On winter evenings, one is greeted by the site of Chakwal’s local ‘Rau’ fish marinated in a spicy mix, frying in bubbling oil.

The crust is fried to a crispy perfection and the inside is thoroughly cooked but not completely dry. Shiraz, whose family has been involved in the food business since 1948, has now become a household name in the district.

“My grandfather, Ghulam Hussain, started making tikkas in 1948 in Talagang and after his death my father Ghulam Hassan took over the business. I started helping my father when I was just 10,” Shiraz told Dawn.

Since Talagang was a small market, I opened my outlet in Chakwal back in 2005 after first trying my luck in Islamabad.

“I acquired a shop at a meagre rent of Rs800. In the beginning I was both a cook and waiter, and managed the shop on my own,” he added.

By 2007, Shiraz’ business was doing well and he now had the means to hire a waiter as the number of his customers swelled. After 2010, the tikka shop was doing a roaring business, and the number of Shiraz’ employees increased to 10. His single shop had now expanded to five with additional two halls and a lawn.

“To keep pace with the demand, I buy a truckload of coal that lasts for five months,” he says. “I ensure that the food we serve is healthy. People trust me and their trust means a lot to me,” he maintains.

For Ehsan Aziz, one of the customers at the shop, “there is no other place in Chakwal that compares to the mouth-watering tikkas sold here at Shiraz”.

Published in Dawn, December 1st , 2014