Post Senior Editor Paul Miazga on how to worship the grill and cook meat right in Kyiv
patio, indulging in the art of grilling the perfect steak. It’s one of life’s greatest pleasures.
Upon coming to Ukraine, I learned a lot more about barbecuing, such as the Caucasian shashlik (kebab) style of grilling. For example, I used to think mayonnaise was just for salads and sandwiches. I was wrong. Meanwhile, my Brazilian roommate’s changed my attitude towards salting meat before grilling it. That used to be a no-no, but no longer.
What follows are some simple recipes and ideas for great backyard (or balcony) barbecuing. Certain items can’t be located in local grocery stores, but my friends and I have people back West ship them. Anyway, where necessary items couldn’t be found, I’ve offered ways to improvise.
First Things First
For those who don’t already have a small, portable balcony barbecue, go get one. In the past we’ve listed places to get one: Sport and Tourism (28 Lesi Ukrainky), Ibis (7 Druzhby Narodiv, 16 Lesi Ukrainky), Furshet (various locations: Mandarin Plaza, 57 Yaroslavska). There are others, such as TsUM, but I’d get too tired trying to list them all.
Basically you need something that will withstand a lot of abuse, provides good air circulation (it’s gotta have some holes in the bottom), and has a stainless steel grill. Also, don’t buy anything too cheap, as really rickety grills will make you too nervous if you’re grilling on your apartment balcony. Other features to look for: a secondary warming rack (for moving cooked food away from the heat); a lid (for keeping heat in, obviously); an adjustable grill (for moving the food closer to or away from the heat).
Bags of charcoal (typically 3kg/6.5 lbs) cost between Hr 7 to Hr 10, but as an alternative, places like Furshet also sell bundles of dry beech wood (about 5kg/12 lbs) for roughly the same price. And don’t forget butane, otherwise known as starter or lighter fluid, which comes in various sizes up to 1L (32 fl oz) and costs around Hr 10 each. You’re not using Kingsford or Matchlite charcoal briquettes, don’t forget.
As for utensils, go to either Ibis or MegaMarket (various locations: 50 Gorkoho, 6 Moskovsky Prospect). Ibis has true professional grilling utensils, whereas MegaMarket has a range of options from steel skewers for shashlik and chicken (Hr 25) to flippers/spatulas (Hr 25 to Hr 60) to tongs (Hr 48) and brushes for basting and coating (Hr 18). Those packages of wooden skewers for veggie shashlik or small kebabs can be found most anywhere. They come in 100s and should be soaked prior to use so that they don’t burn.
Grilled Veggies
For grilled veggies, it’s simple: mix together your favorite veggies, cut ’em up and intersperse on skewers before grilling to perfection.
Typically, I like to use a mix of red, green and yellow bell peppers (which should be in season soon and much cheaper than Hr 24/kg), zucchini, eggplant, red onions, cherry tomatoes (now widely available for about Hr 16 per bunch), white mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms (if available). Chop the veggies and oversized mushrooms into uniform cubes or pieces about 4 cm (1.5 in) on each side. As above, make sure the skewers have been soaked for at least an hour beforehand to prevent them from burning.
Grill on the edge of a hot fire until the onions and peppers have nicely browned, or even blacked slightly on the outside. To accompany the veggies, I like to serve them with good balsamic vinegar. Try any MegaMarket or Furshet for their selection, or the Metro Cash and Carry if you have a car and know someone with a membership card.
Soften the Meat
As for meats, I’m not going to talk about shashlik here at all. Ukrainians and Georgians all have their own secret marinating recipes. Just remember, you need either the acid of onions or alcohol of beer to help break down the meat. Leave the marinating meat covered overnight in a cool place and you’re ready to go by next day. Then again, you could save yourself the trouble and just buy them prepared at any major supermarket.
For tuna or salmon steaks (Hr 16 to Hr 40 each at most supermarkets), simply sear these on both sides over a medium fire until nice grill marks form. Flip only once, basting both sides with butter. And forget the lemon – people can add that if they want when it’s done; I never use it, as it makes the fish too acidic. Serve with a dill garnish and fresh-cracked black pepper.
There are three main ways you can go about doing the classic barbecued chicken (drumsticks are usually Hr 8/kg in markets, Hr 12/kg in stores). The first involves a marinade. I like the Kikkoman teriyaki marinades available at most major grocery stores (Hr 18 for 500 mL bottle).
After washing the pieces thoroughly, simply put the chicken in a re-sealable plastic container, cover with the marinade and leave for at least four hours before grilling.
The other way you can do chicken is to grill it straight up and make a homemade barbecue sauce to go with it. Add the sauce before grilling to get the charred effect and taste, or apply after for a glistening finish. Either way it’s fun to experiment with the sauce to suit it to your tastes.
The last way to do chicken is to buy prepared stuff from local supermarkets. While not much fun, it helps get the show on the road much faster and is less messy.
Chicken should be grilled over medium to high heat and kept covered to ensure thorough cooking. The meat is done when there’s no pink left inside.
Beefed Up
Most cuts of meat available in Kyiv aren’t worth much; it’s grass-fed Jersey beef and not grain- or corn-fed Angus. That’s why it doesn’t taste like back home. Also, the butchers at the local supermarkets are poorly trained. Better to get your meat from a local government-inspected market where it’s cut daily and not left to sit overnight, as at some places. Plus you’ll learn how to ask for the right cut and get it the way you want.
To grill the perfect steak, first do one of three things to the meat, but only one: either rub liberally with a halved clove of garlic and then pound some nice cracked pepper into the meat on both sides, or leave as is and baste with homemade barbecue sauce after grilling; or, do it the Brazilian way by rubbing coarse sea salt into the meat on both sides, slamming the excess away and then tossing it on the grill. Then, as with any beef, sear it over high heat right in the center of the grill (you shouldn’t be able to hold your hand over the spot for more than a second) for no more than 2 minutes per side.
Then consume it, as fast as you want.
The Best Indian Peanut Snack Ever
First off, let me say that Chat Masala powder is hard to come by, but it’s worth all the effort to get for this amazing (and healthy) snack.
You’ll need: 500 g (1/2 lbs) toasted (smazhenyi) or perfectly fresh peanuts (arakhis);
1 bunch fresh cilantro (kinza), chopped;
1-2 green chili peppers, halved, seeded and sliced into thin pieces;
1/2 small red onion, chopped (optional);
Juice from 1 lime; 30g (2 tbsp) Chat Masala powder.
Dump peanuts, cilantro, chilis, onion and Chat Masala powder into a large bowl. Mix thoroughly. Add lime juice and mix again. Serve immediately. Serves 10.
You can get Indian spices anywhere in town, such as at Besarabska and Volodymyrsky Markets, but then you would have to look up on the Internet how to make it. Your best bet is if you have good Indian friends in Kyiv: talk to them. They have this stuff, and believe me, getting some is worth all the trouble. You could also try ordering it from back home, but you may not have it in your hands before summer’s out.
Perfect Pasta Salad
There’s no reason why pasta has to be a main dish, or even served hot.
You’ll need: 1 package farfalle (bowtie) or tri-colore fusili (available at Furshet, MegaMarket or other good supermarkets), cooked and set aside to cool;
1/2 400 mL (8 oz) jar of Hellmann’s mayonnaise (as with pasta);
15mg (1 tsp) each dried basil and oregano;
10 mg (2/3 tsp) powdered garlic powder;
100g (1/4 lb) of three of the following: slivered carrots; slivered bell peppers; cauliflower or broccoli florets; slivered zucchini.
Salt and pepper to taste.
To cooked and cooled pasta add all ingredients. Mix well. Adjust seasonings and mayonnaise until salad is lightly creamed. You should be able to taste the garlic above the other seasonings. Serves 10.
The Best Summer Drink Ever
(Raphael’s Brazilian Caipirinha)
With so many good fruits available at local markets, try this refreshing drink, which seems to hide any hint of alcohol despite its obvious potency.
You’ll need (per drink): a large sturdy beer mug or heavy drinking glass;
cachaca (Brazilian rum) or vodka (MegaMarket has the best selection, but white rum is not a recommended substitute);
lots of crushed ice;
limes, strawberries (cleaned), kiwis (peeled) or lemons (seeded);
table sugar;
something heavy to mash ingredients with;
a sharp knife.
For limes or lemons, quarter 2-3 limes (or 2 lemons), clean white part from inside, and put in bottom of glass. Mash thoroughly to squeeze all juice from pulp (do not use a blender; instead, use the end of a wooden meat tenderizer, rolling pin, or something similar). Add 20-30g sugar (2-3 tbsp), top with 100mL cachaca or vodka, and adjust to taste (the taste should be balanced between the freshness of the lime, the bite of the alcohol and the sweetness of the sugar). Top with crushed ice and serve.
And experiment a little! Try a mix of fruits, such as strawberries and kiwis (roughly 2 kiwis and
10 large strawberries), but reduce the amount of sugar added.
Paul’s Bonafide Barbecue Sauce
The sugar in the sauce is what blackens when exposed to high heat, so either add sauce to the meat beforehand or grill first and then baste afterwards with a soft brush, coating evenly.
You’ll need: 730mL (26oz) bottle Heinz Spicy Ketchup (Hr 12 to Hr 14);
200mL (8 oz) bottle Heinz Worcestershire sauce (Hr 9 to Hr 10);
250g (1/2lb) brown sugar or maple syrup (brown cane sugar is a reasonable substitute);
3-4 cloves garlic, minced;
1/2 small onion, minced (optional);
Salt and pepper to taste;
Spices (I like to use some fresh cilantro along with some chili powder; my friend Kai uses a dollop of mustard or sometimes paprika or chili flakes in his).
Mix roughly equal portions ketchup and Worcestershire sauce in a deep bowl or re-sealable plastic container, tending to more ketchup than sauce. To mixture add two large scoops of brown sugar, mixing thoroughly. Taste to see that no one flavor is dominant. Add garlic and spices, adjusting as preferred. As this stuff isn’t cooked, any leftovers can be resealed and kept in the fridge for the next time. Also, like most such sauces, it will get better if left to cool overnight. Makes enough for 20 chicken legs or 12 large steaks.
