| Greek souvlaki is found in every corner of Greece | | | | contain lots of salt, something to be avoided as far |
| today and it is no exaggeration to say that the | | | | as possible. If you're worried about your cholesterol, |
| younger generations have grown up on it. Although | | | | choose chicken souvlaki, which is much leaner meat |
| proponents of a healthy diet spurn the humble | | | | with fewer calories. You can also make seafood |
| souvlaki, it's actually a full, nutritious meal. It contains | | | | souvlaki with shrimps or fish fillets, or vegetable |
| all our daily nutritional requirements: protein from the | | | | souvlaki. Mexican souvlakia are made of alternating |
| meat, carbohydrates from the pitta and chips (if | | | | prawn and courgette chunks threaded on a skewer. |
| included), fibre and vitamins from the tomato and | | | | For extra taste they are marinated from three to |
| onion. The oregano and other seasonings are also | | | | twelve hours in a spice mix and basted with fresh |
| considered a source of valuable antioxidants and | | | | egg-and-lemon mixed with finely-chopped onion. The |
| trace elements. So is souvlaki healthy? Nobody denies | | | | souvlakia are cooked when the shrimps and |
| it's tasty, but whether it's healthy is open to question. | | | | vegetables change colour. It's so easy to make |
| The answer is that souvlaki is healthy on certain | | | | souvlakia at home that, with a bit of experimenting, |
| conditions. Made at home, where we control the | | | | you'll soon achieve your own personal recipe and |
| ingredients and cooking method, the souvlaki is a | | | | impress your friends with your unusual souvlakia. |
| healthy and delicious meal. Buy the pitta bread from | | | | Greek Pork Souvlaki Recipe for 4 500 grams / 1 lb of |
| the supermarket, baste it lightly with a spoonful of | | | | pork in cubes 8 bamboo skewers ½ cup of |
| olive oil and put it under the grill. Use lean pork and | | | | olive oil 1 tablespoon of vinegar (wine vinegar) 1 pinch |
| marinate it in wine and vinegar for a few hours to | | | | greek oregano 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black |
| give it taste. Sprinkle with lots of oregano or other | | | | pepper 8 large pita breads Greek yoghurt or Greek |
| herbs and grill the souvlaki or, better yet, barbecue it. | | | | tzatziki Shreaded salad of lettuce, tomatoes, onion, |
| Add a little fresh tomato and as much onion and | | | | herbs etc. Cut the pork into small cubes and carefully |
| yoghourt as you want, and your souvlaki is ready to | | | | thread onto the skewers. In a bowl place the olive oil, |
| eat. You can also experiment with lettuce instead of | | | | the wine vinegar, the oregano, the salt and the black |
| - or as well as - tomato, and mustard instead of | | | | pepper. Place the skewers with the pork in a dish and |
| yoghourt, but avoid adding chips to keep the calories | | | | pour the marinade over them. Cover with plastic |
| down. You can leave out the chips altogether or | | | | wrap and refrigerate for several hours or ovenight. |
| replace them with mashed potato or rice. Rice is | | | | Preheat your grill or barbeque. Place the souvlaki |
| ideally suited to yoghourt, and the yoghourt itself can | | | | skewers over a medium heat and cook each side. |
| be low-fat. A souvlaki in pitta bread prepared in this | | | | Brush with the marinade and turn to cook evenly. |
| way is unlikely to contain more than 300 calories. | | | | Brush the pita breads with olive oil and cook them on |
| Even if you're very hungry and eat two, 600 calories | | | | the grill. When the pita and the souvlaki are ready, pull |
| won't make you fat. A souvlaki from the souvlaki | | | | the meat off one skewer into the pita, add tzatziki |
| shop, on the other hand, usually contains lots of fat if | | | | or greek yoghurt and the shreaded salad. Roll the pita |
| the pitta is fried. Chips up the fat and calories even | | | | to form a tight cone and wrap it in kitchen or other |
| more, to over 500 calories a portion. It may also | | | | suitable paper. Serve hot. |