Simply Souvlaki

Over millennia, this sizzling skewer has conquered the world

-  Lucy Wildman

CITY STREET CORNERS, village marketplaces and beaches across Greece have something in common: the scent of sizzling meat. Sold in restaurants and takeaways called souvlatzidikos, this staple of Greek cuisine is more ancient than the country's classical buildings.

The word souvlaki is from the Greek word souvla, meaning spit (although in Athens and southern Greece the dish is called kalamaki, which means 'little reed'). It's wonderfully simple: small cubes of pork that have marinated overnight in olive oil, oregano, lemon juice, salt and pepper. The cubes are threaded onto wooden skewers and cooked over charcoal.

Souvlaki can be enjoyed piping hot direct from the grill or wrapped in soft pita bread along with tomatoes, parsley, onions and the garlicky yogurt sauce tzatziki.