souvlaki
Definition
- Noun:
- A Greek dish of small pieces of meat grilled on a skewer: "souvlaki" refers to a popular Greek fast food consisting of seasoned, marinated meat (traditionally lamb, but also chicken or pork) that is cut into cubes, threaded onto a skewer, and grilled.
Usage
- As a countable noun: "souvlaki" can refer to a single skewer of this grilled meat or to the dish in general.
- We ordered two chicken souvlakis from the taverna.
- Souvlaki is often served with pita bread, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki sauce.
Advanced Usage
- "Souvlaki" as a street food concept: The term is often used to describe the complete meal, which may include the meat wrapped in pita bread with garnishes.
- For a quick lunch, I grabbed a pork souvlaki in pita from the street vendor.
Variants and Related Words
- Souvla (noun): A larger spit or skewer used for roasting meat, related to the cooking method.
- Kalamaki (noun): A term used in some regions of Greece, particularly Athens, as a synonym for "souvlaki" when referring specifically to the meat-on-a-skewer.
- Gyros (noun): A related Greek dish made from meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, then sliced and served, often contrasted with souvlaki's skewer-grilled cubes.
Synonyms
- Kebab: A general term for pieces of meat cooked on a skewer, common in Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisines. (Note: "Souvlaki" is the specific Greek variant.)
- Shish kebab: A similar dish of marinated meat grilled on a skewer.
Related Phrases
- Souvlaki stand: A small shop or stall specializing in selling souvlaki.
- The best souvlaki in the city comes from a small stand near the port.
- Souvlaki platter: A restaurant serving of souvlaki that includes side dishes like rice, salad, or fries.
- The dinner platter includes two beef souvlakis, Greek salad, and roasted potatoes.
Noun
-
made of lamb
