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Dajaj Mashwi

A Libyan grilled chicken marinated in garlic, olive oil, lemon, and spices.

From the Wikibooks Cookbook · 12 ingredients
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Why it works: Cumin and coriander match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,866 recipes. Both carry beta-phellandrene, which smells minty, terpene. The science ↓

Dajaj Mashwi

Time10–15 minutes per side

Ingredients

Directions

Prepare the marinade

  1. Combine minced garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, ground cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a mixing bowl and mix well to form a smooth sauce.

  2. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade and rub them well to ensure each piece is coated.

  3. Let the chicken marinate for at least 2–4 hours to allow flavors to infuse.

Grill and serve

  1. Preheat the grill or grill pan over medium‑high heat.

  2. Place the marinated chicken pieces on the grill, skin side down, and cook for about 10–15 minutes; flip and continue grilling for another 10–15 minutes or until cooked through and charred.

  3. While grilling, use a basting brush to apply any remaining marinade onto the chicken for added flavor and moisture.

  4. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes.

  5. Garnish the Dajaj Mashwi with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)

329Calories
33 gProtein
18 gFat
10 gCarbs

Counts 11 of 12 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.

What these numbers assume: 11 portions
IngredientPortion assumedkcal
Chicken100g cooked165
Olive Oil1 tbsp (14g)119
Lemonjuice of 1 lemon (48ml)12
Cumin1 tsp ground (2.1g)8
Clove1 tsp ground (2g)7
Cayenne1 tsp (1.8g)6
Black Pepper1 tsp ground (2.3g)6
Garlic1 clove (3g)4
Parsley1 tbsp chopped fresh (3.8g)1
Cilantro1 tbsp chopped fresh (1g)1
Salt1 tsp (6g)0
Coriandernot in our table0

One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.

Recipe from the Wikibooks Cookbook.

Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.

Explore the science

The flavor team

The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.

  1. Cumin + coriandertop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together3,866 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  2. Lemon + coriandertop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together2,498 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  3. Garlic + cumintop 1% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together5,082 recipes

    Shared aroma: beta-phellandrene (minty, terpene).

  4. Garlic + olivetop 2% of all pairs
    Smell alikemoderate
    Cooked together25,665 recipes

    Shared aroma: linalool (floral, citrus).

  5. Lemon + peppertop 3% of all pairs
    Smell alikestrong
    Cooked together27,047 recipes

    Shared aroma: trans-2-nonenal (cardboard, fatty).

Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs

What each ingredient does

Garlic
Adds pungent aroma that mellows and deepens during marinating and grilling.
Olive oil
Carries the spices and keeps the chicken moist on the grill.
Lemon juice
Acidity tenderizes the chicken surface and brightens the flavor.
Ground cumin
Contributes warm, earthy aroma that defines the marinade.
Ground paprika
Adds color and mild sweetness, helping the skin brown.
Chicken
Main protein that cooks through on the grill while absorbing the marinade.

The step that matters

Grilling skin side down over medium-high heat. Skin fat renders and the surface browns slowly, while too-high heat can char the outside before the thick pieces cook through. Turning once after the first stretch helps even cooking, and the chicken should be cooked through before serving.

Swap the clove

How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (garlic, olive, lemon, cumin, coriander, pepper, chicken):

  1. Oreganofits better
  2. Turmericfits better
  3. Thymefits better
  4. Clovethe original

Fit is the average pairing score against garlic, olive, lemon, cumin, coriander, pepper, chicken. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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