Chicken-Thigh Kebabs With Turmeric, Chile and Saffron

This recipe comes from Edward Khechemyan, the chef of Adana in Los Angeles. The food is not easily categorized. He learned to cook from his father, but given that that man was from Iran, that his upbringing was Armenian-American and that the Russian influence was strong everywhere, the menu is a hodgepodge in the best sense of the word, boasting of innumerable kebabs and more than a few intriguing salads and dishes of beans, and of rice and other grains.

In his kitchen, Khechemyan moves quickly, and within 30 minutes, we had done four kebabs. The marinades are simple (he uses a lot of mild dried red chili powder, the kind you can most easily buy in Korean markets), and the grilling technique is not difficult. But it’s unusual: he grills slowly (over briquettes fired with gas, by the way), not too close to the fire, he insists, until gorgeously browned. The fire is not superhot, but it’s even — gas is good for that — and he keeps the grill grate a good six inches above the fire