What it means
سیخک (sikhak) refers to a skewer: the thin metal or wooden stick onto which pieces of meat, chicken, or vegetables are threaded before grilling. It is formed by adding the Persian diminutive suffix -ک to سیخ (sikh), meaning spike or pointed stick, making the whole word native Persian. The base form سیخ is also used on its own, especially for the larger flat metal skewers used for koobideh kebab, while سیخک can suggest a smaller or thinner version. In practice the two forms are often used interchangeably in everyday speech.
How to use it
- گوشت رو روی سیخک بکش. (Gushto ruye sikhak bekesh.) “Thread the meat onto the skewer.”
- سیخکها رو روی آتش بذار. (Sikhakhâ ro ruye âtash bezâr.) “Put the skewers on the fire.”
- چند تا سیخک داری؟ (Chand tâ sikhak dâri?) “How many skewers do you have?”
- سیخکهای چوبی رو اول خیس کن. (Sikhakhâye chubi ro avval khis kon.) “Soak the wooden skewers first.”
Cultural note
Kebab is one of the central dishes of Iranian cuisine, and the سیخک is inseparable from it. Different kebabs use different skewer shapes: koobideh uses wide flat metal skewers to hold the minced meat, while barg (fillet) and joojeh (chicken) use narrower ones. Street-side kebab vendors in Iran are often judged partly by how evenly they thread and grill the سیخک. Wooden skewers are common at home; professional restaurants almost always use metal.