It is the 4th of July and along with fireworks, it is the time for Food, Fun, Friends and Family -- and there's no better way to celebrate the season than with a backyard barbecue. Savor the succulent taste of smoked burgers, racks of ribs and other gourmet grilling delights.

Popular Vegetarian items:

Mushrooms of all types
Small boiling onions
Green onions
Leeks
Paneer Pieces
Asparagus (don't use the bottommost 1/4 of very mature stalks because it is too woody -- if it doesn't split when skewered it'll still have a terrible texture)
Artichoke bottoms (the hearts don't hold up well to being skewered)
All manner of squashes, zucchini, eggplant
Chunks of large onions (brown/yellow are especially nice)

Be sure to provide olive oil and brushes for both the grill and the kabob items. Small wooden Japanese style skewers work much better then the larger metal skewers. They are less likely to split veggies in half and the veggies are less likely to fall off when you turn the kabob on the grill.

Smoky Grilled Sweet Onions

For each onion:

Cut two squares of aluminum foil large enough to wrap the onion with a little bit of airspace left on top. Lay the squares one on top of the other on the counter. Peel the onion, cut each end off flat, and place the onion on one of its flat ends on the aluminum foil. Gently scoop out a shallow depression in the top of the onion, approximately 1/4 inch deep. This will allow you to pour ingredients in the top of the onion and have them slowly seep down into the layers of the onion. Into each onion, pour a small amount of liquid butter substitute (the amount varies with the size of the onion; use 1 teaspoon for a small onion and scale up accordingly for larger onions). Regardless of the size of the onion, carefully add 1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring. Fold the aluminum foil squares up around the onion and fold closed at the top. Grill over medium heat until onions are soft, about 30 minutes. Serve with any juices that may result from cooking.

Crunch fried soychunks

1 cup soya nuggets
1 scallion with greens, finely chopped
1" piece ginger
4 flakes garlic
3-4 fresh red or green chillies
1-1/2 tbsp. cornflour
1/2 tbsp. rice flour
1 tsp. soya sauce
1 tsp. tomato ketchup
1 tbsp. vinegar
salt to taste
Oil for deep frying (optional)

2. Grind together chilli, garlic and ginger.
3. Mix in chopped spring onion, flours, ketchup, vinegar, salt to taste.
4. Add flours and make a thick paste.
5. Boil nuggets in water for 3-4 minutes or till soft but not soggy.
6. Drain, add to paste and marinate for 30 minutes.
7. Either bar-b-que, grill, or deepfry marinate chunks till crisp.
8. You may even spread out in a shallow dish, drizzle butter and bake.

Chicken

Boneless skinless Chicken - cut into 1 inch cubes - 1 pound
Vegetables: potatoes/ tomatoes/ bell peppers- 2 of each, cut into 1 inch cubes
Masala :

1. Yogurt- 1/4 cup
2. Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp. each
3. Green chilly paste - 1 tsp.
4. Cumin powder- 1 tsp.
5. Coriander powder - 1 tsp
6. Aniseed (Souf in Hindi) - 1 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp.
8. Chilly powder to taste
9. Garam masala - 1/4 tsp. (optional)
10.Salt to taste
11.Lime juice - 2 tsp.
12.Red/Orange Color

2. Mix all (from # 2 - 12) of the above ingredients in the yogurt and keep for about 10 minutes.
3. Marinate the chicken and vegetables with the mix for about an hour (as time permits) and store in the refrigerator.
4. Pierce through the skewers alternate pieces of chicken and vegetable (or for vegetarians arrange alternate vegetables).
5. Place on a barbecue grill or bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and coat the pieces with the remaining marinade.
7. Now turn the Oven to 'Broil' for another 5 - 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked and fried well.

Marinades

Marinades can be made creatively with as simple as plain yogurt and a ready made pickle mixed into it and applied to the vegetables. Alternatively sprinkle lemon juice and sugar along with ajwain and salt. A yogurt marinade will combine yoghurt, coriander leaves,ginger garlic paste and cumin seeds crushed. For a Tomato marinade mix 1 cup tomato puree,1 tbsp. mustard powder,1 tsp. sugar,1 tbsp. butter,1 tsp. worcestershire sauce,1 tsp. ginger paste,1 tsp. garlic paste and salt to taste. Boil till thick and make it it into a sauce

Heat barbeque well in advance, to get the coals burning well when required.
To cook, poke each vegetable and paneer in a skewer in turns.
Start with tomato and end with paneer and cauliflower.
Keep hard veggies like potato, onion, carrot in centre.
Place on the barbeque and turn while roasting.
When the marinate dries and veggies sizzle, they are done.
Sprinkle chat masala and serve hot.

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