Souvla

Name: Souvla
Total time: 2 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Cypriot
Ingredients: Pork shoulder; Garlic; Dried oregano; Salt; Lemon juice

449 kcal a serving, against 772 for the traditional version. That is 323 kcal off, or 42%, with 58.8g of protein. Serves 6. 2 hours prep, 2 hours cooking, most of that just waiting.

What the traditional version is

Classic souvla means cubes of pork shoulder (with all the fat left on), marinated with salt, oregano, olive oil, a bit of garlic, and a drizzle of lemon juice. Everything goes onto thick skewers - usually over a charcoal grill - and turns for hours, basting itself every time the fat drips and flares up. The end result is crispy on the edges, smoky, and unbelievably juicy.

What changed, and what each change costs

1800g pork shoulder (with fat) for 1800g lean pork shoulder, trimmed

I want more meat and less fat, without ending up with something that belongs in a diet book. Souvla loses a lot of fat to the fire anyway, but I've gone a step further and trimmed most of the visible stuff off before skewering. You're left with just enough to stay juicy.

What it costs you. You lose that sticky, caramelised fat on the outside. The edges are a bit less crisp, and you miss out on those melt-in-the-mouth bites the old boys swear by. It's still proper pork, but it's not going to win any arguments at the family table if your uncle is judging.

Olive oil down from 40g to zero

If the fat's gone, the oil is the next obvious place to look. It's not just about the calories - without the oil, you taste the pork and the smoke more. Purists can look away now.

What it costs you. It's not as shiny and rich. There's less of that slick gloss on the meat. You'll notice if you're a die-hard, but most people are too busy grabbing seconds.

What goes in it

The ingredients, without the quantities. The weights are what the figures below are computed from, and they are in the book.

Pork shoulder
Garlic
Dried oregano
Salt
Lemon juice

How it starts

Cut the pork shoulder into large, thick cubes - about the size of a child's fist, or a bit less if you want to argue over the last piece.
Mix the garlic, dried oregano, salt and lemon juice together in a big bowl.
Let the pork sit for at least 2 hours, or overnight if you've got time.

The rest of the method, and every weight, is in Authentic-ish Cypriot.

The numbers

Per serving	Traditional	Lightened
Calories	772	449
Protein	51.7g	58.8g
Fat	60.7g	21.5g
Saturated fat	19.7g	7.4g
Carbohydrate	1.4g	1.4g
Protein per 100 kcal	6.7g	13.1g

Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Cypriot prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked. How every number is computed sets out the method.

The method is in the book

Souvla was already pulling its weight here. Most of the fat drips away, so you never got the same guilt as a plate of sausages. Using lean pork shoulder doesn't change the heart of the dish, but it means the leftovers feel less like something you need to walk off. The missing olive oil and fat are a loss if you're in this for the serious sticky bits, but for a family barbecue, it's still smoky, lemony, and moreish. No one's leaving hungry or smug.

The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Cypriot, along with 47 more. Buy the paperback