Kebabs are a constant throughout the Muslim world. From satay to kefta to koobideh to galawat kebabs to firin kebabs, there isn’t a Muslim country that doesn’t offer an amazing array of kebabs, either grilled over charcoal or
seared in huge metal pans over wood fires or roasted in large copper baking dishes in wood-fired ovens. The marinades and seasonings, as well as the size of the kebabs, vary from country to country. In Lebanon and Syria, the
meat is diced into medium chunks and marinated in a mixture of minced garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and fairly mild spices whereas in Morocco, the meat is cut small and marinated in a dry mixture of onion, fresh herbs, and spices. In Indonesia, the meat for satay is often left fairly plain with the flavor supplied by the accompanying sauce whereas in Uighur country, it is all about coating the pieces of meat in a mixture of egg and potato starch, for a crisp outside, and seasoning the meat as it grills with cumin and chili. The recipe below is for Moroccan lamb kebab. You can use beef if you want, but choose a tender cut such as filet, sirloin, or rib eye. Even if Moroccans dice their meat very small, I like my grilled meat on the rare side so I am suggesting here to cut the meat in slightly bigger chunks. Serve
with a small bowl of salt and cumin (in a 1:1 ratio), Moroccan Bread, and Mint Tea.
SERVES 4 TO 6
INGREDIENTS
- 2¼ pounds (1 kg) tender boneless lamb, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 1 medium onion (5 ounces/150 g), halved and cut into thin wedges
- A few sprigs flat-leaf parsley, most of the bottom stems discarded, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- Sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Marinate the lamb: Put the cubed meat in a bowl. Add the onion, parsley, cumin, paprika, and pepper. Season with salt to taste (see Note) and mix well. Let marinate in a cool place or the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare the grill or broiler: Start a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high.
- Skewer and cook the lamb: Thread the meat onto 8 or 12 long skewers depending on how many you want to serve. Cook on the grill or under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the meat is done to your liking.
- Serve: Serve hot.
