Being a foodie is a fantastic adventure. I mean, we all have to eat. We do not, however, have to eat boring. With the resources available in your local library, not to mention online, you can travel to any number of countries without leaving your kitchen. Experiment with different flavors, textures, and ingredients. Amiright?
Make it or read more!
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: There’s just something extra delicious about food on a stick. *drools* Ethnic food on a stick?! Ohmygoodness. Next level, right there.
Kebabs, like tacos and pizza, are super customizable. You can do fish, chicken, pork! And the seasonings, oh! the flavors are endless.
Another huge bonus of kebabs is that they are fun to make with your kids. Not only can you all get in the kitchen and cook and talk, but they can make their meal exactly how they want it. Not a fan of onions? Leave them out. Love your mushrooms? Add more! So good.
This is super easy, really tasty, and worth the messy fingers. And remember, modify this to fit your life!
African Inspired Beef Kebabs
Serves: 4 | Prep time: 4-24 hours | Cook time: 20-30 minutes
Tools:
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- Box grater with small holes
- Metal or bamboo skewers
- Grill or sheet pan
Ingredients:
- 1 lb sirloin beef strips
- 3 T cashew, almond, or peanut butter
- 1 T tomato paste
- 2 T ginger-garlic paste
- 2 t allspice
- 1 small onion, grated
- 1/4 -1/2 T crushed red pepper
- 1/4 t grated ginger
- salt to taste
- Veggies!
- Peppers
- Mushrooms
- Zucchini
- Cherry tomato
- 1-2 T olive oil
- na’an/tortilla/chickpea pancake/lettuce cup for serving
- Yogurt for dippin’
The Deets:
First things first; get that meat chilling in the flavor.
In a medium size mixing bowl, mix your nut butter, tomato paste, spices, garlic, and ginger.
Cut the top and bottom off of an onion, and cut it in half. Using the smallest holes in your box grater, shred that sucker until there’s nothing left. Make sure you have a tissue handy, you will most certainly cry.
Add onion incrementally to the rest of the marinade ingredients. I find sometimes that onions are either milder or more pungent than expected, and sometimes if you add it all in at once you’re going to get a lot more or less than you bargained for.
Mix it up good and taste it. Remember, cooking with love means licking the spoon and continuing to use it 😉
Salt and pepper to taste.
When you’re happy with the flavor, drop your meat and smooth shit around with your hands ensuring even coverage. Cover it with some cling wrap and pop it in the fridge for at least four hours, up to a day.
If you are using bamboo skewers, get them soaking about an hour before you are ready to start cooking. Charred ends are not fun.
When you’re feeling a little peckish, start your grill. You want full heat, like the coals in the center then even them out when they’re ready.
Get all of your peeps in the kitchen, and start building out kebabs! There is no right or wrong way. Put them together exactly how you want it.
Drizzle them with a little olive oil, and get them on the hot grill.
They are pretty hands-on, you want to keep them moving. I’d like to set the timer on my Fitbit for five minutes, and rotate the skewers at intervals.
Depending on the heat of your grill and thickness of your meat, these will be done in 20 to 30 minutes.
While you are in between rotations, you can get the rest of your plate set. Salad, tortilla/na’an/pancake/lettuce leaves, plus maybe some yogurt to dip.
Get them off the heat, onto your plate, give thanks and eat!
As always, if you love it, share it! Pin it! And feed it to those you love.
Eat well and be well my friends.
xo ~ c
Carrie's Cravings 