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Mishkak
Tamarind garlic meat skewers
Mishkak (مشكاك): Muscat street skewers of beef or lamb in tamarind and garlic, grilled over coals
After sunset on the beach at Qurum and around the souq in Muttrah, Muscat, mishkak sellers fan their charcoal and the smell of tamarind and garlic drifts across the crowd; at Eid every family grills them at home too. Small pieces of beef or lamb are soaked in a sour-hot marinade, threaded tightly on skewers and charred quickly, then eaten with a squeeze of lime, a hot chilli sauce and Omani bread. The meat is tangy, smoky and juicy. The common mistake is cutting the pieces too big, so the outside burns before the middle cooks. Chef's tip: thread the meat closely without squashing it; the pieces protect each other and stay juicy.
- Total time
- 32 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb beef rump or lamb legin 2 cm cubes
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 5 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 limein wedges
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What you'll need
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 2 tbsp tamarind paste, 5 garlic cloves, 1 ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbsp vinegar, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp salt. Toss with 1 ½ lb beef rump or lamb leg, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
240 minStep 2: If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes. Thread the meat tightly onto 8 skewers.
Step 3: Heat a charcoal grill or ridged grill pan until very hot.
Step 4: Grill, turning every 2 minutes, until charred at the edges. For beef, cook to at least 145°F in the centre for medium, or longer to taste; lamb the same.
10 minStep 5: Serve hot with 1 lime and flatbread.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- Protein
- 38 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mishkak take?
- About 32 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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