Mshikaki
Grilled beef skewers
Tanzanian grilled beef skewers with lime, ginger and garlic
Mshikaki are the beef skewers grilled at night markets in Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar's Forodhani Gardens and every Tanzanian roadside barbecue, sold hot with chips, pili pili sauce and a wedge of lime. Small chunks of beef are marinated in lime, ginger, garlic, chilli and curry powder, which tenderises them, then grilled quickly over charcoal. The mistake is marinating with raw papaya or too much lime for too long, which turns the meat mushy; 2–6 hours is plenty. Chef's tip: soak wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes so they don't burn.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb beef sirloin or rumpin 3 cm cubes
- 2 limesjuiced
- ⅔ oz fresh gingergrated
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- 1 red chillifinely chopped
- 1 tsp mild curry powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 red onion (optional)in chunks, optional
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What you'll need
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix 2 limes, ⅔ oz fresh ginger, 4 garlic cloves, 1 red chilli, 1 tsp mild curry powder, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 3 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tsp salt. Add 1 ¾ lb beef sirloin or rump, toss, cover and marinate in the fridge for 2–6 hours.
120 minStep 3: Grill over hot charcoal or under a very hot grill for 8–10 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until charred at the edges. For medium beef the centre of a cube reaches 145°F; cook longer if you prefer it well done.
10 minStep 4: Rest for 3 minutes and serve with chips, lime and chilli sauce.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 340 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 5 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mshikaki take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 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 limes?
- Lemon, same amount.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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