Mishkaki Recipe (Mshakiki)

Love African dishes as I do? Then you are in the right place. And before you even proceed, you definitely want to start with these East African Mandazi, Samaki wa Kupaka, and Chips Mayai recipes!

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What is Mishkaki?

Mishkaki, also known as mshakiki, refers to kabobs (cubed pieces of meat such as chicken, beef, or mutton that are marinated, skewered, and then roasted in a grill). It is a popular dish in East African countries, especially in Kenya and Tanzania, as well as in Middle Eastern countries such as Yemen. Traditionally, a charcoal grill is used to give the Mishkaki a smoky aroma but other types of grills can also be used.

Ingredients

You will require the following ingredients (see the recipe card below for the full ingredients):-

• 4 pieces beef rump steaks - each about 250 grams, or approximately 0.5 lbs).
• juice squeezed from one small lemon - this can be substituted for lime juice or white vinegar.
• seasoning- salt, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, chili flakes.
• cloves garlic - peeled and crushed.
• an onion - cut in large chunks.
• bell pepper - also cut in large chunks. Feel free to use yellow, green or red bell pepper. If you choose to use the green bell pepper, just bear in mind that this tends to be slightly bitter, compared to the other kind.
• olive oil - use half of the olive oil for basting and the other half for marinating the mishkaki (mashkiki).
• oil for greasing the pan or grill -use any high smoke oil such as canola, rapseed or peanut oil.

What Kinds of Beef Work Best?

Ideally, you want to choose tender cuts of meat that cook easily and soak up marination flavors quickly. Cuts such as ribeye, rump steak, porterhouse, and fillet mignon are great. However, seeing that these tend to be very costly, feel free to speak to your butcher, so he can recommend any other affordable cuts that cook tender. Alternatively, you can use regular stewing beef, but make sure to properly tenderize this before cooking.

How do I tenderize stew meat for kebabs?

Okay, let's say you accidentally bought regular stewing meat, or find steak expensive, but still want to make beef kebabs (kabobs). As we all know, stewing beef tends to be tougher, because it has more strong connective tissue. So, how do you make kabobs (mishkaki) using stewing meat, without having them turn out tough and chewy?

• Marination time - the key is making sure to marinate the meat long enough. From my experience, marinating for just a few hours doesn't cut it, you need to marinate the stewing beef or meat at least overnight, in the fridge. This allows the ingredients to properly penetrate the tissues.
• Marinade ingredients - while there are a lot of ingredients that you can use to flavor your favorite cuts of stewing beef, lamb, pork or chicken, the marinade needs to also have ingredients that have an acidic element, such as yogurt, tomatoes, lemon and lime juice. Use grated fruit such as kiwi, which contains a natural enzyme called actinidin. This breaks down proteins and the connective tissues of meat, therefore tenderizing it. Green papaya contains Papain, which breaks down the meat fiber naturally.
• Stewing chunks - this may seem to be a no-brainer, but you also want to cut your stewing meat to small pieces, so it is easier to bite. This also allows the marinade to combine properly. Try pounding the meat between two pieces of parchment paper or saran wrapbefore cutting as this helps thin out the surface, so the stewing meat cooks faster.

How to Make Mishkaki

Here is how to make the best beef mishkaki!

• If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Place the beef steak between two pieces of saran wrap (cling film) or parchment paper. Using a kitchen mallet or the base of a small heavy saucepan, pound the steak pieces until they are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick.
• Cut the meat, onion, and bell pepper into approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm)-sized cubes and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, cumin, turmeric, chili flakes, crushed garlic, lemon juice, and half of the olive oil. Add the beef pieces, onion, and bell pepper to the bowl, combine, cover and allow to marinate at room temperature for at least two hours, or overnight in the fridge.
• Skewer the beef chunks, followed by the onion, then the bell pepper. Keep alternating until the skewer is full. Lightly brush a grill pan or rack with oil. Heat the grill pan over high heat or place your rack on top of a charcoal grill if using one. If using a charcoal grill, make sure it is on medium heat. Grill the mishkaki (mshakiki) in batches for eight to ten minutes on each side, or slightly more if you prefer them more charred. Keep basting with olive oil and turning as you go.
• Place the mishkaki beef skewers on a large plate, cover them with a piece of aluminum foil, and allow them to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with any type of flatbread such as naan, chapati, rice (or their low-carb alternatives). Mshakiki can also be served as they are, as an appetizer!

Useful Tips

• To allow the beef to cook tenderly without being chewy, make sure to cut it along the grain. Also, try to cut the beef in equally-sized chunks (2.5 cm), so about 1-inch cubes, so they cook equally without burning too quickly.
• Take the marinated beef pieces out of the fridge one hour before cooking, to bring them to room temperature. This way, they cook evenly so that the outside doesn't cook or burn, while the inside still stays cold.

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