Grilled Kefta Skewers with Moroccan Spices

About This Recipe

Kefta mchermel, grilled seasoned meat skewers, are a fixture of Moroccan grill houses, where ground lamb or beef is worked with a heavy hand of cumin, paprika and fresh herbs before being molded onto skewers. Unlike a tagine version simmered in sauce, this grilled preparation depends entirely on a hot fire and a well-seasoned mixture to develop flavor, the meat charring on the outside within minutes while staying juicy inside thanks to a good ratio of fat. Served alongside a simple grilled tomato and pepper salad and warm khobz bread for wrapping, this is a straightforward, high-flavor dinner built for a grill rather than a slow afternoon at the stove.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 600 gground lamb
• 1onion(grated and squeezed dry)
• 4 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1/3 cupchopped cilantro
• 2 tbspchopped parsley
• 1.5 tspground cumin
• 1 tsppaprika
• 1/2 tspcinnamon
• 1/4 tspcayenne pepper
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 2tomatoes(for grilling)
• 2green peppers(for grilling)
• 2 tbspolive oil(for grilling vegetables)
• 4khobz or flatbreads(for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the meat

   Combine ground lamb with grated onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cayenne and salt.

2. 2

   Knead

   Knead the mixture by hand for 3-5 minutes until it becomes slightly sticky and well combined.

3. 3

   Shape onto skewers

   Mold the mixture around flat metal skewers into long, evenly shaped logs.

4. 4

   Chill briefly

   Refrigerate the shaped skewers 15 minutes to help them hold together on the grill.

5. 5

   Grill

   Grill over high heat, turning, 8-10 minutes total until well charred on the outside and cooked through.

   A hot, quick grill gives the best char without drying out the lean cuts of meat.

6. 6

   Grill the vegetables

   Grill tomatoes and peppers brushed with olive oil alongside until softened and charred.

7. 7

   Serve

   Serve the kefta skewers with the grilled vegetables and warm bread.

Variations

• •

  Ground beef can replace or be mixed with lamb for a slightly milder flavor.

• •

  Some versions add finely diced bell pepper directly into the meat mixture for texture.

• •

  A version simmered afterward in a light tomato sauce turns these into kefta mkaouara, a tagine-style dish instead of a grill dish.

Storage

Best grilled fresh; the raw seasoned mixture keeps refrigerated up to 2 days before shaping and grilling. Cooked leftovers reheat well in a hot dry pan.

Frequently Asked Questions