Moroccan marinade for lamb kebabs

[Mobile Chicane]

I need a Moroccan / North African marinade for lamb kebabs - these will be skewered and BBQd. Any good ones to share?

Also accompaniments. I'm thinking:

- Chicken skewers marinated in chilli, lemon and thyme, BBQd
- Cinnamon scented couscous with sultanas and toasted pine nuts
- Moroccan carrot salad with orange flower water and pomegranate

Any suggestions as to what else? I think I need something 'yogurty'.

TVMIA

[Mobile Chicane]

Le TVR said:

For Moroccan there is only one choice, Ras El Hanout.

This is a fairly complex mix of spices that is used as a basis of a lot of their cooking:

1 coffee spoon caraway seeds
1 coffee spoon Cumin
1 / 4 coffee spoon cardamom seeds
1 cinnamon stick
6 red pepper corns
4 whole cloves
1 / 2 coffee spoon dried lavender (optional)
1 1 / 2 coffee spoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 coffee spoon coriander
1 / 2 coffee spoon cayenne pepper
1 / 4 coffee spoon de ground mace
1 / 4 coffee spoon ground turmeric

Fry the carraway, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, pepper corns and cloves in a thick pan with no oil until roasted.
Allow to cool then grind to powder.
Mix with the ground spices.

(edited for obvious reasons )

Edited by Le TVR on Thursday 3rd June 14:39

Don't worry, I'd worked it out.

I cheated and bought some since I don't have a spice grinder, just a pestle and mortar.

Question is, what do I add to the mix to make a marinade? How about olive oil and a crushed garlic clove? Maybe some salt as well?

[Mobile Chicane]

Thanks. I'll do that

[Mobile Chicane]

Just about to start marinating. How much ras el hanout to use for 500g of lamb?

I've got the juice of a lemon and 2 x the volume of olive oil...

[Mobile Chicane]

Thanks!

[Mobile Chicane]

The ras el hanout was a great success - if anything I think I should have used more of it.

Ravenous best friend having cycled up Box Hill (yes, the piss was taken about the mankini):



Lamb skewers plus a random chicken one marinating:



The eating:



Chicken was sublime after two hours in the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and ras el hanout marinade. The lamb could have done with overnight.

However the ras el hanout treatment was delicious and something I'll be trying again.

[Mobile Chicane]

I'll tell him ;-)

[Mobile Chicane]

smack said:

Anyhow, it is piss easy to make it from scratch if you have the spices on hand.

Do tell.

[Mobile Chicane]

Kneetrembler said:

smack said:

Kneetrembler said:

Here is one recipe from Pat Chapman:-

I have the same recipe book, The New Curry Bible. I think his research and knowledge on Indian food is great, but his recipes go against all the traditional/family Indian recipes I have found.
Though he documents "Restaurant Style" methods for each dish, which is interesting, which usually equates to, take one of 2 gravy bases, and add a few additions, and job done. Curry House visits are now such a disappointment these days!

+1

We seem to have a similar interest in Indian cuisine, out of my Cookery books I have more Indian Cookery books than any others, I guess you could say I'm addicted to Indian food.

But do any of the recipes taste like 'proper' home made Indian food?

I had a friend at school whose family were originally from Gujerat. Her grandmother spent all day in the kitchen making exquisite vegetable dishes, pickles and fish curries the likes of which I've never had since.

No recipes I've tried are even close, though I suspect the secret may lie in technique rather than ingredients.