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

[smack]

I have two which I found (cut and pasted) I have been meaning to give a test run:

Charmoula
INGREDIENTS:
2 garlic cloves (chopped)
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 lemon (juice of)
1/2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
8 tablespoons fresh coriander (chopped)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Blend to a smooth paste all the ingredients either in a pestle & mortar if you’re up for the slog, or with a hand blender/food processor. Rub over the meat/fish/veggies and leave to do it’s magic, covered in the fridge for anywhere between 30 minutes to 4 hours

Moraccan Marinade:
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons melted butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon (juice only)
salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients and then marinade the meat for at least 3 hours.

[Le TVR]

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

[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?

[Le TVR]

Ras El Hanout can even be used dry and just rubbed into the meat or you can make a marinade with olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt (2:1 oil/juice).

[Mobile Chicane]

Thanks. I'll do that

[gib786]

Le TVR said:

Ras El Hanout can even be used dry and just rubbed into the meat or you can make a marinade with olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic and salt (2:1 oil/juice).

Sweet, brought some ras el hanout back from morocco. Finally got a reason to use it

[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...

[Le TVR]

Mobile Chicane said:

How much

Piece of string really...
I would probably put a tablespoon in. A couple of teaspoons at least.

[Mobile Chicane]

Thanks!

[Kneetrembler]

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

There are a number of variations of how to make tradional Ras el Hanout, and some are quite difficult to make as we canot always get the correct herbs & spices as used in genuine Moroccan Cuisine.

One of the best books that I have read and used for Moroccan Cuisine is called Morrocan Cuisine by Paula Wolfert ISBN 1-898697-87-6 Published by Grub Street, The Basement

[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.

[smack]

Looks good MC

[Mobile Chicane]

I'll tell him ;-)

[smack]

Mobile Chicane said:

I'll tell him ;-)

touche!

[markreilly]

If you want to make some Tandoori Chicken kebabs,either use Madir Majaffri's recipe if you have time(sublime) or get some East End brand Tandoori Mix from any good Asian shop which comes a close second.

[smack]

markreilly said:

If you want to make some Tandoori Chicken kebabs,either use Madir Majaffri's recipe if you have time(sublime) or get some East End brand Tandoori Mix from any good Asian shop which comes a close second.

Only problem with commercial Mixes, is many have food dye included, which is made from Coal Tar. That is thanks to the 1970's when Tandoori arrived in the UK, the restaurateurs diced the make it bright red. They have never done that in Northern India, where this style of cooking comes from.
Anyhow, it is piss easy to make it from scratch if you have the spices on hand.

[Mobile Chicane]

smack said:

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

Do tell.

[smack]

Mobile Chicane said:

smack said:

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

Do tell.

I will dig out the recipe.

[Kneetrembler]

Here is one recipe from Pat Chapman:-

RED TANDOORI PASTE
40g Coriander
30g Cumin
40g Garlic Powder
40g Paprika
20g Ginger
20g Mango Powder
20g Dried Mint
20g Beetroot Powder
10g Anatto seed Powder
10g Chilli Powder
5g Red Food Coloouring ( optional)

Put the mixture into a bowl together and mix well,add just enough water to make a paste thick enough to drop sluggishly off a spoon.

Red Marinade from the above:-

150g Natural Yoghurt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2-3 Garlic Cloves finely chopped
2-3 Fresh Red Chillies finely chopped
2 Tablespoons of finely chopped fresh Coriander leaves
1 Teaspoon white Cumin Seeds, roasted
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala
2 Tablespoons of the Red Tandoori Paste as above
1 Tablespoon of Tomato Puree
Half a teaspoon aromatic table salt

Put all of the ingredients together in a blender and start pulsing, gradually drizzle in some water to enable you to pour out a very thick cream.

Then place either your chicken,lamb of fish in a dish and marinate overnight and either BBQ or grill.

The original amount of tandoori paste that you made will be about 250g, bear in mind that you are only actually using 2 Tablespoonfuls so store the rest in a screw top jar in the fridge, as altogether it will make up 675g.

Have fun