Shish Kebab recipe

A shish kebab can be made with almost any combination of meat and vegetables, cubed and threaded onto skewers before being grilled or barbecued. Lamb, beef or chicken all work well, but the important thing is to marinate the meat before threading it on to the skewers, so that it will stay tender over the high heat of the coals.

If you are using metal skewers, choose ones with a flat or square profile, rather than round, to avoid the frustration of the meat cubes slipping round as you turn the kebabs on the grill. Wooden bamboo skewers are often easier for this, but should be soaked before threading on the meat, so the ends don’t burn while cooking.

There is no one recipe for shish kebabs. You can make them with whatever combination of meat and vegetables you like best. Choose a marinade for your meat from the list of suggestions below and alternate the meat cubes with some of the following vegetables:

•    Red, green or yellow peppers cut in squares
•    Courgettes in chunks
•    Whole button mushrooms marinated
•    Red onion quartered and separated into layers
•    Dried apricots soaked
•    Aubergine cubes brushed with oil
•    Cherry tomatoes whole

Marinades for chicken
•    ½ cup of plain yoghurt mixed with 1 teaspoon thai green curry paste
•    ½ cup plain yoghurt with ½ teaspoon cumin and ½ teaspoon coriander
•    olive oil, lemon juice and crushed garlic

Marinades for beef
•    2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 onion
•    3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 clove garlic crushed

Marinades for lamb
•    2 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, fresh rosemary chopped, 1 clove garlic crushed, salt and pepper
•    3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon coriander, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1 clove garlic crushed

You can adapt and vary the marinades with your own spice mixtures as much as you like. Marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes before threading onto skewers. Beef and lamb are better marinated overnight to be really tender and full of flavour.

Cook your shish kebabs over a barbecue for best results, or else on a griddle pan on the hob. They can also be cooked under the grill. Usually they will take about 12-15 minutes, turning regularly, so that they cook evenly. Cut into a piece of meat to check if it is done in the middle.

Feeling like eating out tonight? Try the shish kebabs at Mogal-E-Azam restaurant in Nottingham for that great char-grilled flavour.