Shish Kebab

Shish Kebab with Hummus and Tabbouleh

Grilling meat on a skewer over coals is one of the most basic forms of cooking. So kebabs, in their many forms, are popular throughout a huge area covering the Eastern Mediterranean, North Africa, the Caucasus and on to the Indian sub-continent (from whence they spread to South East Asia as satays). There’s shaved doner kebabs (also called gyros, yeeros or shwarma), minced kefta or kofte and, my favourite: shish kebab. While ‘shish’ simply means skewer and ‘kebab’, roasted meat, shish kebabs as we know them are generally made from cubed lamb. They’re tasty, juicy and super simple to prepare ahead of time, making them perfect for a casual barbecue with friends. Pour a glass of Yeni raki or, for a truly Australian spin, Oozo Aussie ouzo distilled in the Barossa Valley, and dig in! See the video below for Michael Rantissi’s green tahini sauce which is a great addition to these kebabs too!

Makes 8 kebabs (Serves 4)

Ingredients
  • 500g lamb backstrap
  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, coarsley crushed
  • 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • 2 teaspoons salt flakes, crushed
  • 1 red onion, peeled
  • Hummus, for serving
  • Kisir (or tabouli), for serving
  • Lebanese bread, for serving
Method
  1. Cut lamb into 24 cubes.
  2. Combine oil, garlic, cumin, chilli and salt.
  3. Add lamb, toss well to combine, cover and refrigerate overnight or set aside at room temperature for an hour or 2. If refrigerating, bring back to room temperature before cooking.
  4. Slice onion into eight wedges, then cut each piece in half to give 16 small layered wedges.
  5. Preheat a barbecue or char-grill pan.
  6. Meanwhile, thread 3 pieces of lamb onto each of 8 small skewers with a wedge of onion between each piece (metal is traditional, but bamboo works just as well).
  7. Cook skewers for 2-3 minutes, until well coloured, then turn and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until cooked to your liking.
  8. Serve with hummus, kisir or tabouli and Lebanese bread for everyone to make their own wraps.

Like this recipe?
You’ll love A Month of Middle Eastern Recipes+Videos Online Cooking Class
Inspired by Michael Rantissi!

Share page on:

Michael Rantissi's Green Tahini Sauce

Join Me Soon

What Our Cooks Say

Melisa (Beacon Hill, NSW)
Melisa (Beacon Hill, NSW)
Read More
We made the pot-sticker dumplings and bang bang chicken – once again both exceeded our expectations. My husband keeps saying it’s better ordering this than going out to restaurants as the recipes and food quality are amazing.
Glennis (Caringbah South, NSW)
Glennis (Caringbah South, NSW)
Read More
The whole Be Inspired experience has helped me love cooking again. I was sick of cooking the same old things - meal time is a lot brighter thanks to you Roberta.
Kate (Killara, NSW)
Kate (Killara, NSW)
Read More
I loved the Fresh & Easy Chicken – simple instructions, only a few ingredients and the time factor absolutely spot on. Then came the highlight, the taste, no compromise on the enjoyment of that meal! For the time poor Fresh & Easy hits the mark indeed.
Jen (Tamarama, NSW)
Jen (Tamarama, NSW)
Read More
Thank you for stocking our pantry with such authentic ingredients and quality produce ... I’ve so enjoyed picking fresh leaves from the herb pots and loved listening to the chef's playlist while cooking. We really like the flexibility of cooking over a couple of days and changing the order we cook the dishes in when we want to.
Katrina (Arncliffe, NSW)
Katrina (Arncliffe, NSW)
Read More
I am absolutely loving these boxes! There are ingredients I have never worked with before so having the confidence to try something new is so much fun! The recipes are just amazing and the notes on what can be prep’d beforehand are a great help too. Thank you so much.
Nathan (Manly, NSW)
Nathan (Manly, NSW)
Read More
Loving Be Inspired! Felt like a kid opening up a Christmas present when the box arrived. Fresh herb pots are a nice touch!
Richard (Earlwood, NSW)
Richard (Earlwood, NSW)
Read More
Thanks so much for the Fresh & Easy Meal, it was excellent. We regularly get another meal kit delivery – your offering is vastly superior and a similar price, so big ticks.
Sandra (Garran, ACT)
Sandra (Garran, ACT)
Read More
I'm a competent cook whose learned so much from the Recipes+Videos Packs. The recipes are yummy and Roberta’s video guidance offers so many little tips to improve flavour and organise the flow of preparation. I enjoy her warmth, sense of humour, and ability to giggle at herself when she occasionally messes up.
Previous
Next
Subscribe To My Newsletter & Get A Free Online Italian Cooking Class (RRP $39)