MISHKAKI DEJAJ
OMAN | ZANZIBAR
Mishkaki (mishkak in Oman) are the quintessential street food in Oman as well as in Zanzibar, once part of the Sultanate of Oman. They are basically grilled kebabs sold from stalls by the roadside or in the famous Forodhani Gardens in Stone Town, Zanzibar. You can identify the stalls from far away by the smoke rising over the charcoal grills, and as you get closer, by the smell of the grilling meat. Mishkaki make a great snack eaten on their own or a lovely quick meal wrapped in warm flatbread, garnished with herbs and sliced tomatoes and onions. You can use chicken as below, or meat or even shrimp. The marinade and sauce remain the same.
SERVES 4 TO 6
FOR THE MARINADE
1 medium tomato (about 3½ ounces/100 g), cut into quarters
1 inch (2.5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled
4 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup (125 g) labneh
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Sea salt
FOR THE CHICKEN
2¼ pounds (1 kg) boneless chicken meat, both dark and white, cut into bite-size pieces
FOR THE ZANZIBARI SAUCE
1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
Sea salt
1. To make the marinade: Put the tomato, ginger, and garlic in a food processor and process until completely pureed. Transfer to a bowl and add the labneh, oil, spices, and salt to taste. Mix well.
2. To prepare the chicken: Add the chicken to the marinade and mix to coat well. Let marinate for at least 2 hours in a cool place, preferably longer in the refrigerator.
3. Prepare a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill or preheat the broiler to high. Soak 8 medium bamboo skewers for 30 minutes in cold water.
4. Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers and grill or broil for 5 minutes on each side, or until the meat is crisp on the outside, and cooked through but still juicy on the inside.
5. Meanwhile, to make the Zanzibari sauce: Put 2 cups (500 ml) water in a small saucepan. Add the flour, turmeric, and cayenne and whisk until completely blended. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking all the time. Let simmer for a few minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and take off the heat.
6. Serve the chicken mishkaki with the sauce.