Savory Moroccan Kebabs

Authentic Moroccan style kebabs simmering on a bed of golden onions, packed with aromatic spices and fresh herbs…..Yes, please!

If you have been following along at Soul+Streusel, you already know my Moroccan landlady, aka our adopted grandmother, Esther. She packs a punch in the kitchen. She is clean and tidy and her kitchen is somehow spotless, all the cooking done and wrapped, by 9 am on Friday morning. Yeah, NINE AM. 

That is precisely the time I stumble up the stairs to her house with my slippers on, and with one eye all squinty, ask her if she has extra sugar for my challah because I ran out. I then peer my head in a little deeper so I can see the clean counters shining, and ask her what she made for Shabbat. “Ahhhhhh”, she tells me, come look! and I say  yes pleaseeee, because  this is where one really learns all the secrets. She shows me her 100 Moroccan salads, all chopped and in separate bowls covered in Saran Wrap in the fridge. She cuts me a slice of one of her breakfast cakes. We peek under the lid of the spicy salmon with peppers, and I get to smell the kebabs. And THAT is precisely the moment where I ditch my whole shabbat menu and decide to make everything she made. 

Shwaya Shwaya(slowly slowly in Arabic), that is becoming a possibility. My recipe book is growing, and so is my collection of Moroccan spices.

The spice we will be showcasing today is called Ras el Chanout. It is translated as “The best in the Shop”, and is basically a blend of all the spice keepers’ best stuff. An Arabic spice blend. This stuff is veryyyy flavourful so you really only need a pinch, but oh, what it adds!

What is Ras el Chanout made of? 

Each blend is a bit different, depending on the shop, family or brand. You can expect to see spices like cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, dry ginger, peppercorn, and paprika.

Love food? Try these other delicious Moroccan dishes:

One pot Moroccan fish

Moroccan fish Ktzizot

Can you make your own Ras el Chanout spice mix?

Apparently, you can. Try these recipes for giving it a go at home- Ras el Hanout recipe on Epicurious. Ras el Hanout on the Spruce Eats.

Where can I buy Ras el Chanout?

In Israel(where I live), this spice blend can be found in any local shuk or spice shop. The local supermarkets tend not to carry it. The first time I asked for it I sounded like an idiot trying to pronounce it(I only wrote down how I thought it sounded from what Esther told me). Having never heard of it before, I wasn’t even sure If I would find it, but it is popular here with Moroccan/Israeli cooks! I had the shop worker repeat it three times with me so I had it down for the next time.

You can find it on Amazon <BUY HERE>affiliate link. It’s made by the popular Israeli spice brand,Pereg, and is Kosher.

Why are the kebabs baked AND pan fried?

Simply, so they don’t fall apart in the pan. Short- baking them first keeps them together so once placed in the pan on the bed of onions, they won’t crumble and break.

I hope you enjoy these Kebabs! Say hello on Insta and tag your photos with estee_bestie!

Love, Estee

Moroccan Kebabs

Estee

Savory Moroccan style kebabs on a bed of golden sautéed onion.

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Ingredients

  

• 500 gram ground meat
• 1 1/2 onions, diced and divided(set 1 full onion aside)
• 1 slice white bread
• 1/3 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ras el hanout spice mix (link to get this on amazon above)
• 1/2 tsp chicken soup mix
• 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

 

Mix

• Add ground meat and 1/2 onion, minced, to a large bowl. Break up the bread slice and crumble it in. Add chopped parsley, turmeric, paprika, black pepper, ras el hanout, chicken soup mix, and olive oil. Mix well to combine.

Bake

• Preheat oven to 175 celsius. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Shape the meat mixture into kebab shapes( an oval with the ends a little pointed), and place on the parchment. Drizzle tops lightly with olive oil, and place in the oven to cook for 10-12 minutes.

Saute

• While the kebabs are in the oven, add 1 1/2 Tbs oil to a high rimmed pan, and once the oil is hot, add in one large onion, minced. Saute until fragrant and golden. Remove the kebabs from the oven and with tongs, gently transfer them to the pan with the onions. Simply place the kebabs on top of the onions. Turn the flame on to medium, cover the pan with a lid, and let the kebabs cook for about 10-15 minutes, until cooked all the way through. Enjoy hot!