Moorish Kebabs (Pinchitos Morunos)

Pinchitos Morunos are marinated kebabs of Moroccan origin and they are perfect for any summer barbeque. The blend of spices might not be easy to obtain, and even when it is available it can vary greatly from one place to another, but in this recipe the spices are perfectly balanced. You can use any type of meat for these kebabs. In Morocco they are prepared with lamb, and in Spain it is traditionally prepared with pork. For a leaner alternative you can use chicken breast, although I recommend using turkey thigh as it is very tasty and moist, and doesn’t dry out like breast meat does.

Ingredients

• 500g turkey thigh (see above for alternatives)
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp smoked Spanish paprika
• 1½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp oregano
• ½ tsp chilli powder or flakes (optional)
• 1 large crushed clove of garlic (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Serves 2 portions (4 kebabs).  380 kcal per portion.

First of all cut the meat into bite size pieces and place in a bowl. Add the spices, oil, and the juice of the lemon to the meat and mix well to ensure all the pieces are coted evenly. You can cover the bowl and place in a refrigerator for a few hours to marinate (as little as 2 hours will still do the trick, but 8 hours or overnight works best).

When you are ready to cook the kebabs you can start preheating the grill, griddle, or barbeque. You can then start putting the meat pieces on skewers, or on cocktail sticks (not advisable for the barbeque!), threading an equal number to each skewer. It is extremely important that the kebabs are cooked thoroughly and should be turned every few minutes so that they are cooked equally on all sides. Usually 20 minutes cooking time on a medium to high should be sufficient but this may vary and you check to see if the are done before taking them off the heat.

Serving suggestions: You can serve these kebabs with cous cous, chips, or a simple salad. Also, the quantities are scaleable, so if you are doing this for a barbeque you can multiply the quantities depending on the portions you require. Also, you can make these kebabs spicy (hot) by adding ¼ tsp of chilli powder, or ¼ tsp of harissa paste, but this is totally to individual taste, and caution should be taken when using harissa!