kebabs with sauce

Cooking food on skewers is a brilliant way to make smaller ‘bits and pieces’ feel like something more substantial. The dish in the picture is pork with a satay sauce.

per person
200g (7oz) protein or veg
1 tablespoon marinade ingredient
sauce, to serve
greens or salad, to serve
flatbread or tortillas, optional, to serve

1. Cut protein or veg into bight sized cubes and place in a small bowl with the marinade.

2. Place a skillet or frying pan or BBQ on a high heat.

3. Thread protein or veg onto 2 bamboo skewers.

4. Add a little oil to the pan and cook skewers for 3 minutes on the first side. Turn then cook for another 2-3 minutes or until just cooked.

5. Serve skewers with sauce drizzled over . And salad / greens / flatbread passed separately.

variations

protein – tender cuts of meat like pork fillet, lamb fillet, pork neck, beef fillet, steak, chicken breasts or thighs. Fish fillets. Tofu. Setian. Chorizo, squid, prawns (shrimp). Ground meat can also be used – just form into ‘sausages’ with your hands and thread onto the skewers.

veg – looking for veg which will cook in a relatively short amount of time AND hold its shape on the skewer. Zucchini, red capsicum ( bell peppers), mushrooms, Or used cooked veg such as sweet potato, pumpkin, potatoes, parsnips, celeriac, fennel.

marinade ingredient – soy sauce, lemon juice, lime juice, sherry or rice vinegar. Spices can also work here (1/2 – 1 teaspoon per person + 1 tablespoon oil) smoked paprika, ground cumin, ground coriander seed, curry powder, garam marsala.

satay sauce – combine 2-3 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 teaspoon thai red curry paste or some fresh chilli, 1-2 teaspoons soy sauce and 2 teaspoons oil per person.

other sauces – hummus, pesto, herb & nut sauce, hoisin sauce or sriracha (chilili sauce). Even ketchup or BBQ sauce.

leftover potential?

OK. Most kebabs work best when fresh but can be served cold wrapped in fresh flatbread with the sauce. Will keep in the fridge for a week or so.

problem solving guide

protein dry – it’s important not to overcook the protein as it easily dries out. Best to err on the side of slightly undercooked.

bland – be generous with the seasoning. Next time try a different sauce.

short on time? – skip the threading onto the skewers and just stir fry the cubes or pork until just cooked and serve drizzled with the peanut sauce.