Where it comes from
Brochettes are the grilled-meat street food of the Sahel and Central Africa — skewers seared over coals at roadside braziers, dusted with hot spice. Cheap, smoky and everywhere, they are the snack of the market and the bus stop.
On the plate
Pull a piece off a brochette — charred-edged meat cube, glossy with palm-oil-and-paprika marinade. Bite: outside slightly crispy from grill, inside tender and juicy, the spice marinade penetrating; the piri-piri builds heat. With a wedge of lemon and a cold mokoma-tinted beer, this is Bangui street-food evening.
How it works
Marinating tenderizes and flavors. Soaking skewers prevents burning. Hot grill creates char while keeping inside tender.
Variations
With chicken. With lamb. With added bell pepper between cubes. With peanut-spice rub (kankankan-style). With more chili. With lemongrass.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓30 min active · 30 min waiting
How it's made
7 steps · Show ↓- 14 min
Cut 600 g beef shoulder (or goat) into 2-cm cubes.
- 232 min
Marinate: combine 4 minced garlic, 1 thumb ginger, 2 piri-piri, 2 tbsp palm oil, juice of 1 lemon, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp ground cumin. Toss meat; rest 30 min.
- 314 min
Soak 12 wooden skewers in water 15 min (prevents burning).
- 44 min
Thread meat onto skewers, 4-5 cubes per skewer.
- 512 min
Light a charcoal fire; let it burn to glowing embers.
- 614 min
Grill brochettes 3-4 min per side, total 12-15 min, turning, until well-browned and cooked through.
- 71 min
Serve hot with chili sauce, lemon wedges, and rice or boiled cassava.
