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This Bahraini tikka recipe comes from Dina's book, Bahari: Recipes from an Omani Kitchen and Beyond (£26, DK).

Dina says: "Both my mother’s and father’s families have ancestry from Bahrain. In Oman, people with this lineage are known as Bahranis or Baharnas. Having such a small and close community means we are all familiar with each family’s characteristics and cuisines, and so Bahraini tikka is well-known and loved among our community in Muscat. There is only one place in Muscat that does a good one – the shop mainly makes shawarmas, and is called Antalya after the city in Turkey, but nestled in the back is a man who makes excellent tikka: succulent, chargrilled skewers with a tender tang. It is essential that you eat this meat with bread, as the dried lime comes in very sharp if eaten on its own. Serve with flatbreads, hummus, raw onions, salad and sliced oranges."


Bahraini tikka recipe

  • 600g beef fillet
    cut into 2.5cm cubes
  • 3 tbsp garlic paste
  • 2 tbsp ground dried lime
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    plus extra for brushing

Nutrition: per skewer

  • kcal84
  • fat5g
  • saturates1.4g
  • carbs0.9g
  • sugars0.1g
  • fibre0.6g
  • protein8.6g
  • salt0.5g

Method

  • step 1

    Combine all the ingredients plus 1 tsp of salt in a large bowl and massage with your hands to make sure the marinade has coated the meat well.

  • step 2

    Cover the bowl and put in the fridge for at least 1 hr but no more than 4 hrs, or the acidity from the lime will tenderise the meat too much.

  • step 3

    If you’re using an outdoor grill or barbecue, or an indoor grill, heat it to medium-high. If you’re using a griddle pan, heat over a medium-high heat and brush generously with oil.

  • step 4

    Thread the beef chunks onto skewers, adding five chunks to each one. Cook the beef for 3-4 mins on each side, leaving it slightly pink in the middle but nicely charred on the outside.

  • step 5

    Serve the tikka with your chosen accompaniments. If you cooked it in a griddle pan, drizzle over any excess juices from the pan to serve.

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