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Sooyaal (Somali grilled meat skewers): recipe illustration
Meat

Sooyaal (Somali grilled meat skewers)

Pieces of goat or lamb marinated in cumin, garlic and chilli, then grilled over charcoal. Sooyaal are hugely popular on the streets of Mogadishu, served with flatbread and a tangy lemon sauce.

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Ingredients

Ingredients

Spices & seasoning

Optional extras

On the side

Instructions

  1. Cut the meat into 3 cm cubes and trim away most of the fat.
  2. Mix the crushed garlic, cumin, chilli, salt, pepper, oil and half the lemon juice.
  3. Coat the meat in this marinade, cover and leave to rest for at least 2 hours in the fridge, ideally overnight.
  4. Thread the pieces onto wooden skewers soaked in water for 30 minutes so they don't burn.
  5. Grill the skewers on a barbecue or very hot griddle pan for about 3 to 4 minutes per side, until golden and just cooked through.
  6. While the meat cooks, thinly slice the red onion and toss it with the coriander and the rest of the lemon juice.
  7. Serve the skewers hot with the onion, coriander and lemon wedges.

Variations and tips

Chicken version. Replace the meat with cubes of boneless chicken thigh, reducing the cooking time to 8 minutes.

Using what's available here. Goat or lamb is sold at halal butchers; otherwise use shoulder of beef or lamb from the supermarket.

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Original Ecomely recipe.