Malagasy
Gluten freeMasikita
Grilled beef skewers
Masikita: little zebu-style beef skewers grilled over charcoal at Malagasy street stalls
As the light fades in Mahajanga, Toliara and Antananarivo, the smoke from masikita grills drifts along the pavements, with vendors fanning glowing charcoal under rows of tiny skewers. In Madagascar they are made with zebu, the humped cattle that are central to life on the island; good beef rump or sirloin is the closest match at home. Small cubes are marinated with garlic, ginger, pepper and a little oil, threaded tightly and grilled fast, so the outside chars and the inside stays juicy. Eat them straight off the stick with sakay, a squeeze of lime and a cold drink, or with rice for dinner. Cutting the cubes too big is the common mistake: masikita should be bite-sized so they cook through in minutes. Chef's tip: soak wooden skewers for 30 minutes first so they don't burn before the beef is done.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 270 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb beef rump or sirlointrimmed, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 3 garlic clovescrushed
- ½ oz fresh gingerfinely grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 16 wooden skewerssoaked in water for 30 minutes
- 1 lime (optional)cut into wedges, to serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅓ lb beef rump or sirloin with 3 garlic cloves, ½ oz fresh ginger, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ground black pepper and 1 tbsp sunflower oil in a bowl. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours.
30 minStep 2: Light a charcoal grill or heat a griddle pan over a high heat until it is very hot.
10 minStep 3: Thread 4 or 5 cubes of beef tightly onto each soaked 16 wooden skewers, leaving the bottom third of the stick bare as a handle.
Step 4: Brush the skewers with the rest of 1 tbsp sunflower oil and grill, turning every minute or so, until well charred on the outside and cooked through to your liking; Malagasy street stalls cook them well done, with no pink left.
6 minStep 5: Serve hot with sakay and 1 lime.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does masikita take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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