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Ugandan Kabobs

If you’ve got The Catholic All Year Compendium, you might remember the story of our Advent novena with a Ugandan priest who told the kids a VERY memorable tale about the Christmas Eve slaughtering of cows in Uganda. So we make these Ugandan Kabobs for the feast of Saint Charles Lwanga & Companions and we make them with beef! Kabobs in general are a favorite party food in our home. For a larger party, or for choosier guests, I’ll pre-cook various kabob ingredients and put them out individually to let guests assemble their own skewers. (I keep utensils and pans separate if cooking for guests with food allergies.) Ugandan kabobs are often made with meatballs, but I also like this quicker steak version. The spice traditionally used would be harissa paste, but chipotle or other chili paste, or a dry spice mix can be substituted in the marinade.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Marinate 1 hour
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

For the kabobs:

  • 1 ½ lbs sirloin steak in 2 inch cubes
  • 1 yellow bell pepper seeded and cut into 2 inch squares
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and cut into 2 inch squares
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 10-20 cherry tomatoes
  • Wooden or metal skewers

For the marinade:

  • ½ cup peanut oil
  • 2 lemons juiced
  • 2 tsp or to taste chili paste or seasoning mix
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

For the dipping sauce (optional):

  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 ⁄4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 small jalapeño pepper seeded and finely chopped
  • 3 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
 

  • Cube the meat, peppers, and onion and place them in a zip-top bag. Whisk together the marinade and pour it into the bag. Seal the bag and shake it a bit to coat. Refrigerate the bag for at least an hour, or overnight. If you’re using wooden skewers, you can soak them in water while the meat marinates. (Pre-soaked skewers can be stored in the freezer for later use.) Thread the meat and veggies onto the skewer, including the tomatoes.
  • Grill over medium heat on a well-oiled grill until cooked as desired, about five minutes per side.
  • Serve with flatbread, in Uganda it’s called chapati. (See recipe from Holy Thursday.)