MEAT RECIPE (TSIRE)

Tsire (in Ghana is known as Chichinga)  is another delicious morsel of meat on a skewer you can eat. Tsire is mostly prepared by the Hausas, from the Northern part of Nigeria. This is another street food which can be cooked over an open fire in the market place or sold by the road side. 

The strips of beef are coated with peanut butter, hot red peppers and spices. It can be grilled till they are deliciously charbroiled or with oven. It can also be substituted with roasted cashew which also gives it a wonderful flavor.

                                                         Ingredients
 

1/4 cup roasted peanuts or cashews (salted or unsalted)

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

Salt to taste

3/4 pound steak (use a tender cut – I used sirloin), thinly (about 1/4-inch) sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil or 2 tablespoon peanut oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

Salad:

2 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 cup sliced sweet onion

1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup cucumber slices

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or parsley

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt to taste

                                                 

Preparation

1.    Place the roasted nuts into a blender (best), food processor or a mortar and pestle. Process until you get a fine powder. Try not to over process or you will be making this with homemade nut butter, but that will work too.

2.    Place the ground nuts, paprika, garlic, ginger, ground red pepper, in a small bowl. Toss to completely blend.

          3.    Place the meat in a zip lock bag. Add 1 tablespoon olive 

               oil and and lime juice; toss to coat.

4.    Add half the nut mixture and toss to coat. Add remaining nut mixture and toss to coat completely. Let it marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

5.    While the meat is marinating, prepare the salad by combining the cabbage, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers and chopped herbs in a large bowl. Toss to combine but do not dress yet.

6.    Preheat the grill or broiler. String the beef onto skewers; place on a jelly roll pan lined with aluminum foil.

                                                                                       

7.    Cook 2 to 4 minutes per side or until desired doneness (cooking times may vary depending on how thinly you cut the beef).

8.    While the beef is cooking, add the lemon juice, olive oil, and salt to the salad and toss.

9.    Place the salad on a serving platter. Top with beef skewers.