TIKKA SKEWERS
The sun’s out, get the coals alight, and get ready for dinner in the garden this weekend! And to help, I’ve got a trio of exciting barbecue recipes for you, all of which are quick and easy to prepare.
So you can forget the burgers and bangers this weekend and surprise your family with a fresh and zingy barbecued beef salad, baked sweet potato jackets stuffed with soured cream, yogurt or simply lashings of butter, and some fiery veggie tikka skewers.
Throw some chocolate stuffed bananas in the embers for dessert and you’ll be a dinnertime hero!
Veggies needn’t feel left out at barbecues with these spiced kebabs
3tbsp tikka paste 500g tub yogurt
2tsp cumin seeds thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, finely grated
250g bag small new potatoes
300g paneer cheese, cut into chunks
3 red onions, peeled and sliced into wedges through the root
2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into chunks
5tbsp mango chutney small pack mint leaves, leaves picked 250g bag salad leaves
12 chapatis
1
Soak 12 wooden skewers in water for 30 mins (this helps to stop them burning). In a large bowl, mix together the tikka paste with half of the yogurt, the cumin, ginger and seasoning. Boil the potatoes in a pan of boiling salted water for 7 mins, then drain well and tip into the tikka mixture with the paneer. Gently mix into the marinade, then chill for at least 2 hrs to take on flavour. 2
To assemble the kebabs, alternately thread the marinated potatoes and paneer on to the skewers with the onions and peppers, then cover on a tray until you are ready to barbecue.
3
Heat the barbecue or grill. Mix the mango chutney into the remaining yogurt, and the mint leaves into the salad leaves. Barbecue or grill the kebabs for 10-15 mins, turning, until the veg are charred and softened. With a few minutes to go, add the chapatis to the barbecue in batches to warm through. Serve the kebabs with the minty salad, cooling mango yogurt and chapatis, and let everyone assemble their own wraps.