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1
Season the Lamb
10 Mins
Room temperature
Put the lamb cubes in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the 200 g of sliced marinade onion, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin and paprika, and toss so every cube is coated in spice.
Use a glass, ceramic or stainless bowl — vinegar reacts with aluminium and can give the meat a metallic taste.
Done when: Every cube is evenly dusted with spice and mixed through with onion rings.
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2
Marinate in Onion & Vinegar
4 Hours
Fridge, 4°C (40°F)
Pour the sunflower oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice over the meat. Mix with your hands, squeezing the onion half-rings firmly so their juice runs into the marinade. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the most tender result. Turn the meat once halfway through.
Never marinate meat on the counter — keep it cold the whole time, and never use the leftover marinade as a sauce unless you boil it first.
Done when: The onion has softened and the meat smells sharp and savoury from the vinegar and lemon.
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3
Light the Charcoal
30 Mins
High heat, about 230°C (450°F) at the grate
Light a charcoal grill (a mangal, or any charcoal barbecue) and let the coals burn down until they are covered in grey ash and glowing red underneath — about 30 minutes. The heat should be fierce enough that you can only hold your hand 15 cm above the coals for 2–3 seconds.
Wait for the ash stage — cooking over open flames chars the outside black before the inside is done.
Done when: Coals are grey-white on top with a red glow beneath and no open flames.
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4
Thread the Skewers
10 Mins
Room temperature
Lift the lamb out of the marinade and shake off the onion rings (discard them). Thread the cubes onto flat metal skewers, leaving a small gap between pieces so the heat reaches every side. Lay the halved tomatoes cut-side down on the grill beside the skewers.
Flat skewers stop the cubes spinning when you turn them; round skewers let the meat roll and cook unevenly.
Done when: Skewers are evenly loaded with a finger's width between cubes; tomatoes sit cut-side down.
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5
Grill Over the Coals
15 Mins
About 230°C (450°F); lamb to at least 63°C (145°F)
Lay the skewers across the coals and grill for 12–15 minutes, turning every 3–4 minutes so all four sides brown evenly. The outside should be dark and crisp at the edges while the centre stays juicy. Check the thickest cube with a thermometer — it must reach at least 63°C (145°F), then rest 3 minutes before serving. The tomatoes need about 8 minutes, until softened and blistered.
Keep a spray bottle of water handy — if fat drips and flares, a quick spritz saves the meat from bitter black soot.
Done when: The lamb is browned and lightly charred at the edges, juices run clear, and the centre reads at least 63°C (145°F).
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6
Rest & Serve
5 Mins
Serve hot
Slide the lamb off the skewers onto a warm platter. Scatter the fresh 100 g of sliced onion over the top, lay the grilled tomato halves alongside, and serve at once with hot flatbread.
Slide the meat off with a piece of flatbread instead of a fork — the bread catches the juices and the meat stays intact.
Done when: The meat rests 3 minutes, the onion is crisp and raw, and the tomatoes are soft and blistered.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the skewers the moment they leave the grill, piled on warm flatbread with raw sliced onion and grilled tomato — the bread soaks up the smoky juices, and the sharp onion cuts the richness of the lamb.
Tajikistan
1h 30m
France
Vietnam