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Omani · Gulf Arab

Mishkak

Non-vegetarian

مشكاك · mishkak

Small cubes of beef marinated in tamarind, garlic and chilli, threaded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal. Oman's favourite evening street snack, sold from smoky roadside grills.

Mishkak is an Omani grilled dish, ready in about 4 hours 30 minutes and made with beef sirloin steak and tamarind paste. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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No licensed photograph of this dish yet.

Prep
20 min
Cook
10 min
Total
4 h 30 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
326

Includes at least 4 hours marinating.

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mix the tamarind, garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, spices, lemon juice (opens in a new tab), oil and salt. Toss the beef in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

    • 10 min

    Food safety: Marinate raw beef in the fridge, never at room temperature.

    Meat coated in a spiced marinade in a bowl
    How it looks · Photo: Ip Photographer on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Thread the beef onto skewers (opens in a new tab), packing the pieces closely. Soak wooden skewers in water first.

    Food cooking over a grill
    How it looks · Photo: Malte Luk on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Grill over very hot coals, turning often and basting with leftover marinade, until charred outside and juicy inside.

    Food safety: Stop basting with the raw marinade for the last 2 minutes so it cooks through.

About this dish

Origin
Oman · Commonly attributedStrongly associated with Oman; also sold in the UAE.Also popular in United Arab EmiratesMore food from Oman
Dish
Snack · Dinner · Grills & kebabs · Street food · Appetizers & starters
Cooking method
Grilled, Barbecued, Marinated / cured
Taste
tangy, smoky, spicy (chilli heat), savoury
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Beef-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Street food · Portable / lunchbox
Cook more with
Beef sirloin steak · Tamarind paste · Garlic · Fresh ginger · Cayenne / chilli powder · Paprika
Techniques
Grilling · Charcoal grilling · Marinating · Curing

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

326 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 206 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 49%
  • Carbohydrate 11%
  • Fat 40%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy326 kcal159 kcal
Protein39.5 g19.2 g
Carbohydrate8.8 g4.3 g
Net carbohydrate7.7 g3.8 g
Sugars3.8 g1.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre1.1 g0.5 g
Fat14.3 g7 g
Saturated fat3.2 g1.6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol105 mg51 mg
Sodium686 mg334 mg
Salt equivalent1.7 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
738 mg
Calcium
67 mg
Iron
3.7 mg
Magnesium
55 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
24 µg
Vitamin C
4 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
1.9 µg
Folate (DFE)
26 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Choose a well-marbled cut such as sirloin or rump; very lean beef dries out over fierce heat.

Common mistakes

  • Cutting the beef too large — mishkak pieces are small so they char outside before drying inside.

Serve with

  • Serve with flatbread and a tamarind-chilli dipping sauce.

Storage

  • Best eaten hot off the grill; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 2 days.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 1

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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