Chef-tested recipe
Bahraini tikka is a well-known island street-food speciality: pieces of meat grilled with a distinct sour edge from dried lime and vinegar. This beef version balances black lime, cumin and coriander rather than
Recipe at a glance
- Cuisine
- Bahrain · Servings: 4 · Preparation: 20 minutes plus 2-hour refrigerated marination · Cooking: 10–14 minutes · Method: Marinating and grilling.
Before you begin
Ingredients & equipment
Gather what you need first, then cook through the method with confidence.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 800 g beef sirloin or trimmed rump, cut into 3 cm pieces
- 40 ml white vinegar paid link
- 25 ml lemon juice
- 35 ml neutral oil paid link
- 10 g ground dried black lime (loomi)
- 5 g ground cumin
- 5 g ground coriander
- 3 g mild chilli powder, or to taste paid link
- 8 g fine salt paid link
- 3 g ground black pepper
- 20 g garlic, finely grated
- 150 g red onion, sliced, for serving
- 200 g tomatoes, sliced, for serving
Method
Mix the marinade. Combine vinegar, lemon juice, oil, black lime, cumin, coriander, chilli, salt, pepper and grated garlic.
Marinate safely. Toss beef pieces in the marinade, cover and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours. Do not marinate at room temperature.
Prepare the grill. Preheat a charcoal grill or ridged grill pan to medium-high heat and oil grates lightly. Thread meat on skewers with small gaps between pieces.
Grill. Cook approximately 10–14 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Use a food thermometer to check the meat reaches at least 63°C and rests for 3 minutes; cook longer if preferred.
Serve. Rest skewers for 3 minutes. Serve promptly with flatbread, onion, tomato and fresh lemon.
Beginner Technique Notes
- Powdered dried black lime gives the characteristic tang. It is not the same as fresh lime zest.
- Choose a tender quick-cooking beef cut for this grilling method; chuck requires slow cooking.
- Do not reuse marinade that touched raw meat unless it is thoroughly boiled first.
Substitutions
- Lamb leg is a suitable variation but may require slightly different cooking times.
- If dried black lime is unavailable, lemon and a little finely grated lime zest can mimic acidity, not the fermented depth.
- A grill pan works when charcoal is unavailable, but will lack charcoal aroma.
Storage and Food Safety
Refrigerate raw marinated beef at 4°C or below and cook within 24 hours. Chill cooked skewers promptly and use within 2 days. Reheat until thoroughly hot, taking care not to dry out the meat.
Serving Suggestions
Warm khubz, sliced onion, tomatoes and lemon wedges.
Allergen Notes
No major allergens are intentionally added. Wheat (gluten) if served with khubz; check spice and bread labels.
