How To Prepare A Traditional Mechoui Made With Lamb
Mechoui is an African dish made with Lamb, often cooked in countries like Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. Each nation roasts a lamb in their own ways. Therefore, various dishes are collectively referred to as “mechoui.” In all cases though, Mechoui uses Lamb, to benefit from its flavorful tenderness to create that very memorable lamb dish.
This term comes from an Arabic word meaning, “to roast in an open fire,” distinguishing it from those dishes that are being prepared using an oven. There are two basic ways to prepare Mechoui.
In countries like Algeria, it’s traditionally roasted where the lamb’s skin becomes crackling and comes out very crispy, therefore many people find this way of preparation quite delightful. It’s then served as an appetizer, traditionally served at the beginning of a feast.
It’s eaten using fingers and the host will serves himself first, and then tear out some skin and offers them to guests. He may then dig inside, and offer the kidneys to those most honored guests.
In a Moroccan way of roasting, the whole lamb is cooked right on the land, much like a Polynesian pig roast, the “kalua pig”, that’s cooked outdoor in an earthenware dish, creating the most flavorful, tastier result. In both ways, the meat is spiced heavily before preparation. Hence, the result won’t yield a skin that’s so crispy, which makes it much less attractive to partake of.
Traditional mechoui uses a whole lamb, cooked on its skin. This means that its organs inside are roasted right together with other body parts. There are tribes that have traditionally treated these grain-filled intestines as delicacy, much like a Scottish haggis. Certain prized organs like liver and kidneys are being served to most important guests, and that includes the eye.
Mechoui are normally eaten using only the right-hand. This reflects the tradition being practiced by Muslims, for they use the left-hand for their personal sanitation, rather than by eating. Furthermore, it’s often served as an appetizer, being served first than the rest, and as you might see, it’s designed for serving a big crowd of people.
In some African desert, Mechoui is being served during festivities, and cooked in Moroccan-style. The most important advantage in roasting the whole lamb is the ease of carrying it because its skin can serve as the carrying handle. This was undoubtedly useful historically, where tribes needed to rapidly move in case of an attack.
Most African restaurants prepare mechoui. Some serves it traditionally whole, while some restaurants simply serve it traditionally spicing just the leg part. A perfect mechoui are those that are spiced heavily with ample spices, especially garlic, making an intense and very flavorful experience for the diner.