Recipe: Grilled beef steak skewers

What is Eidul Azha without beef kebabs? This year, treat your guests to this succulent beef snack. I guarantee they will love it!



Method

For the meat:

•  Prepare the grill with cooking spray.

•  To prepare the meat, combine all the ingredients and marinate the beef steaks in them.

•  Thread three steak pieces, two peach wedges, one onion and one red pepper wedge alternately onto a 12-inch skewer.

•  Place the skewer on the grill and spray it with cooking spray. Grill the kebabs for approximately six minutes, until they become tender. You may turn the skewers over to make sure the meat is cooked completely.

•  Once cooked, allow the kebabs to cool on a flat dinner platter.

For the sauce:

•  Mix the garlic, parsley, olive oil, vinegar, salt and black pepper, whisking thoroughly.

•  Pour the sauce over the grilled kebabs using a cooking brush. Your dish is now ready!

Quick tips:

•  Using two skewers instead of one makes it easier to hold the kebabs while grilling.

•  Wooden or bamboo skewers work better than metal ones in ensuring that the meat is cooked through.

•  You can convert your kebabs into a delicious South-east Asian delight simply by adding thick slices of sautéed lemongrass, basil and some more fresh garlic and peppers.

Benefits of beef consumption:



•  Did you know that beef is rich in phosphorous and iron, both of which are essential for the human body. Phosphorous makes for strong teeth and bones and iron helps carry oxygen through the blood, to all cells and muscles. It also prevents fatigue.

•  Lean beef is a great source of protein, providing 64.1% of the daily value of the nutrient, in just four ounces!

•  Organic beef is rich in Selenium and Zinc. The selenium is needed for the proper function of Glutathione Peroxidase, an antioxidant that curtails the severity of inflammatory conditions like asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Zinc protects the walls of blood vessels against damage and supports the immune system.

•  Beef from grass-fed cows has been proven to have more Omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces the risk of heart disease. It does not raise total blood cholesterol.

Risk of excessive beef consumption:



•  Beef contains cholesterol and saturated fats that can increase risk of heart diseases.

•  Excessive consumption of beef raises the risk of colon, rectum and other cancers.

•  Red meat is vulnerable to bacteria, parasites and viruses and if not cooked properly, causes certain food-borne diseases.

•  In many parts of the world, beef is routinely treated with antibiotics to protect it from infection. In some rare cases, people sensitive to the harsh chemicals of the antibiotics may have an allergic reaction after consuming the treated meat.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, October 5^th, 2014.