Méchoui facts for kids
Méchoui (pronounced "mesh-wee") is a super tasty dish from North Africa. It's usually a whole sheep or lamb cooked slowly on a spit over a fire. Think of it like a big barbecue!
The word "Méchoui" comes from an Arabic word that means "grilling" or "roasting." It's a very popular meal in countries like Algeria and Morocco.
In these places, "Méchoui" specifically means cooking a whole lamb on a spit. But in Tunisia, the word can mean any meat or fish grilled over hot coals.
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How Méchoui is Prepared
Preparing Méchoui starts with a young lamb. First, the inside of the lamb is cleaned. Then, it's seasoned with special spices, like ras el hanout. After that, the lamb is sewn up.
Next, the lamb is put onto a long stick, called a spit. This spit is often a strong tree branch. The lamb is then cooked slowly next to a pile of hot coals. It's important to turn the spit slowly and evenly. This makes sure the lamb cooks perfectly on all sides.
The lamb isn't placed right over the coals. This is because melting fat could drip and cause big flames. These flames might burn the outside of the meat. Cooking starts gently, so the inside and outside cook at about the same time.
While it cooks, the meat is brushed with melted butter or oil. This helps make the skin crispy and golden. Slowly, the lamb is moved closer to the hot coals. This gives the meat a beautiful amber color. The cooking time depends on how big the lamb is. It usually takes about 15 minutes for every kilogram of meat.
How Méchoui is Served
Méchoui is often served at the start of a big feast, called a diffa. It's a very special dish!
Traditionally, people eat Méchoui with their hands. The host, or person serving, takes pieces of the grilled meat. They offer these pieces to their guests. No forks or knives are usually needed. This is because the meat is cooked so slowly. It becomes super tender and can be pulled apart easily.
Some nomadic groups, who move around a lot, raise special lambs for Méchoui. They feed these lambs a wild plant called cheih. This plant gives the lamb a unique and delicious flavor.
Different Ways to Cook Méchoui
In some places, especially Morocco, Méchoui is cooked in a special way. They dig a deep hole in the ground. This hole is like an oven, about 1 meter wide and 2 meters deep.
Wood is stacked inside this hole and burned for several hours. The goal is to make the earth around the hole very hot. When the wood turns into hot coals and ash, most of it is removed. This prevents big flames later.
The prepared lamb is then placed standing up inside this hot oven-hole. A lid is put on top and sealed tightly with clay, mud, or wet sand. This traps all the heat inside. The lamb cooks for about four to five hours. When it's ready, the hardened lid is broken. Then, the delicious lamb is carefully taken out of the oven.
Enjoying Méchoui
Méchoui is traditionally served with just two simple things: cumin and salt. These are usually placed in small dishes next to the lamb.
Diners can sprinkle salt and cumin on their meat. They add as much as they like to make it taste perfect. Then, they enjoy the tender, flavorful lamb!
See also
In Spanish: Meshwi para niños
