Grilling is the original human connection.

I realize that is quite a bold statement, but hear me out. I am quite sure that the majority of our ancestors prepared a good portion of their meals over something that was burning – slowly burning fire, smoldering coals, or perhaps wrapped and buried with hot embers for a long nap in a blanket of flavorful smoke. Regardless of how it was cooked, I am certain that the fruits of our fiery labor were shared as a communal event.

We are never as far from our history as we would like to believe, which is why I think we modern humans have a persistent craving for the char of food cooked over a flame, carcinogen warnings be damned. My husband, in particular, is happiest while sweating over a hot grill – lovingly tending to meat and seafood and, yes, even (and especially!) vegetables like meaty mushroom caps and crispy charred wedges of red cabbage. The only thing that makes him happier is feeding people, which is something he and I have in common. When we lived in Austin, TX, our grill and offset smoker were put to good use most weekends, turning out chicken, ribs, brisket, kebabs, and burgers en masse for hungry friends.

One of our favorite dishes to grill for friends is meshakeek – meat and seafood skewers popular in Oman, especially during the Eid holidays. Although meshakeek can refer to anything grilled on a stick, meat versions are usually prepared using lamb or mutton and cooked to well-done. The spices used to marinate the meat vary according to cook’s taste. A sauce is sometimes brushed on the skewers before serving to moisten the meat and add another layer of flavor. We love using a very non-traditional cut – beef ribeye – to create an exquisitely rich and tender meshakeek that doesn’t need any sauce. To keep the skewers extra moist and flavorful, I like to skewer slices of beef fat in between the meat cubes.

The marinade incorporates dried lime (loomi, لومي), a very common ingredient in dishes from Oman and other countries on the Arabian/Persian Gulf. The limes are dried until the pulp turns black and papery, developing a deep, fermented tang.

Serve as is for a snack or appetizer, or wrap with flatbread and tomato/onions for a main course. My husband’s family enjoys these skewers wrapped in bread and drizzled with Omani honey.