Grilled Veggie Kabobs with Harissa Yogurt Recipe

Ingredients

Protein

• 16 ounces tempeh (or sub 16 ounces tofu, shrimp, or chicken)
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (or chili powder)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Vegetables

• 1 green zucchini
• 1 yellow summer squash
• 1 red bell pepper
• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms
• 1 red onion

Seasoning

• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 0.25 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ras el hanout (or sub with 1 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon coriander, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/2 teaspoon allspice)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Harissa Yogurt Sauce

• 0.75 cup plain Greek yogurt (or sub vegan yogurt)
• 0.25 cup tahini paste
• 2-3 tablespoons harissa paste (start conservatively)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 0.75-1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 garlic cloves, finely minced (optional)
• smoked paprika for extra smoky (optional)

Instructions

Preparation

1. Soak 10 (10-inch) skewers in water for 30-60 minutes, if using wood skewers.
2. If using tempeh, place in a large saucepan with 3 cups water (or just enough to cover the tempeh). Add salt and smoked paprika and bring to a simmer. Simmer the tempeh gently, 10 minutes, on medium-low, turning it over halfway through. This will remove the bitterness and impart a little flavor. Remove from heat, drain, and cut into 1-inch cubes.
3. If using tofu: press the blocks gently with paper towels to blot some of the water. Cut into 1-1½ inch cubes. Make sure your grill grates are greased well.
4. If using chicken: cut into 1-inch cubes. If using breast, cut slightly bigger; if using thigh meat, cut slightly smaller.

Vegetables

1. Slice the zucchini and yellow summer squash into ¼ inch thick disks (no bigger). Cut the bell pepper in half, remove seeds, cut into 1-inch wedges, then into bite-sized pieces.
2. Remove mushroom stems. Cut onion in half, then in wedges, then into bite-sized pieces, separating into two layers, similar to bell pepper. Place the veggies into a big bowl.

Seasoning and Assembly

1. If using one protein, feel free to add this to the bowl of veggies too. Drizzle with 2-3 tablespoons olive oil (enough to lightly coat), sprinkle with the salt, pepper, ras el hanout, and smoked paprika, gently mixing to coat all pieces well. Make sure the protein is well-oiled and seasoned as well.
2. Thread the veggies and protein, dividing equally among 10 skewers. Do not pack the veggies too tightly, but leave no spaces. They should be comfortably snug. At this point, you could cover and refrigerate for grilling later (just make sure to let them come to room temperature beforehand).

Harissa Yogurt Sauce

1. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. If your harissa paste does not contain preserved lemon in the ingredients, add a little lemon juice or lemon zest to the yogurt.

Grilling

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat and grease well.
2. Place kabobs on the well-greased grill, grilling each side 3-4 minutes, rotating 3-4 times with tongs, closing lid in between turns until grill marks appear on most sides and veggies begin to cook through.
3. Lower heat to medium. Brush the kabobs with a little of the Harissa yogurt, saving most of it for serving. The tempeh can dry out easily on the grill, and the yogurt sauce helps keep it moist. Alternatively, drizzle with the yogurt sauce after removing from the grill.

Notes

• Start conservatively with the harissa paste—you can always add more heat but can't take it away.
• For a vegan version, use tempeh or tofu with vegan yogurt.
• The kabobs can be assembled ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to grill.
• If your harissa paste doesn't contain preserved lemon, add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the sauce.