Moroccan · Street food
Grilled Liver & Cumin Street Sandwich
A beloved medina snack: cubes of lamb's liver grilled over charcoal, dusted heavily with cumin and salt, then piled into bread with fried onion, tomato and harissa. Cheap, iron-rich and intensely savoury, it's the kind of quick sandwich sold from tiny grills in the souks.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 600 g lamb's liver, cut into cubes
- 2 tsp cumin, plus extra to dust
- 1 tsp paprika
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 pieces of bread or batbout
- 2 onions, sliced and fried
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- Harissa, to serve
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt
Method
- 1
Season
Toss the liver cubes with the cumin, paprika, oil and salt.
- 2
Thread
Thread onto skewers if grilling over charcoal, or keep loose for a pan.
- 3
Grill hot and fast
Grill over high heat 3–4 minutes total until just browned outside and still blushing within.
- 4
Dust
Off the heat, dust with more cumin, salt and a squeeze of lemon.
- 5
Build
Fill the bread with the liver, fried onion, tomato and harissa.
- 6
Serve
Serve immediately while hot.
Chef's tips
- Don't overcook liver — it turns grainy and hard once past just-done.
- Cumin and salt applied at the end give the punchy street-stall flavour.
- Soak the liver in milk for 20 minutes first if you want a milder taste.
Frequently asked questions
What liver is used?
Lamb's liver is traditional in Moroccan street grills — tender and quick-cooking. It's often sold alongside grilled heart and kidney (boulfaf) at Eid.
How do I stop it being bitter?
Use very fresh liver, don't overcook it, and a brief soak in milk beforehand mellows any strong edge.