Niu Rou Chuan: Sizzling, twice-spiced beef skewers add a twist to a Memorial Day barbecue

Based on the meaty skewers sold by street vendors in China, these twice-spiced beef skewers are served sizzling hot and richly flavored with cumin and chilies — a far more exciting Memorial Day dish than the usual hot dog or hamburger.
In this recipe from our cookbook “ Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” a heady spice mixture goes onto the beef just before cooking, with more sprinkled on at the end. This creates layers of flavor you don’t get from skewers that are merely marinated and grilled.

Strips of beefy flat-iron steak are first combined with a mixture of …