Cooking over fire is as primal and universal as it gets.

That’s perfectly illustrated in the new cookbook, “Barbecue: Smoked & Grilled Recipes From Across the Globe” (Phaidon), of which I received a review copy.

This book is a veritable trip around the world through smoky, charred deliciousness.

The specialties of more than 80 countries are represented through more than 270 recipes.

This encyclopedic cookbook is by Hugh Mangum, a Los Angeles musician-turned-chef who was executive chef and pit master of smoking Lil’s in Pennsylvania, and co-founder of the Mighty Quinn’s BBQ chain nationwide. It was written with the assistance of Shana Liebman, a food and culture writer.

The book features not only his recipes but a chapter devoted to dishes by 16 guest chefs from around the globe.

Savor everything from “Cambodian Beef Skewers,” “Colombian Pork Chops,” and “Nepali Grilled Chicken” to “Egyptian Spiced Fish,” “Coal-Roasted Vegetables” from Spain, and “Hungarian Chimney Cake.”

I decided to detour to South Africa, where “Curried Lamb Skewers” from Cape Malay caught my eye.

Cubes of lamb leg get marinated overnight in a saucy mixture of onion, garlic, grated fresh ginger, white wine vinegar, curry powder, ground cumin, and apricot jam. The marinade gets cooked on the stovetop, until it reduces to a paste-like texture, then is cooled before coating the lamb.

The next day, when you’re ready to cook, light your grill. Then, thread the lamb meat on skewers with chunks of onion, and dried apricots that have been softened in hot water. Normally, I gravitate to local California dried apricots. However, in this case, I would advise to use the softer, larger, and plumper dried Turkish apricots. That’s because after grilling, the smaller, local dried apricots tended to toughen up.

The skewers don’t take long to cook, and they look impressive when arrayed on a serving platter. Serve with tzatziki that gets its creamy body from both Greek yogurt and sour cream. If you don’t want to bother buying sour cream, do what I did, which is just use only Greek yogurt, but add some fresh lemon juice. I added that suggestion below.

The tender, toothsome lamb kebabs have a warm earthiness with the onions turning delightfully sweet and the apricots offering up a perky tang. The tzatziki provides a cooling richness that ties everything all together, especially with flatbread, pita or rice alongside.

Whether it’s South Africa or another country, this book will take your taste buds on a trip near or far.

Curried Lamb Skewers

(Serves 4)

For the marinade:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated ginger

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons apricot jam

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

For the skewers:

1 pound lamb leg or shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

16 or more dried apricots, depending on their size

1/2 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon canola oil

Tzatziki, to serve (optional; see recipe below)

For the marinade: Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute for 7 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to mix. Set the marinade aside to cool.

For the skewers: In a large bowl, combine the lamb and the cooled marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat.

Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Soak the apricots in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Thread the lamb onto skewers, alternating with the soaked apricots and onion. Brush with oil.

Cook skewers for 10 to 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are caramelized on the outside but still slightly pink in the middle. Transfer to a serving dish.

Serve hot with tzatziki on the side, if desired.

Tzatziki

(Makes 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, grated

1/2 English cucumber, shredded and blotted dry

1 tablespoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste

1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus extra to taste

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup sour cream (see Note)

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Season to taste with more salt and pepper.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Note: If you don’t have sour cream handy, just use a total of 1 cup Greek yogurt instead, and stir in fresh squeezed lemon juice to taste.

Adapted from “Barbecue” by Hugh Mangum

More Skewers to Enjoy: Honey & Sriracha-Glazed Duck Skewers

And: Grilled Sticky Rice Skewers with Peanut Sauce

And: Prawn-Kumquat Skewers

And: Lamb and Aubergine Kebabs

And: Grilled Pork Kebabs with Hoisin and Five Spice

And: Kebabs Marinated with Fish Sauce and Pomegranate Molasses

And: Halibut Kebabs with Grilled Bread and Pancetta