A middle Eastern meat preparation, shawarma was originally made with lamb or mutton. Currently, substituted with chicken, beef, turkey or veal. Seasoned marinated meat slices topped with fat are stacked on a vertical spit in a cone-shape with the wide end on top. The spit rotates in front of a heating element that slowly cooks the meat. Fat drips over the meat keeping it moist and flavourful. Outer layer of meat cooks faster than the inside that is shaved off with a sharp long knife. Shawarma is served as a wrap or sandwich in a flatbread. Garnished with fresh diced onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled vegetables and drizzle of tahini or yogurt sauce. Absolutely delicious and a family favourite!!!
Boneless leg of lamb was marinated with a spice rub and roasted in the oven for three hours until tender. Covered, set aside to rest, sliced and then, cut into strips. Simultaneously, flatbread with yogurt and olive oil prepared to enclose the meat and various garnishes. Also, sesame seeds were roasted, ground with olive oil and salt. The tahini then enhanced with garlic, lemon juice and yogurt. Before assembling, strips of lamb were heated in a skillet. Then, layered on a flatbread with tahini sauce and various toppings. Packed with flavour, the tender meat with the soft flatbread, crunch from the vegetables and hint of sourness from the pickles including the sauce is a party in the mouth!!!
Boneless leg of lamb was marinated with a spice rub and roasted in the oven for three hours until tender. Covered, set aside to rest, sliced and then, cut into strips. Simultaneously, flatbread with yogurt and olive oil prepared to enclose the meat and various garnishes. Also, sesame seeds were roasted, ground with olive oil and salt. The tahini then enhanced with garlic, lemon juice and yogurt. Before assembling, strips of lamb were heated in a skillet. Then, layered on a flatbread with tahini sauce and various toppings. Packed with flavour, the tender meat with the soft flatbread, crunch from the vegetables and hint of sourness from the pickles including the sauce is a party in the mouth!!!
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Lamb Shawarma
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1.800 kg boneless leg of lamb
8 large cloves of garlic (grated)
2-inches of ginger (grated)
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried sumac
1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt
Spice Rub (lightly dry roast and grind to a fine powder)
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cinnamon sticks (2.5-inch each)
6 cloves
8 green cardamoms
1 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
a small piece of nutmeg
Method:
Mix chilli powder, paprika and sumac with the ground spice powders. Set aside.
Remove the netting and open the lamb. Cut through any thick muscle. Season both sides well with salt and lemon juice. Rub grated garlic, ginger and the spice powders. Roll lamb tightly and put the netting back on or tie with a butcher's twine. Refrigerate and marinate for a couple of hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
In a roasting pan, place the lamb fat side up on the rack. Drizzle olive oil all over the lamb. Add some water to the pan. This helps in keeping the meat moist. If liquid dries out in the pan, add more water.
Roast covered for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the aluminium foil and let lamb cook until tender for another 30 minutes.
Note:
Tahini
(Yields 1 cup)
Ingredients:
1 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup extrta-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Method:
Lightly roast sesame seeds and grind in a food processor. Once fine, add the olive oil and salt.
Note:
Tahini Sauce
(Yields 2 cups)
Ingredients:
1 cup tahini
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup yogurt
1/3 cup water
a pinch of salt
Method:
Blend all the ingredients until well combined.
Note:
Yogurt Flatbread
(Yields 6)
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup + 1 tablespoon yogurt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
In a bowl, add the flour, 1 cup yogurt, olive oil and salt. Mix to form a dough. If dry, add 1 tablespoon yogurt. Do not add any extra flour. Work the dough until clean to the touch. Then, transfer to a work surface with no flour and knead for 5 to 8 minutes until smooth and soft. Cover and set aside in a warm place for one hour.
The dough will not rise but will be extremely soft. See dough pictures (before and after) above.
Divide into 6 equal balls. Roll each into an 8 or 10-inches circle.
Heat a tawa on medium flame.
Lightly roast on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Cover in a clean tea towel to keep flatbread soft.
Garnishes:
4 tomatoes (deseeded, cut into strips)
4 onions (thinly sliced)
1 head of romaine lettuce (diced)
1 English cucumber (with skin, cut into strips)
pickled vegetables (as desired)
Assembling
Slice lamb and then into strips. Add some drippings from the pan or water and warm meat in a skillet until liquid is completely absorbed.
Place flatbread on a work surface or serving plate. Spread tahini sauce all over. Layer the meat on one side or in the centre, top with vegetables and pickle. Drizzle some more tahini sauce all over.
Tightly roll flatbread to enclose filling and serve.
(Serves 8)
Ingredients:
1.800 kg boneless leg of lamb
8 large cloves of garlic (grated)
2-inches of ginger (grated)
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried sumac
1 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt
Spice Rub (lightly dry roast and grind to a fine powder)
3 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 cinnamon sticks (2.5-inch each)
6 cloves
8 green cardamoms
1 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
a small piece of nutmeg
Method:
Mix chilli powder, paprika and sumac with the ground spice powders. Set aside.
Remove the netting and open the lamb. Cut through any thick muscle. Season both sides well with salt and lemon juice. Rub grated garlic, ginger and the spice powders. Roll lamb tightly and put the netting back on or tie with a butcher's twine. Refrigerate and marinate for a couple of hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 F or 180 C.
In a roasting pan, place the lamb fat side up on the rack. Drizzle olive oil all over the lamb. Add some water to the pan. This helps in keeping the meat moist. If liquid dries out in the pan, add more water.
Roast covered for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the aluminium foil and let lamb cook until tender for another 30 minutes.
Note:
- Depending of the size of the leg of lamb, roasting time will vary or on preferred doneness.
- Lamb can be roasted in advance, refrigerated, sliced, cut into desired pieces, reheated to serve.
- To purchase Cuisinart stainless steel rectangular roaster with rack, click the following link: https://amzn.to/2IqINMo
- For Sumac, click https://amzn.to/2WvMt9v
Tahini
(Yields 1 cup)
Ingredients:
1 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup extrta-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Method:
Lightly roast sesame seeds and grind in a food processor. Once fine, add the olive oil and salt.
Note:
- Do not brown the sesame seeds, tahini will taste bitter.
Tahini Sauce
(Yields 2 cups)
Ingredients:
1 cup tahini
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup yogurt
1/3 cup water
a pinch of salt
Method:
Blend all the ingredients until well combined.
Note:
- Yogurt can be replaced with all water. Thin down sauce to desired thickness.
- Tahini sauce can be substituted with yogurt sauce. Blend garlic with yogurt, lemon juice and salt.
Yogurt Flatbread
(Yields 6)
Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup + 1 tablespoon yogurt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Method:
In a bowl, add the flour, 1 cup yogurt, olive oil and salt. Mix to form a dough. If dry, add 1 tablespoon yogurt. Do not add any extra flour. Work the dough until clean to the touch. Then, transfer to a work surface with no flour and knead for 5 to 8 minutes until smooth and soft. Cover and set aside in a warm place for one hour.
The dough will not rise but will be extremely soft. See dough pictures (before and after) above.
Divide into 6 equal balls. Roll each into an 8 or 10-inches circle.
Heat a tawa on medium flame.
Lightly roast on both sides until golden brown and cooked through. Cover in a clean tea towel to keep flatbread soft.
Garnishes:
4 tomatoes (deseeded, cut into strips)
4 onions (thinly sliced)
1 head of romaine lettuce (diced)
1 English cucumber (with skin, cut into strips)
pickled vegetables (as desired)
Assembling
Slice lamb and then into strips. Add some drippings from the pan or water and warm meat in a skillet until liquid is completely absorbed.
Place flatbread on a work surface or serving plate. Spread tahini sauce all over. Layer the meat on one side or in the centre, top with vegetables and pickle. Drizzle some more tahini sauce all over.
Tightly roll flatbread to enclose filling and serve.
