Shawarma is Middle Eastern street food that is undeniably delicious. Traditionally, tender lamb is marinated in a special blend of spices and roasted on a vertical grill. As it cooks, thin slices of succulent meat fall only to be picked up and laid to rest on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes inside a waiting warm pita. A drizzle of special tahini sauce is the final touch before rolling it up and taking that first delicious bite. I make my home version of this unforgettable sandwich using either lamb or chicken (and sometimes beef). You won’t want to go out for shawarma anymore!

12 or more servings

INGREDIENTS

FOR LAMB SHAWARMA:

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp cardamom
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp mastic ground with 1 tsp salt
• Juice and zest of 1 orange
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 fresh leg of lamb (about 4 lb), boned and butterflied, trimmed of excess fat
• Plenty of pita bread
• Tahini and parsley sauce
• 1 cup fresh mint and parsley
• 2 tomatoes, sliced, or a handful of red or yellow cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 12 pickled gherkins, if desired

FOR CHICKEN SHAWARMA:

• 6 cloves garlic, mashed
• juice of 2 lemons
• zest of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 3 bay leaves, broken
• 1 tsp each of paprika, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken
• 2 tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp mastic ground with ½ tsp salt
• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• toum
• plenty of pita bread
• 1 cup fresh mint and parsley
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• pickled gherkins, if desired

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR LAMB SHAWARMA:

1. In a large glass bowl, mix all of the dry and wet ingredients with olive oil to make a marinade.
2. Place the butterflied leg of lamb in the marinade and rub it all over. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight to soak up all the flavors.
3. Take out the meat and allow to come to room temperature.
4. Fire up the barbecue.
5. Place the prepared meat on the grill over medium heat for a total of 45 minutes if you like it medium rare, turning it halfway.
6. Leave it to cook longer if you like it more well done. When ready, remove the shawarma and cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes before slicing.
7. To assemble the lamb shawarma sandwich, slice the rested meat into thin slices. Fill a pita with the meat, drizzle over some tahini sauce, place a few leaves of fresh mint and parsley and some tomato slices or a few halves of cherry tomatoes, and roll it up. Even a couple of baby gherkins are yummy with it.

FOR CHICKEN SHAWARMA:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large glass bowl to make a marinade.
2. Place the chicken breasts in the bowl and rub the marinade all over.
3. Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.
4. When ready to grill, heat the barbecue and place the chicken to cook on medium heat until done.
5. Remove and cover with foil to allow the meat to rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips.
6. To assemble the chicken shawarma sandwich, spread some toum on a small pita. Place a few slices of chicken and herbs like mint and parsley and roll it up. A slice of tomato and pickles on the side completes this
   meal. This meal is great served with various dips, vegetables, spicy potato wedges and plain yogurt flavored with a little chopped fresh mint.