Shawarma Recipe

Shawarma Recipe

Ingredients

Makes 10

LAMB AND MARINADE:

• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 3 cardamom pods, crushed
• pinch of superfine (caster) sugar
• at least 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 5½lb (2.5kg) leg of lamb, butterflied
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste

TARATOR SAUCE:

• 1 slice white bread (crusts removed), broken up into small pieces 1 tbsp tahini, or to taste
• 3 garlic cloves (skin on), roasted and cooled, then the soft flesh squeezed out of the skins 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley Generous pinch of ground cumin

TABBOULEH:

• 1/ cup (50g) bulgur wheat, cooked according to packet instructions, then 3 drained and cooled 3oz (85g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (a bit of stalk is fine), very finely chopped 6 cherry tomatoes, very finely chopped 4 scallions (spring onions), green parts only, very thinly sliced A small handful of fresh mint leaves, very finely chopped 1 garlic clove (peeled), blanched for a minute in boiling water, then drained and crushed About 4 tbsp olive oil
• lemon juice, to taste
• 10 large pita breads, to serve
• sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and pickles (pickled chilies and pickled turnips are ideal), to serve

Method

1. To prepare the lamb and marinade, mix al the ingredients together, except the lamb and salt and pepper for seasoning
2. Make deep slits al over the lamb and spread the marinade al over it, working it into the meat
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight
4. The next day, bring the lamb to room temperature
5. Light a BBQ for direct gril ing
6. Once the flames have died down and the coals have turned white, it’s ready for cooking
7. Season the lamb with salt and pepper
8. Place the lamb on the gril , fat-side down, and gril for about 20 minutes
9. Turn the lamb over and gril for a further 20 minutes, until cooked
10. Remove the lamb from the gril , cover with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving
11. Meanwhile, make the tarator sauce and tabbouleh salad
12. To make the tarator sauce, mix al the ingredients together in a bowl, adding enough cold water to loosen the mixture to the consistency of ketchup
13. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve
14. To make the tabbouleh, mix al the ingredients together and then season to taste with salt and pepper
15. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve
16. To assemble the sandwiches, toast the pita breads, then split and fil with hot sliced lamb, tarator sauce, tabbouleh, and sliced tomatoes, cucumber, and pickles
17. Serve at once

Full List of Sandwich Recipes
Full List of Shawarma Recipes