Bring In That Shawarma Ya Mama!

You say burrito, I say shawarma!

Chicken, mutton, and beef shawarma, I grew up with these babies. I’ve posted a lot of dessert recipes in my previous posts so I decided it’s time to switch gears and take the savoury route. For me, shawarma is the ultimate comfort food. The beauty of shawarma is that it’s a humble wrap yet there are a bunch of ways that it could be elevated.

The shawarma I grew up with had chunky slices of tender and juicy meat. Lettuce, tomato, fries, and tahini-garlic sauce are encased in a warm pita bread; tightly wrapped in tissue paper. My family could easily finish two rolls of shawarma each and we would also have a side of pickles, falafels and samosas. Yup! My family loves food so we’re big eaters.

Living away from home, I thought that it would be a while until I could get my hands on some shawarma. But then I got eager and began searching for shawarma recipes online. After trial and error, I am glad to say that I can finally make shawarma! You can use any type of meat. Personally, I prefer mutton but it’s more convenient to grab some chicken thighs at the grocery store.

Each element in this shawarma goes so well! The savoury chicken is mildly spiced. The fries has that decadent yet crisp texture while the lettuce and tomatoes gives it a nice freshness. I love garlic so I added some garlic sauce, which I think brings this shawarma together.

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Chicken Shawarma

Adapted from Saudi Food Eman

Ingredients:

• 6-8 pieces of boneless skinless chicken thighs

The flavour boat:

• 1/2 tsp of turmeric

• 4 cardamon pods

• 2 tsp chilli powder

• 2 tsp coriander powder

• 2 tsp cumin powder

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp ground black pepper

• 4 garlic cloves (minced)

• 1 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped)

• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp hot sauce

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tbsp vinegar

For added drama:

• Pita bread or flatbread

• Fries

• Diced tomato

• Shredded lettuce

• Your choice of sauce: hummus, garlic sauce, tahini sauce, or raita sauce(cucumber and yogurt sauce)

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Instructions:

1. Rinse the chicken under cold water.

2. Combine the chicken thighs and the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl.

3. Let the chicken marinate in the fridge at least for 3 hours.

(Note: I would recommend to let it marinate overnight).

4. Heat up a pan on medium heat and add a bit of oil.

5. Pan fry the chicken for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

(Note: After pan frying, I like to place the chicken in the broiler to get it crisp and roasted.)

6. Let the chicken cool for 5 minutes before slicing it into strips.

(Note: While the chicken cools, you can start frying some fries).

7. Now it’s time to assemble your shawarma! Grab your warm pita bread and place your choice of sauce, lettuce, tomato, fries, and chicken. Top it off with more sauce and tightly roll it.

8. Done! Enjoy your shawarma, it goes great with a side of pickles.