Shawarma from Mark Gelman
2 servings
25 minutes
Mark Gelman's shawarma is an author's interpretation of a classic Middle Eastern dish, where thinly sliced chicken is sautéed with a blend of aromatic spices including paprika, hawaij, cardamom, and turmeric. Along with a refreshing cucumber and tomato salad dressed with olive oil and lemon juice, the meat is carefully placed in pita spread with hummus and generously drizzled with tahini. The balance of flavors—the richness of spices, the creaminess of hummus, and the freshness of vegetables—makes this shawarma incredibly harmonious. It is served with pickled cucumber and marinated pepper for added zest. This is not just street food but a true gastronomic delight that combines tradition with a unique approach. A great choice for those who appreciate rich aromas and complex flavor combinations!
1
Clean the chicken meat (you can use turkey instead of chicken thigh) from veins and fat and cut it as thin as possible — to resemble the shawarma scraped from the spit. The thinner the meat, the tastier it will be.
- Chicken thigh fillet: 180 g
2
Cut cucumber and tomato into small cubes, dress with olive oil and lemon juice, and mix.
- Cucumbers: 0.5 piece
- Tomatoes: 0.5 piece
- Olive oil: to taste
- Lemon juice: to taste
3
Heat the pan over low heat (if the fire is too strong, the meat may stick to the pan). Place the meat and fry, stirring quickly. After a while, add the spices — paprika and khavaj (a mixture of roasted and then ground peppers, cumin, cardamom, turmeric, coriander, and cloves). Cook the meat until it acquires a nice yellow-red color. Add salt if desired.
- Paprika: to taste
- Khawaj: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Ground cumin (zira): to taste
- Cardamom: to taste
- Turmeric: to taste
- Ground coriander: to taste
- Ground cloves: to taste
- Salt: to taste
4
Cut the pita in half. Spread hummus on one half, layer with salad and then meat, generously drizzle with tahini — and cover with the other half of the pita. (You can also leave the pita whole and create a pocket to fill with ingredients in the same order.) Serve with pickled cucumber and spicy pickled pepper.
- Pita: 1 piece
- Hummus: 2 tablespoons
- Tahini: 2 tablespoons
- Pickles: 1 piece
- Pickled Chili Peppers: 1 piece