Shawarma Rolls

By Chef Ajay Chopra

From Hi Tea

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Method: Easy

Course: Snack

Type: Middle Eastern

Key Ingredients:

This Middle Eastern style rolls are so delicious that you will want to have them often

Short History: Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern snack which actually originated in Turkey. In Turkish language, it is called ‘cevirme’, which in Arabic means ‘turning’. Apparently, Turkish soldiers took it with them to the Middle East. It was their way of cooking meat on a vertical spit that allowed them to prepare and serve meat while on the move. After gaining popularity in the Levant region, Shawarma became even more popular throughout the Middle East. Later in the 20th century, the Levantines took their culinary traditions to Europe, the Americas and other regions where it continues to be immensely popular..

What is Shawarma Rolls: Shawarma is a roll with fillings of shredded or very thin slices of chicken, meat, beef, goat, lamb or turkey..

Top ways to prepare: Flatten the boneless chicken piece so that it cooks perfectly. You can grill it on a coal-fired barbecue too for a smoky flavour. The Shawarma roll is a fresh recipe. Shred the chicken fresh and serve with lettuce, onions, olive oil and lime juice..

Cooking Tips: Use a lot of garlic in the marination for a Shawarma Roll recipe. Add sufficient cardamom powder too as that is a very important ingredient. When making the chicken in a pan, sear it on high heat so that the curd sticks to the chicken pieces..

Serving Suggestion : Shawarma is served with a yogurt-tahini dip..

Ingredients

Refined flour (maida) rotis 4
Boneless chicken leg 300 gms
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Green cardamoms, freshly ground 2 tsps
Black pepper powder to taste
Garlic, chopped 2 tbsps
Salt to taste
Plain yogurt 1¼ cups
Fresh parsley, chopped 2 tbsps
Tahini paste 3 tbsps
Olive oil 3 tbsps
Lettuce leaves a few
Medium onion, thinly sliced 1

Methods

Place the chicken on the worktop and beat it with a steak hammer to make it soft and thin. Keep it on a plate, add lemon juice, cardamom powder, black pepper powder, 1 tbsp garlic and salt.
Add ¼ cup yogurt and mix well. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
To make the dip, take remaining yogurt in a bowl, add remaining garlic, salt, parsley, black pepper powder and tahini paste and mix well.
Heat 2 tbsps olive oil in a non-stick pan, add the chicken and cook on high heat, turning sides, till it is done.
To make the salad, chop some lettuce and put into a bowl. Add onions, 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and toss well.
Once the chicken is done, cut it into thin strips.
Place the rotis on the worktop, spread some dip on each. Place some salad and chicken strips and roll the roti. Halve each roll diagonally and place on the serving platter.
Serve immediately.