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Schawarma: A Lebanese Gyro

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From , former About.com Guide

Schawarma

Schawarma

Copyright 2010 Kevin D Weeks
I first had a schawarma in Beirut, Lebanon during the Thanksgiving break of 1970. It was love at first bite. The schawarma is a Middle-Eastern version of the Greek gyro made with chicken, turkey, or lamb. It took me a while to figure out how to duplicate it without a vertical rotisserie but I did manage to nail it by using a marinade and cooking the meat low and slow in the oven until it was fork tender. This sandwich is worth making for just one meal, but even more worth making for two meals. (Larger image.) Serves 4.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Yield: Makes 4 sandwiches.

Ingredients:

  • Marinade:
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic - crushed
  • 1 tsp. ground sumac
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
  • Sandwich:
  • 2 lamb leg steaks (~ 2 pounds)
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 4 loaves flat bread or pita
  • Thinly-sliced tomato
  • Lettuce
  • Sauce:
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp. Tahini
  • 1 clove crushed garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp. ground sumac
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Thoroughly mix all marinade ingredients in a bowl.

2. Pour marinade into a large zippered bag and add lamb steaks. Toss to coat thoroughly and refrigerate for 8 - 24 hours, Tossing every now and then to redistribute marinade.

3. Heat oven to 225 degrees.

4. Remove steaks from bag, discarding marinade, and wipe dry (more or less) with paper towels. Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large, lidded sauté pan over medium-high heat. Brown steaks on both sides in pan (about 3 minutes per side).

5. Pour off excess oil, cover sauté pan, and cook in the oven for 1 hour.

6. In the meantime, combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl.

7. Remove from pan and slice steaks thinly across the grain.

8. Spoon sauce down the center of a loaf of flat bread or pita. Add tomato and a leaf or two of lettuce. Add lamb, roll up, and enjoy.

Oh, and save those juices in the sauté pan and sop bread in them for an amazing treat.

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