Beef Shawarma with Zhoug
Serves 4
Time 1 hour
Ingredients
400g Flank Steak
1 tsp ground coriander seed
1 tsp ground cumin seed
1 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp chilli oil
½ tsp fresh cracked black pepper
Zhoug
2 jalapenos, sliced
3 garlic cloves
1 bunch coriander, washed well, roots removed
½ tsp toasted ground cardamon
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
½ tsp peppercorns
½ tsp salt flakes
½ cup good olive oil, add more to desired consistency
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp chilli flakes
Whipped Garlic and Tahini
4 large cloves garlic
¼ cup lemon juice
½ cup tahini
½ tsp fine sea salt
Pinch of ground cumin
6 tbsp ice water, more as needed
To Serve
4 small pittas
1 cup of store-bought hummus
1 ½ cups shredded red or white cabbage
8 pickled chillies - Guindilla or jalapeños
Method
Slice flank steak 2mm thick against the grain and on the bias (angle).
Season with spices and salt, mix well, separating the meat as you go, making sure all meat is well seasoned. Allow to sit for ½ an hour before threading meat onto skewers.
Fold the meat into ½ inch folds, stacking as you go and then threading onto 4 individual skewers
To cook, place over a preheated griddle pan or chargrill, turning frequently for about 5-7 minutes depending on heat.
Glaze the skewers every couple of minutes with a mixture of the pomegranate molasses, chilli oil and cracked pepper.
The meat should be golden and crisp on the outside, yet still moist and juicy on the inside. Remove from heat and set aside whilst preparing the toppings.
To make the zhoug, place the ingredients (except oil), lemon and chilli flakes into a food processor and pulse until it’s chopped, but not pureed. Add oil and lemon juice and pulse into a coarse paste. Adjust seasoning with salt flakes and dried chilli flakes
To make the whipped garlic and tahini, place all the ingredients into a blender and process till smooth.
Warm the pitta bread over a grill plate or in the oven. Open each pocket, fill with hummus, shredded cabbage, and the meat removed from the skewer, then top with zhoug, a little garlic tahini, and pickled chilli. Serve immediately.