Easy Lamb Shawarma Food

LAMB SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Place the yogurt, water, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, onion, and garlic into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the salt, black pepper, cumin, nutmeg, clove, mace, and cayenne pepper until evenly blended. Mix in the lamb strips to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator 12 to 24 hours (the longer the better).
• Heat a large skillet over high heat. Cook the lamb strips in a single layer in batches until the fat melts and the meat has browned and is no longer pink on the inside, about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.

YOTAM OTTOLENGHI'S JERUSALEM LAMB SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Put the peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, fenugreek, fennel, cumin, star anise and cinnamon in a cast-iron pan set over medium-high heat and dry-roast them for a minute or two, until the spices begin to pop and release their aromas. Take care not to burn them. Add the nutmeg, ground ginger and paprika, and toss for a few more seconds, just to heat them, then transfer to a spice grinder. Process the spices into powder. Transfer to a medium bowl, and stir in the sumac, salt, fresh ginger, garlic, cilantro, lemon juice and oil, and stir to combine.
• Use a small sharp knife to score the leg of lamb in a few places, making half-inch-deep slits through the fat and meat. Put the lamb in a large roasting pan and rub the marinade all over it, using your hands to massage the meat. Turn the lamb fat-side up, cover the pan with aluminum foil and place it aside on a countertop for at least a couple of hours, or preferably, rest it overnight in the refrigerator.
• Heat oven to 350. Remove the aluminum foil, and place the lamb in the oven. Roast for approximately 4 1/2 hours, or until the meat is completely tender. After 30 minutes of roasting, add about a cup of boiling water to the pan, and use this liquid to baste the meat every hour or so. (Add more water, as needed, making sure there is always a little in the bottom of the pan.) After 90 minutes or so, cover the lamb with aluminum foil to prevent the spices from burning. Once the lamb is done, remove it from the oven, and leave to rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving and serving.

GRILLED LAMB SHWARMA

Steps:

• Mix 1/2 cup of oil with the garlic, lemon juice, cumin, cardamom, Aleppo pepper (or crushed red pepper), 1 t. of black pepper and 1 1/2 T. of salt.
• Set the lamb on a rimmed baking sheet and coat it with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. The longer it marinates, the more flavorful and tender the meat.
• On the day of grilling, you can go ahead and make the Yogurt-Tahini Sauce:.
• Blend the tahini paste, lemon juice and olive oil, in a food processor, until smooth. Add the yogurt and blend the mixture completely. Scrape the tahini sauce into a bowl; stir in the cumin and pepper. Season with salt, to taste. Garnish with parsley.
• Preheat a grill - medium-high heat.
• In a large skillet, heat 1 T. of oil over medium-low , and add the bell peppers. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer this to a serving bowl.
• Heat the remaining 1 T. of oil in the same skillet and add the onions. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the onions are lightly browned - about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Tranfer the onions to a different serving bowl.
• Grill the leg of lamb over medium-high heat, turning often, until an instant read thermometer (inserted into the thickest part of the meat) reads 130 degrees F. for medium-rare. This should take approximately 25 minutes.
• Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes. This is very important! Then, thinly slice the lamb across the grain and serve with the peppers, onions, yogurt-tahini sauce and pita bread.