Steak Shawarma Pita Recipes

BEEF SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Cut the beef against the grain into small, thin pieces.
• Rinse well and drain. Pat dry with kitchen towel.
• Grind all the spices for the Homemade Shawarma, together to a powder.
• Add the beef to a bowl, along with the spice mix, yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, hot sauce, olive oil, garlic, and shallots. Stir well or mix with hands to marinate the beef.
• Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Mince or pound the garlic to a paste, with salt.
• Add the lemon juice, tahini, and water.
• Use a fork or whisk to beat it well, till it turns white.
• Whisk in the yogurt till smooth.
• Taste and add salt and lemon juice if needed. Or loosen with water if needed.
• Add finely chopped parsley to this if you want to serve it separately.
• Remove the beef from the refrigerator, 30 minutes before cooking. (It should come down to room temperature).
• Add the beef and its marinade to a heavy bottomed skillet OR a deep non-stick pan with a tight lid.
• Heat till the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook covered for about 40 minutes.
• Don't forget to stir occasionally. The juices should all evaporate.
• Just before all the moisture is gone, add pepper, allspice and just a dash of salt.
• Meat should be cooked tender. You can keep adding a little water at a time if the beef needs more cooking. You will also have slight char marks from stirring till all moisture.
• Spread a little taratour sauce vertically, over the middle of the pita.
• Cover it with a line of cooked beef.
• Top with a few tomato wedges and some slices of onion.
• Cover scantily, with the chopped herbs.
• Drizzle more sauce over the top as you like.
• Wrap in food-safe paper or aluminum foil and serve hot!

BEEF SHAWARMA RECIPE

Steps:

• In the bottom of large mixing bowl, add the shawarma spices. Add the olive oil, vinegar, and zest and juice of one lemon. Using a spoon, mix to combine.
• Using a chef's knife, cut the flap steak against the grain into thin bite-size slices (no more than ¼-inch in thickness).
• Add the sliced meat to the bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Add the garlic and onions. Using a pair of tongs, toss very well to make sure the meat is well-coated with the marinade. Set aside to marinate at room temperature for a few minutes (or, if you have the time, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours).
• Heat a large cast iron grill pan or skillet over high heat. Using a pair of tongs, add the meat pieces, spreading them as much as you are able. Cook over high heat for anywhere between 8 and 15 minutes, until the meat is fully cooked. (If you like less liquid in your pan and extra char on the meat, you'll likely cook it for about 15 minutes. And if your pan is not large enough, cook the meat in batches).
• While the meat is cooking, prepare the pita pockets and fixings. Make my 3-ingredient Mediterranean salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and parsley. Make the tahini sauce. And prepare your pickled cucumbers, if using.
• Assemble the shawarma sandwiches. Open up your pita pockets and load them up with the beef shawarma, salad, and finish with a generous drizzle of tahini sauce. Serve immediately!

STEAK PITAS WITH TAHINI CUCUMBER SALAD

Steps:

• Combine the steak, onion, pumpkin pie spice, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tablespoons chopped herbs, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; toss well to coat. Set aside while you prepare the salad.
• Whisk the tahini, the remaining garlic and 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate bowl; stir in the tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Brush the pitas with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil; cook until lightly toasted, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plates. Working in batches, add the meat and onion to the skillet in a single layer and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Serve the steak and onion on the pitas with the cucumber salad. Top with the remaining herbs.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large bowl, combine yogurt, vinegar, crushed garlic, pepper, salt, cardamom, allspice, and juice of 1 lemon, until well mixed.
• Add chicken, coating well with marinade. If mixture seems too dry, add olive oil, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you've achieved the right consistency. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
• In a stockpot or large saucepan, cook chicken over medium heat for 20 minutes or until done. Be sure not to overcook!
• If chicken becomes a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water.
• When the chicken is done, you can shred it or leave it in larger slices.
• Gather the ingredients.
• While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together tahini, crushed garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons yogurt, mixing well. Set aside.
• Gather the ingredients.
• To a large bowl, add onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers, and sprinkle with sumac. Add the parsley and optional pickle slices and mix well. Set aside.
• Place enough chicken on each pita so that it covers 1/4 of the bread. Add veggies and pour some sauce over all. Roll like a burrito and you have shawarma! You also can slit the pita open to form a pocket and stuff it.

SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Cut the meat into long, thin strips. Prepare the marinade by mixing garlic, oil, vinegar, shawarma seasoning blend, coriander, black pepper, turmeric, cinnamon, and salt. Rub the marinade into the meat, cover, and refrigerate overnight or at least for several hours.
• In the meantime, prepare the sauce. Mix all the ingredients until the mixture becomes homogenous. If the sauce is too thick, add some more lemon juice.
• Cook the meat in a pan over strong flame until the marinade evaporates. Then, pour in 1 cup of water and continue cooking until the meat is soft. Add tomato and pepper slices and stir until they fall apart. Set aside.
• Spread the sauce over the pita bread. Top with sliced onion, pickles, sumac and parsley, and finish with shawarma. Roll and serve.

MAKE YOUR OWN BEEF SHAWARMA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine all ingredients-yogurt, vinegar, garlic, pepper, salt, cardamom pods, allspice, and lemon juice. If it seems a little dry, add a little olive oil (a tablespoon at a time).
• Add the beef, cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferably overnight.
• In a stockpot or large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat for 45 minutes or until done. Be sure not to overcook. If beef becomes a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water throughout the cooking duration.
• While beef is cooking, prepare the sauce.
• Gather the ingredients for the sauce.
• Combine sauce ingredients-tahini, lemon juice, yogurt, and garlic-and mix well. Here is an excellent tahini recipe , if you do not have some handy. Set aside.
• Gather the filling ingredients.
• In a large bowl, take the onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers and sprinkle with sumac.
• Add other filling ingredients-parsley and pickle slices, if using, and combine well.
• When the beef is done, you can shred it, slice it, or leave it in large pieces. As long as it is thinly cut, there is not much difference. We prefer to cut ours into wide strips.
• To assemble, place enough beef on a pita to cover 1/4 of the loaf.
• Add veggies and pour sauce.
• Roll like a soft taco or burrito , and you have shawarma.

STEAK SHAWARMA PITA

Steps:

• For the green chile zhoug: Blacken serrano chiles on top rack of a toaster oven set on broil for 2 minutes per side. Let cool until cool enough to handle, then remove stems. Place in a food processor fitted with an S blade along with the oil, cardamom, coriander, salt, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, cilantro, parsley, bell pepper and jalapeno and pulse for 3 to 5 turns, then process on high speed, adding 1/2 cup cool water. Adjust for salt and place in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Keeps for up to 2 weeks, refrigerated. Use like hot sauce or salsa in a pita with shawarma.
• For the quinoa taboulleh: Combine the quinoa, 1 teaspoon salt and 2 cups water in a 1-quart saucepot and bring to a boil. Cover and turn off heat, then let rest without removing the lid for 20 minutes. Spread cooked quinoa over a dinner plate to cool and allow steam and moisture to dissipate.
• Meanwhile, mix oil, pepper, parsley, lemon juice, mint leaves and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl, then fold in quinoa. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Taboulleh keeps, refrigerated for 3 days.
• For the steak shawarma: Mix the yogurt, vinegar, garlic, coriander, allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl with a whisk. One at a time, dip each thinly sliced steak into marinade on both sides and place in a plastic tub that will accommodate all marinade and steak. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days.
• Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to 450 degrees F. Line a pan with foil.
• Place steaks on hot grill and cook for 90 seconds per side, then place in lined pan. Cut thin steaks into 1/4-inch strips with a good knife. Return cut strips to pan and cover with foil to keep warm until ready to serve.
• Serve steaks in pitas, and top with quinoa tabbouleh and green chile zhoug.