Refuge recipes: lamb shawarma

In one guise or another, shawarma has been a Refuge menu stalwart ever since we opened – and it’s not hard to see why. This Middle Eastern street food tends to be cooked on a rotisserie; low and slow, but getting the lick of flames for that characteristic smoky taste.

If lamb’s not your bag, then try a whole chicken or a piece of pork belly. And if you fancy a change from flatbreads, then trying serving with hummus and a tabbouleh or couscous salad.

Lamb shawarma recipe

Serves 4 as a main course or 6-8 as a small plate

Ingredients

1kg bone-in lamb shoulder
20g garam masala
2g smoked paprika
2g chilli powder
2g ground ginger
2g onion powder
1g ground clove
1g ground cardamom
1g ground cinnamon
2g chilli flakes

Method

1. Combine all of the spices together and rub all over the lamb shoulder. Wrap in clingfilm or put in an airtight container and leave to marinate in the fridge for 12 hours.
2. Once you’re ready to get cooking, pre-heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan/gas mark 2).
3. Place the lamb shoulder into a deep casserole dish or ovenproof pan with 300ml water. Cover with a lid or tin foil and roast for 4 hours or until the meat falls apart. If the lamb starts to dry out during the cooking time, don’t be afraid to add a little more water.
4. Serve in warm flatbreads with pickled red onions, coriander and mint leaves, and some Greek yoghurt. If you like a bit of extra spice, add a teaspoon of harissa paste to each flatbread.