Lamb shawarma recipe

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern wrap in which sliced or shredded meat is rolled into flatbread. Spicy smoked lamb is perfect for these.

Ingredients

500g spiced lamb shoulder meat, shredded – either warm or at room temperature

FOR THE FLATBREADS

400g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting

½ teaspoon sea salt

200ml warm water, mixed with 4 tablespoons olive oil

FOR THE SLAW

½ white cabbage, sliced very finely on a mandolin

zest and juice of 1 lemon

pinch of sea salt

20g flat-leaf parsley, chopped

seeds of 1 pomegranate

FOR THE MINT YOGURT

200g full-fat natural yogurt

20g fresh mint leaves, chopped generous pinch of sea salt

You can buy khobez flatbreads or pitta breads but it’s easy to make your own.

Start with the flatbread if you are making your own. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly together in a large mixing bowl to form a soft ball of dough. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and set aside for 20 minutes.
To cook, divide the dough evenly into 6 balls. Roll out each ball on a floured surface to form a circle about 0.5cm thick. Preheat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat until it’s almost smoking, and then cook each flatbread one at a time in the dry pan for 2–3 minutes each side.
To make the slaw, combine all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Stir well and keep at room temperature.
To make the mint yogurt, stir the chopped mint into the yogurt and season with the salt. Taste to check the seasoning.
To serve, place the warm lamb, and freshly cooked flatbreads on the table. Serve the slaw and mint yogurt in separate bowls and allow everyone to construct their own shawarma wrap. The individual components will keep for 24 hours if there are any leftovers.

Images and recipes from Smoked: A Beginner's Guide to Hot- and Cold-Smoked Fish, Meat, Cheese and Vegetables, by Charlotte Pike. RRP $39.99. Photography by Tara Fisher.