Easy to Make Homemade Shawarma without Rotisserie Recipe

Kerala and its love for pseudo-Arabic food are not unknown to us, Shawarma seems to top the chart of favourites. Ever since I have started being on a nutrition plan, my cravings have always hit the roof, and lockdown definitely did not help! So I decided to replicate it at home by playing around with flavours that were in my head, this recipe is not authentic but will fetch you delicious Kerala style shawarma! (Kerala style Shawarma, hahaha!)

Serving: 4

Garlic Mayonnaise/ Poor man’s mayonnaise: The flavour this imparts in shawarma is what gets people to line up outside a shawarma stall to grab one: Let’s see how easily we can make this at home

Process:

1. Into a blender add the whole egg, garlic, salt, sugar and vinegar and blitz once.
2. Once that is combined, add the oil in three equal portions.
3. Your mayonnaise is ready.

The base/ bread: This is not a khubz nor is it pita, this is a soft puffed up bread that I made which complimented the meat and the mayonnaise well. Soft and airy bread to the rescue!

Process:

1. Combine all the ingredients to make a dough that is not too soft yet not too firm.
2. Let it rest for an hour covered with a moist cloth.
3.  Later roll it into small discs and cook it on a Tawa and on an open fire for the bread to puff up and get charred marks that add flavour.

Pickled Veggies: This is a bomb. You could prepare this a week in advance or an hour before making the shawarma, both work. Wrapping these flavour juices within shawarma elevates the game.

Procedure:

1. To the sliced vegetables add the rest of the ingredients and store it in an airtight jar.
2. There is no step two. That is it!

The meat: I used chicken as that was what was available at home and since I did not have the equipment to set up a rotisserie, I took to my saviour once again – the Tawa! Do not add in all masalas you find at home, a simple and powerful marination can do the trick. (like Java, sorry for the Malayalam movie reference!)

Procedure:

1. Marinate the chicken with the above-listed ingredients and if you feel the urge for it, squeeze half a lime too.
2. Let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes and soak up all the goodness.
3. On a very hot Tawa (this is for the charred smoky flavour) add oil, and seer the chicken on both sides. It should make the sizzling sound and the outside should start to caramelise.
4. Once the two sides have been sealed with flavour and texture, reduce the flame and let the chicken cook.
5. You will be able to shred the chicken with a fork once done.
6. Keep aside.

Bonus: Cut potatoes into stick-like pieces, put them in ice-cold water for 15 minutes, dry them and fry them twice until golden brown. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside kind of french fries is what we are looking for.

Assembling: 

1. On to the bread, spread a good helping of mayonnaise.
2. Place the french fries on top.
3. Top it up with the meat and a few pickled veggies.
4. Time to roll.
5. Serve hot!