Shawarma

 

Shawarma (), is a Middle Eastern sandwich-like wrap of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or a mixture thereof. The meat is placed on a spit, and may be grilled for as long as a day. Shawarma is a fast-food staple across the Middle East, Europe, the Caucasus, and North Africa.
Shawarma is eaten with pita bread, Lavash bread, tabouli salad, fattoush salad, taboon bread, tomato and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus, pickled turnips and amba.
Shawarma is shared by many country variations. In Greece, it is called gyros, meaning "turned". In Armenian, it is "Tarna", literally meaning "to turn", and in Turkish it is called döner kebab, which in turn means "turning kebab".
The word shawarma () comes from the Turkish word çevirme , meaning turning.

Preparation

Shawarma is made by placing strips of beef, lamb or marinated chicken on a stick an onion or tomato is placed at the top of the stack for flavoring. The meat is roasted slowly on all sides as the spit rotates in front of, or over, a flame for hours (see rotisserie). Traditionally a wood fire was used currently, a gas flame is common. While specialty restaurants might offer two or more meat selections, some establishments have just one skewer.
After cooking, the meat is shaved off the stack with a large knife, an electric knife or a small circular saw, dropping to a circular tray below to be retrieved. Shawarma is eaten as a fast food, made up into a sandwich wrap with pita bread or rolled up in an Armenian Lavash flatbread together with vegetables and dressing. Vegetables found in shawarma include cucumber, onion, tomato, lettuce, eggplant, parsley, pickled turnips, pickled gherkins, cabbage, and in some countries, such as Romania, Bulgaria, Jordan, Israel, or the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, french fries.
Dressings include: tahini (or tahina), Amba sauce (pickled mango with Chilbeh), hummus, or flavored with vinegar and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Chicken shawarma is served with garlic mayonnaise, toum (garlic sauce), pomegranate concentrate, or skhug (a hot chili sauce). Once the shawarma is made, it might be dipped in the fat dripping from the skewer and then briefly seared against the flame. In Israel, Syria and Lebanon, chicken shawarma is toasted after being made, whereas those made of lamb or beef are immediately eaten.
Beef can be used for shawarma instead of lamb, and turkey is used instead of chicken. In Saudi Arabia, goat is as common as beef or lamb. Less common alternatives include fish and sausage. Some shawarma stores use hot dog buns or baguettes, but most have pita and lavash. Sometimes, beef shawarma&mdashdespite its name&mdashcontains some lamb in addition to the beef, to ensure juiciness.

Around the world

Shawarma is primarily found in Arab countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.

• : In Australia, Greek, Armenian, Turkish and Lebanese migrant populations have introduced shawarma. Commonly it is known simply as in Armenian kebab or in Turkish Döner kebab or, where Greek immigrants have settled, as a souvlaki, or less commonly, gyros or yiros. Shawarma costs AUD$6.00 upwards and is wrapped in a large pita bread, coming with: beef, chicken or lamb, salad of lettuce, tomato and onion and cheese. Sauces include "garlic sauce" (Tzatziki), chilli sauce, hummus, tomato, and barbecue. Sometimes it is toasted after being wrapped in pita bread.

• : In Armenia Ġarsi khorovats, šaurma or in the Armenian diaspora, "Tarna" (literally, "it turns") it is usually lamb, pork or chicken on a vertical rotisserie, sliced and wrapped in Armenian flatbread called Lavash, served with tahini, yogurt or garlic sauce and enjoyed with a savory side of Armenian pickled vegetables called "Tourshi."

• : In Azerbaijan shawarma is called Shaurma (Aze:Şaurma) or Doner (Aze:Dönər). Shaurma is made with chicken and always include garlic sauce. While doner can be made with either chicken or beef, and doesn't include garlic sauce. Both can be served in bread, lavash or in plate. Doner also can be served in tandoor bread.

• : In Belgium a very large, filling shawarma is available. It is made with a combination of lamb and beef, although pork is not uncommon, and placed in a freshly-baked pita, garnished with salad and zesty white garlic sauce or a spicy red sauce.

• : In Brazil, mainly in São Paulo, shawarma is a street food, served with bread and a cup of juice. There it is called Churrasquinho Grego (Greek Steak) or much less frequently Churrasco Turco (Turkish Steak). It is not associated with the kebab/gyro in fashion districts. It is served in Porto Alegre, Foz do Iguaçu where it is sold as Arabic fast-food.

• : In Bulgaria, shawarma is know as "Duner".

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• : In Canada, the cuisine is typically available in any population centre that accommodates a sizeable Arabic demographic. The local version consists of a generous portion of shaved beef or chicken and vegetables wrapped in pita with garlic or sesame sauce. Garlic potatoes or rice are side dishes, it is common for shawarma to be served wrapped alone — fast-food style.

In some regions of Canada, the term "shawarma" is interchangeable with donairs. In the Montreal region, chicken "shawarma" in often confused with chicken kebabs, known as "Shish taouk".

See Donair in Canada

• : In Beijing, shawarma is known as "Turkish Sandwiches". It is widely available from street vendors, albeit with zucchini and spices more suited to the Chinese palate.

• : In the numerous Middle Eastern restaurants in Barranquilla with a large Arab population, shawarma is a light meal: other main courses have heartier portions.

• : Shawarma was introduced in 1981 by Turkish migrant workers, and has become a staple. Shawarma is served with julienned salad, (onion, tomatoes, cucumber), lettuce, sour cream dressing and chilli oil in either a pita bread, rolled in a flat bread (dürüm) or served on pizza.

• : In Ecuador, shawarma is a popular snack or light meal with vendors found all over the main metropolitan areas specially Urdesa, Guayaquil and La Mariscal, Quito. They were introduced by the Middle Eastern immigrant population.

• : In Egypt, Shawarma -pronounced "Shawerma"- is one of the most popular street foods. There are many famous Egyptian restaurants and street stands alike offering different combinations of Shawarma. Shawarma is often served in small buns as an affordable small meal, with much less vegetable portions (mostly heavily grilled tomatoes and onions) and much more beef. Egyptian hummus -known as Tahina- is a lot thinner, and used almost exclusively for the beef variety, whereas "chicken shawarma" is often served with Garlic sauce. Shawarma could also be served as a topping for seasoned rice and grilled veggies, to be known as "Shawarma Fettah". Shawarma Fettah is often served with a much thicker, creamy garlic sauce topping. Shawarma has also been offered as stuffing for Egyptian Pies, also known as "Feteer".

• : In France, shawarma (or chawarma) is served in Arab and very few Israeli restaurants, although they are not considered to be the real shawarma by the North African and Middle Eastern population. The same item can be bought from ubiquitous fast food vendors under the name sandwich grec, sandwich Turc, or kebab. In some suburban quarters of Paris, the "Remi" special shawarma has a religious like following because of its original pomegranate (grenade) sauce. Although the name may imply a Greek origin, the shawarma is not a Greek gyros. As a fast food item, it is frequently served with french fries (in the wrap, not on the side) and garnished with a yogurt sauce (sauce blanche) and/or harissa, or a number of other sauces. Doner kebab or sandwich kebab is also ubiquitous at Algerian (or North African) and Turkish owned fast food places. The specifically Algerian and Tunisian touch is the optional harissa.

• : in Georgia, shawarma, known as shaurma has become a very popular street food.

• : In Germany, döner kebab, a dish similar to what is sold as "Shawarma" elsewhere, is a very popular take-away food. It is served either in a pita bread, rolled in a flat bread (dürüm) or on a plate with side dishes. "Shawarma" is rather seen sparsely. In Germany, it is often referred to as "Schawarma".

• : Owing to its similarities with Middle Eastern cuisine, shawarma (under the name gyros) is one of the country's most popular sandwiches.

• : Shawarma found its way to India in the 1980s with non-resident Indians working in Persian Gulf Arab countries. Sometimes Paratha, an Indian flatbread originating in northern India but now eaten everywhere, is used instead of pita.

• : In Israel, shawarma (Hebrew: שווארמה) is a street food and offered in meat restaurants. Introduced by Mizrachi Jews and Arab citizens of Israel, the dish has become ubiquitous. Dr Shakshuka, famous for his eponymous dish, has turned his talents to a staple Israeli takeaway, retrieved March 23, 2010. It was most commonly made of lamb in the 1970s and 80's. In the 90's, a switch was made in favor of turkey or chicken. After 2000, lamb/veal mix began to appear, though turkey shawarma remains the most common by far. Often the rotating skewer is placed at the front of the fast-food stand, exposed to the street. Shawarma is served in a pita or a lafa and is usually eaten with salad, hummus or french fries. In Jerusalem, the lafa is called 'esh tanur'. One of the condiments in demand is Amba. Tel Aviv-Yafo Travel Guide Virtual Tourist, Retrieved January 16, 2007. Israeli Street Foods Israel Travel Tips, Retrieved January 16, 2007.

• : In Lebanon, along with Falafel, Shawarma is the most popular street food.

• : In Libya, Shawarma (Meet & Chicken) is the most popular street food, & the price range from 1.25 US$ to 2 US$

• : In Puebla, shawarma was introduced by the numerous Middle-Eastern immigrants, mostly from Lebanon and Syria, but also Turkey and Iraq, in the early 1920s.Tacos!, Kitaddoda.com. Retrieved January 26, 2007. Since then, it has become a traditional dish of the city, locally known as taco árabe, "Arabian taco", sold in taquerías orientales, "1Eastern taco stands". Antigua Taquería la Oriental Retrieved July 12, 2007 Nonetheless, it is now usually made with pork and served either in pitas –locally called pan árabe, "Arabian bread"–, leavened bread –locally called torta árabe, "Arabian baguette", also called cemita–, or simply in flour tortillas. It is usually accompanied tahini and labneh –locally called jocoque– El Jocoque: Un lácteo fermentado Revalorizable. Retrieved July 12, 2007 even though the skhug (or kharif) has been replaced with a thick chipotle-garlic sauce. Wrap it Up: A Guide to Mexican Cuisine In other parts of the country, most notably in Mexico City, the dish has adapted to the Mexican cuisine by replacing the pita with corn tortillas, in what is now called a taco al pastor, "Shepherd taco". Unlike a taco árabe, the taco al pastor is served with pineapple, cilantro, chopped onions and green or red salsa, and marinated with annatto sauce. Regardless of local adaptations, authentic middle eastern shawarma is available in the many middle eastern restaurants and kosher taquerias that cater to the large Mexican Lebanese and Mexican Sephardim communities.

• : In the Netherlands, shawarma (shoarma) is a popular meal. Here it is served as spiced lamb, chicken, beef or rarely, pork combined with salad and garlic sauce. It is generally served inside a small circular pitã bread, which is cut open upon which the meat is placed inside. It is usually served with French fries or potato wedges and can be bought from many places, including snackbars. Shoarma in the Netherlands is generally first spit roasted and after carving off s then grilled or fried, or a combination of both.

• : In Pakistan, Shawarma has been available as a road-side snack for many years, due to it being brought back by non-resident Pakistanis who worked in the Persian Gulf states. However it acquired cult status in Karachi in the late '90s following the opening of the restaurant known as Damascus Restaurant. It became closely associated with the sheesha fad which was taking place at the same time.

• : Shawarma is known in Paraguay as a popular fast-food and it's called lomito árabe (Arabian steak), there are more than two chains fast-food restaurants that sells them as the main product with other typical middle-east food.

Diliman during the University's Christmas Lantern Parade.

• : In the Philippines, shawarma is a popular food found at both street side and indoor shopping mall stalls, mostly in Metro Manila and other major cities, such as Cebu City and Bacolod City. Shawarma is often cooked using beef in a large pita bread, and served with vegetables such as onion and tomatoes. The shawarma wrap can usually be topped with locally made Cheddar cheese for a few Philippine pesos. Its popularity began during the 1980s, but has long passed being a fad. At present, "Shawarma Rice" is gaining popularity with younger diners. It consists of the same ingredients as regular shawarma, with the exception of the bread, which is replaced with fried or seasoned rice.

• : In Romania, shawarma (şaorma or shaorma) is very popular, with venues being renowned throughout cities. Shawarma is usually cooked using lamb, beef or chicken in a lavash or, possibly, pita bread. It also commonly contains french fries, pickles, fried or fresh onion, tomatoes, cabbage and sometimes gherkins. The most common dressings are a combination of spicy garlic sauces, spicy red sauces (containing hot peppers, tomatoes and aromatic herbs), mayo and ketchup (or, possibly, other sweet red sauces containing tomatoes and/or vinegar and sugar). Traditionally, the shawarma shops also sell Döner Kebabs, falafels, lemonade, ayran and kefir.

• : In Western Russia, shawarma (, or ) has become a popular street food in large cities. In Moscow this food is called "shaurma", while in St. Petersburg it is "shaverma", despite being the exact same item. It is generally eaten with a variety of julienned vegetables, tomato sauce, and garlic sauce that is wrapped in lavash. Russian-style shawarma is similar to döner kebab made of beef, pork or chicken.

• : In Senegal, shawarma is a common fast food for the predominantly Muslim populace. It is usually made with some sort of meat with spices, onions and herbs to taste. It is considered as typical first date food among Senegalese youth.

• : In South Africa, shawarma is extremely popular and widespread since there is a large Muslim population and hence a demand for halal food. The Anat 2 and Mivami 3 chains of shawarma restaurants are found all over the region. Here shawarma is made with beef, chicken, turkey, or often a combination in a soft pita. Most shawarmas come standard with hummus, tahina sauce, tzatziki (garlic sauce), chili flavoring, choice of vegetables, etc. Barbecue and other sauces may be added to taste as well. Most shawarma shops augment their menus with falafel and burgers.

• : In Spain, like in other parts of the Western world, shawarma is a fast food offering that is particularly popular with lunchtime and late-night crowds. Although more famous for tapas bars that offer free snacks with each drink, Granada, with its large student population and Islamic/Arabic heritage, is also a shawarma hotspot. Calle Elvira, which contains numerous bars and clubs that cater to locals and foreigners alike, also houses establishments serving shawarma and kebabs.

• : In Suriname, shoarma is widespread. A local fast food chain called 'wolly's' has a signature dish called 'patat shoarma' which consists out of french fries, shoarma chicken covered with Indonesian peanut sauce, ketchup and garlic sauce. It is cheap fast food and accessible to most people. There are also some more exclusive restaurants with more traditional recipes, but they are not as popular as the beforementioned one.

• : In Switzerland, similar to Germany, shawarma is surpassed in popularity by döner kebab. Döner stands are very common around areas with large Turkish immigrant populations in most major cities, such as Basel and Zurich.

• : In Syria it is a very popular, filling snack that is widespread in all of the country. Along with Falafel, Shawarma is the most popular street food. Damascus, which contains some of the oldest Shawarma eateries in the region is particularly renowned for its Shawarma and is widely considered the point from which this specialty spread to other parts of the Middle East and the world. The shawarma sandwich is often toasted and in some few cases then cut into small pieces which can then be served on a plate and dipped in garlic sauce. The addition of Pomegranate sauce to the sandwich is one of the distinguishing qualities of Syrian shawarma.

• : In Taiwan, shawarma (Mandarin Chinese: 沙威馬 shāwēimǎ) is usually made from chicken and is served on a leavened, white flour bun with julienned cabbage, a slice of tomato, sliced onions, ketchup, and mayonnaise. It is often sold in night markets in Taiwan. Additionally, a chain called JS Donair Kebab, has begun operating as a fast food chain in several department store food courts. This is a more traditional kebab served with lettuce, tomatos and other vegetables. In addition, served on a dish with rice."

• : In Tunisia, shawarma is a very popular imported dish. There are three different names: "Turkish", "Lebanese", and "Syrian". The only difference is in the spices and techniques used, which are jealously held secret by every chef. The meat (chicken, lamb, turkey or beef) is served inside the typical Tunisian bread (called "tabuna") or inside the more middle-eastern pita-like bread, together with a wide variety of flavors and some vegetables: garlic sauce, chick-pea sauce, local meshuya (a salad made out of grilled capsicum, tomatoes and garlic), cheese, tomatoes, onions, lettuce and fried chips. Every customer will choose his own flavors when ordering his shawarma.

• : In Ukraine shawarma became a popular street food in most large cities in just a few years since beginning of 21st century, while was almost completely unknown until then. In Ukraine this food is called "shaurma."

• : In the United Arab Emirates, shawarma is quite popular. This is due to the relatively low price, the ease in which a shawarma is prepared, as well as its taste being appealing to many of the UAE's residents. Most local cafeteria offer shawarma (mostly chicken) for a price range between AED 3 (apprx US$ 1) and AED 4 and can go up to AED8. Some restaurants offer a larger size shawarma which usually serves as a lunch meal along with some drink. Arabic bread is mostly used.

• : In the United Kingdom, shawarma consists of slices of skewered meat which are served in a pita with salad, picklesRanoush, The Hot Spot Online. Retrieved January 16, 2007 and tahina. The original shawarma take-aways first appeared in Piccadilly Circus in the early 1970s, catering mainly to tourists and Arab expatriates, but quickly spread to other parts of the U.K. However, the döner kebab is more widespread in the UK.

• : Shawarma is usually found in regions and localities that host a concentration of Arab or Jewish population, such as California, Detroit, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Chicago, South Florida, Washington DC, and New York City. An almost direct result of the conflict in the Middle East, shawarma is also popular among U.S. soldiers when returning home.

• : In Venezuela, shawarma is commonly seen on the streets of major cities at food business stands. Shawarma carts have become as popular in Venezuela at food business stands as the common empanada. The same stands that sell chawarmas sell the vegetarian falafel as well.

• West Africa: Introduced by Middle Eastern migrants, shawarma (spelled chawarma in Francophone countries) is a popular street food. In Nigeria, shawarma is usually served in Lebanese restaurants, and they are a popular delicacy among Arabs, Nigerians and Indians.

Shawarma