Shaurma

Ingredients

Chicken

• 800 gchicken thigh, boneless
• 3 tbspmayonnaise
• 2 tbspsunflower oil
• 1 tbsppaprika
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1 tspcumin
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 tspblack pepper
• juice of 1 lemon
• 4 clovesgarlic
• salt

Bread

• 4lavash sheets, thin Armenian flatbread

Filling

• 300 gwhite cabbage, finely shredded
• 2tomatoes, sliced
• 1cucumber, sliced
• 1onion, thinly sliced
• pickled cucumbers, sliced
• fresh dill and parsley

Sauce

• 150 mlmayonnaise
• 100 mlsour cream or kefir
• 3 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 1 tbspketchup
• 1 tspmustard
• salt and pepper

To serve

• hot, pressed on a griddle

Directions

1. Use chicken thigh rather than breast. Thigh has the fat to survive high heat and stay juicy, and breast goes dry and stringy under a grill. Mix the mayonnaise, oil, spices, lemon, garlic and salt and coat the chicken thoroughly. Mayonnaise is a Russian street-kiosk trick and it works: the oil and egg carry the spices and keep the meat moist, and it browns well.
2. Marinate at least 4 hours, or overnight. Now cook the chicken hard on a very hot griddle or heavy pan. Cook it in batches over a high heat so it browns rather than steams, which needs a hot dry pan and space.
3. Let it char in places, since those blackened edges are what a vertical spit gives and what you are imitating. Cook it through, then rest it briefly and slice it into thin strips. Slice it rather than chopping it, because long strips distribute through the wrap where cubes clump.
4. Mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, crushed garlic, ketchup and mustard. Make it strongly garlicky, because it is competing with cabbage, pickles and spiced meat. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can and salt it lightly. Coarse cabbage is unpleasant to bite through in a wrap and it stops it rolling tightly.
5. Squeeze it gently after a few minutes to soften it slightly. Spread sauce over the middle third, leaving the edges clear. Keep the edges dry, or the wrap will not seal and it leaks from the moment it is picked up.
6. Layer the chicken, cabbage, tomato, cucumber, onion, pickles and herbs down the centre. Do not overfill it, which is the commonest mistake and makes rolling impossible. Fold the bottom up before the sides so the end is closed and the contents do not fall out as you eat.
7. Roll it as tight as you can without tearing the lavash. Now press the finished wrap on a hot dry griddle or in a sandwich press for 2 to 3 minutes each side. Cut it in half diagonally and serve it in paper.

Technique

• Lavash is the standard bread and pita is used less often in Russia.
• Lamb and beef versions exist but chicken dominates.
• Korean-style carrot salad, morkovcha, is a common addition.

Substitutions

• Any thin flatbread or large tortilla in place of lavash.
• Kefir in place of sour cream in the sauce.

Variations

• With Korean carrot salad added.
• Served open on a plate rather than wrapped.
• With cheese, which many kiosks now offer.

History

Spread through Russian cities in the 1990s from Caucasian and Central Asian kiosks, now ubiquitous.

Frequently asked questions

What is Shaurma?

Shaurma is a street food from Russia: grilled meat shaved into flatbread with cabbage, sauce and pickles. Spread through Russian cities in the 1990s from Caucasian and Central Asian kiosks, now ubiquitous.

How long does Shaurma take to make?

Shaurma takes 30 min plus 4 hr marinating of preparation and 25 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 wraps. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Shaurma?

Yes, within limits. Any thin flatbread or large tortilla in place of lavash. Kefir in place of sour cream in the sauce.

What is the most important thing to get right in Shaurma?

Use chicken thigh rather than breast. Thigh has the fat to survive high heat and stay juicy, and breast goes dry and stringy under a grill. Mix the mayonnaise, oil, spices, lemon, garlic and salt and coat the chicken thoroughly. Mayonnaise is a Russian street-kiosk trick and it works: the oil and egg carry the spices and keep the meat moist, and it browns well.