Lamb Shawarma and Baba Ganoush Delight
Ingredients
Lamb shawarma
- 500g diced lamb (shoulder or leg)
- 1 bell pepper rough chopped
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp finely grated garlic
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp all spice
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- A squeeze of lemon
- 1/2 tsp lemon rind finely grated
- 1 tsp sea salt
Baba ganoush components
- 2 medium aubergine
- 1 tsp garlic finely grated
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sea-salt
Preparation
Lamb shawarma
Put all the ingredients except the lamb in a mixing bowl and stir well to combine. Then add the lamb and mix until it’s well coated all over. Cover and refrigerate for 6-24 hours.
If using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before use. Divide the lamb between 3 skewers, thread and tightly pack the lamb pieces and pieces of pepper down the pointed end of the skewer and then BBQ or put under a hot grill. Cook for approximately 5 minutes on both sides. Rest for five minutes.
To serve, stand the skewers upright and slice the meat off in a downward motion with a sharp knife on each side.
Baba ganoush guide
Cook the aubergines in a dry hot pan on an electric hob or on the direct flame of a gas one, turning every five minutes or so, but you can BBQ or roast them whole in the oven, until soft and floppy all over. Set aside and leave to cool.
When cool, cut off the stalk and pick off all the skin and scrape off any stray bits with a knife.
Put the aubergine flesh in a blender with the garlic, lemon, tahini and salt and blend until smooth. Add more lemon juice and salt if desired to taste.
Decant the mixture into a small dish, give the top a swirl, sprinkle on your toppings and drizzle with olive oil. Voilà. Toppings include a few flat leaf parsley leaves finely chopped, and a pinch of sumac and/or paprika and ground cumin.
