Take the taste of Morocco with you to the library this term with this simple Moroccan Style Chicken Shawarma. It is guaranteed to spice up your lunchtimes and, not to mention, save you money from splashing out in the library café.
This recipe serves eight:
2 lbs. (about 1 kg) chicken or turkey breast fillets
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
Juice of half a lemon
4 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
Half a lime
Handful of fresh mint
Optional fillings:
Mayonnaise
Shredded lettuce
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced red onion
Chopped cucumber
Chopped olives
Minced chili peppers
1. First you need to marinate the chicken/turkey overnight or for a minimum of six hours. In a large bowl, combine the yoghurt with the lemon juice, garlic and spices and then add the thinly sliced meat strips until covered with the marinated mix. Cover the bowl with foil and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight.
2. To make the yoghurt sauce, simply rip up the mint leaves in a bowl and cover with the lime juice. Then, add the yoghurt and mix altogether. Place this in the fridge until needed and sieve, to get rid of the lumpy mint leaves, before serving.
3. Pan-fry the chicken/turkey pieces. Only add the oil to the heated pan when it begins to smoke. Place a generous handful in the pan, stirring several times. Be careful not to overcook, otherwise the meat will dry out. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
4. Stuff your pita bread with the chicken, choice of salad and add a dollop of the yoghurt sauce.
5. Enjoy as a rewarding break from your hard work.
Emma Spencer
