How to make tasty Nigerian shawarma at home

Shawarma is a tasty snack that is popular on the streets of Nigeria. The meal is made with beef and chicken fillings. Years back, I bought Nigerian shawarma in eateries, thinking only professionals knew how to make the meal. But then, I decided to make this delicious meal at home, and after several trials and errors, I got it right.

I still buy shawarma from the streets from time to time. But, nowadays, I prefer to make mine because I can manipulate it however I want to make this tasty dish. You can do it too if you follow the recipes I’m about to reveal.

Shawarma recipe

Before we start, note that beef and chicken are the most popular proteins to use for Nigerian shawarma. You can use one or both at the same time. It’s your choice. Also, most people don’t have a vertical rotisserie, the rotating stand that street vendors use to roast their chicken. Since we’re making shawarma at home, you can use your frying pan to prepare your proteins. 

I will use chicken for this recipe because I found it makes shawarma tastier. You can use beef if you want and follow the same steps in preparation. That being said, let’s dig into the recipes.

Types of shawarma

Shawarma originated from the Middle East and has seen a surge in worldwide popularity after becoming one of the most popular and delicious street foods. There are different types of shawarma, such as chicken, lamb, mutton, beef, or even pork. The most crucial component of this dish is that it must be fatty so it can marinate perfectly with a special source.

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The meats are usually cooked over an open fire in most restaurants or by street food vendors. This is why the dish is cooked for a long time, as the direct flame needs to be constantly turned so that the inside of the meat cooks slowly. However, technology has changed everything; you can cook with gas or even stir fry the meat at home. But the timing hasn’t changed as marinating the meat usually takes a long time, even up to 24 hours.

Types of shawarma marinades

The type of marinade determines the entire character of shawarma. This is what distinguishes one shawarma from the other. Here are different types of marinades:

• Shawarma poultry marinades: The most common marinades are vegetable oil, yogurt, and tomato paste for poultry. Lebanon and Turkey use this type of marinade a lot. In Syria, a mixture of garlic, seven spices, and buttermilk is used in place of yogurt, while harissa replaces tomato paste. Greece marinates chicken with yoghurt and replaces tomato paste with white vinegar. Israel uses tahini instead of yoghurt since it is religiously forbidden to use meat and dairy products together.
• Shawarma red meat marinades: Here, fresh mint, thyme, parsley, black pepper, white pepper, bay leaf, and nutmeg flavors are mixed into red meat, which could be beef or lamb. This marinade is common in Lebanon. In Syria, a famous seven-spice blend, garlic, and vegetable oil are used. Turkey rarely marinates red meat, preferring to cook the meat like that. In Egypt, red meat is marinated overnight in lemon juice, olive oil, and a mixture of spices such as garlic, cumin, coriander, cardamom, and black pepper.

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Types of shawarma servings

Not all shawarmas are served in pita bread. Here are some unique versions of shawarma servings:

Iskender kebab

This type of shawarma serving comes with a thinly sliced doner kebab placed on a sliced, tomato sauce-flavoured pita and served with butter poured over it. No pita.

Donner

Donner is a popular Turkish dish, a type of shawarma that is served with rice and salad.

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Turkish shawarma

This shawarma comes wrapped in pita but with fried potato chips, seared onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and other classic sandwich sauces that can be found in Europe.

Hot dog bun shawarma

Shawarma can also be served in hot dog buns. This type of shawarma is common in Saudi Arabia.

Tabbouleh and Fattoush shawarma

This is a classic Lebanese dish. The shawarma is served with tomatoes, cucumbers, pickled turnips, and the unique amba and hummus in a bowl instead of pita or bread.

Conclusion

Making Nigerian shawarma is actually simple. The best part is you don’t need sophisticated kitchen equipment to turn out that yummy snack. If you don’t have a grill, you can use your oven, gas, or stove. There are also varieties of servings you can try. Shawarma is a global dish and you should enjoy it with no reservations whatsoever.

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