Shawarma

File:Shawarmaskewer.jpg

Chicken shawarma in Hama, Syria

Shawarma (Arabic: شاورما, Hebrew: שווארמה, also spelt Chawarma, Shwarma, Shawerma, Shoarma or Shaorma) is a Middle Eastern-style sandwich usually composed of shaved lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or a mixture of meats. Shawarma is a popular dish across the Middle East, and is consumed by many across the rest of the world as well. Shawarma is known as guss in Iraq; it is related to the famous gyros of Greece.

The name Shawarma comes from the Turkish word Çevirme (IPA: [tʃevir'me]), meaning Turning, and has its origins in Anatolia. It is essentially the same dish as döner kebab in Turkey (for which it is another name - turning roast), possibly differing from it in the type of meat and spices used. The composition of the salad can be quite different as well.

Preparation

Shawarma is made by placing strips of meat or marinated chicken on a skewer. Animal fat and an onion or tomato are placed at the top of the stack to provide flavoring. The meat is then roasted slowly on all sides as the skewer rotates in front of or over a flame for a period of several hours (see rotisserie). Traditionally a wood fire is used, but recently a gas flame is more common. While many specialty restaurants might offer two or more, usually of different meats some establishments have one skewer.

A cheap version of shawarma is made of ground meat that is pre-formed and frozen onto a skewer. This is the most popular form of shawarma in Finland and Southern California but almost unheard of in Central Europe.

After cooking, the meat is shaved off the skewer with a large knife, an electric knife or a small circular saw, dropping to a circular tray below to be retrieved. Shawarma is most commonly eaten as a fast food, made up into a sandwich with pita bread or rolled up in lafa (a sweet, fluffy flatbread) together with vegetables and a dressing. Vegetables commonly found in shawarma include cucumber, onion, tomato, lettuce, parsley, pickled turnips, pickled gherkins, cabbage, and in some countries, such as Jordan or Saudi Arabia, french fries.

Common dressings include tahini (or tahina), Amba sauce (pickled mango with Chilbeh) and hummus, flavored with vinegar and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Chicken shawarma is often served with garlic mayonnaise, pomegranate concentrate, skhug (a hot chili sauce), or any combination of the three. Once the sandwich is made, it might be dipped in the fat dripping from the skewer and then briefly seared against the flame. In Syria and Lebanon, chicken shawarma sandwiches are generally toasted after being made up, whereas those made of lamb or beef are immediately eaten.

Sometimes beef is used for shawarma instead of lamb, and turkey is also occasionally used instead of chicken. In Saudi Arabia, goat is equally as common as beef or lamb and is often the preferred primary meat for purists. In Israel, a turkey/lamb fat mixture is the primary flavor, although chicken is also available. Less common alternatives include fish and sausage. Some shawarma stores use hot dog buns or baguettes, but most have pita and lafa. Shawarma is often served with a plate of french fries or home fries. Sometimes, beef shawarma—despite its name—contains some lamb in addition to the beef, to ensure juiciness.

Shawarma is eaten either as a dish by itself, with grilled bread and a garnish, or with other Middle Eastern foods like Tabouli, Hummus, and Fattoush.

Around the world

While shawarma originated in Turkey under the name döner kebab (döner means "one that turns," versus çevirme, which means "turning"), it has become a ubiquitous form of fast food in many Arab countries, particularly Syria and Lebanon which have a deep-rooted tradition of preparing the dish. Here is a rundown of the areas and modes of preparation of shawarma in other places around the world:

• Argentina: In Argentina, shawarma is beginning to grow in popularity, introduced by the sizeable Syrian and Armenian immigrant populations which brought the Turkish food to the country along with themselves, it is consumed mainly in Buenos Aires.

• Australia: In Australia there are large Greek, Turkish and Arab migrant populations who have introduced Shawarma. Most commonly however it is known simply as a kebab, or more fully, a Döner kebab or, where Greek immigrants have settled, as a yiros. It has been enthusiastically embraced by Australians as a popular take-out dish. On average, shawarma costs about AUD$7 and is usually sold wrapped in a large pita bread and comes with any, or all, of the following; beef, chicken, lamb, salad, cheese, garlic sauce, chilli sauce. Sometimes it is toasted after being wrapped in the pita bread.

• Belgium: In Belgium, which has a relatively high Turkish immigrant population in its major urban centers, shawarma is widely available at restaurants. A very large, filling shawarma is available for around 5 euro. It is often made with a combination of lamb and beef and placed in a freshly-baked pita, garnished with salad and a choice of a zesty white garlic sauce or a spicy red sauce, or both.

• Brazil: In Brazil, mainly in São Paulo, shawarma is a very popular street food, served with bread and a cup of artificial juice. There it is called Churrasquinho Grego (Little Greek Barbecue) or much less frequently Churrasco Turco (Turkish Barbecue) and costs around R$ 1,00 (US$ 0.50). It is not associated in any way with the now-burgeoning kebab/gyro appearance in fashion districts.

• Bulgaria: In Bulgaria, shawarma has become a goulash-like dish, called cavarma (кавърма) or jahnia (яхния).
• Canada:
  • Montreal's Arab immigrant population has made shawarma fast food restaurants a pervasive addition to Canada's already-diverse ethnic menu. Chicken shawarma is called shish taouk. The city's many Greek restaurants almost always serve shawarma, usually calling it gyro or doner. The most popular Shawarma restaurant is Amir's, which has locations all over the Island of Montreal.
  • Ottawa is home to many shawarma restaurants; Google Maps reports 91. Sellers use a garlic sauce made from equal parts garlic and oil and a small amount of lemon juice. Shawarma sandwiches are wrapped in pita bread and are almost always garnished with onion, tomato, pickles, pickled turnips and parsley (which is usually mixed in with the onions). The shawarma restaurants in Ottawa will generally allow customers to substitute hummus for the garlic sauce at no extra charge. Despite its name, beef shawarma generally contains some lamb in addition to the beef to ensure juiciness.
  • Windsor, Ontario, bordering Detroit, Michigan (which has the greatest concentration of Middle Easterners in North America), has many shawarma shops. They are located all over the inner city but are concentrated on Ouellette Avenue in a de facto entertainment district downtown.
  • Oakville, Ontario
  • Thornhill, Ontario Big Israeli expat community in this area immediately North of City of Toronto supports number of Shawarma establishments, where dish is prepared in traditional Israeli way (chicken or turkey with lots of amba).
  • Hamilton, Ontario loves shawarma.
  • Toronto has many different Shawarma establishments reflecting the different Shawarma styles of the globe. Some establishments use veal meat, others use chicken.
  • Calgary,Alberta, Due to a sizable Middle Eastern (particularly Lebanese and Syrian) population, small take-out "donair" shops are found in many strip malls throughout all of the city's quadrants. The food offered varies from a simple beef donair wrapped in flatbread with a sweet sauce to more traditional Lebanese shawarma grilled with several different toppings. Beef is the dominant meat used - although, chicken and (more rarely) lamb are available (a "shish taouk" can be chicken cooked in a powerful garlic sauce topped with boiled potatoes and pickled cucumber, wrapped and grilled). Several halal butchers exist in Calgary to supply this meat. Sauces offered depend on the shop - including the above-noted sweet sauce, a cucumber-yoghurt sauce somewhat resembling Greek tzatziki, a creamy garlic sauce, tahini, hummus and various spicy chilli sauces (including the traditional skhug, Louisiana-style cayenne pepper sauce, Frank's Red Hot sauce, Tabasco, Indonesian sambal oelek, Thai sriracha, even Vietnamese chili-garlic paste). Sauces are often made fresh on the premises. Topppings range from fresh vegetables to various pickles (cucumbers, red cabbage, chilli peppers, carrots...) and sometimes cheese.
  • Vancouver, Lower Mainland, British Columbia, A large immigrant population drives shawarma and doner consumption in BC. The city of Surrey, with its large South Asian community, hosts dozens of small shawarma shops though it is more commonly referred to as donair. Google lists 51 restaurants with the alternate spelling in the area. It is common to see pizza, Greek, coffee and falafel all served alongside donairs in a given establishment.

• Colombia: In the numerous Middle Eastern restaurants in Barranquilla, shawarma is a favorite of guests when choosing a light meal, since other main courses have heartier portions.

• Denmark: Shawarma was first introduced to Denmark in 1981 by Turkish migrant workers, and has since become a staple. In Denmark shawarma is served with julienned salad, tomatoes, creme fraiche dressing and chilli oil.

• France: In France, shawarma (or chawarma) is served in Arab and Israeli restaurants. The same item can be bought from ubiquitous fast food vendors under the name sandwich grec, sandwich Turc, or kebab. Although the name may imply a Greek origin, the sandwich is not a Greek gyros. As a fast food item, it is frequently served with french fries (in the sandwich, 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.

• Ecuador: In Ecuador, shawarmas are a popular snack or light meal with vendors found all over the main metropolitan areas. They were introduced by the Middle Eastern immigrant population.

• Germany: In Germany, shawarma is vastly surpassed in popularity by döner kebab. Döner stands are very common around areas with large Turkish immigrant populations, i.e. most major cities. Shawarma, on the other hand, is quite rarely found; usually it is offered by small restaurants run by Lebanese immigrants. In Germany, shawarma is often based on chunks of chicken or turkey meat marinated in a spicy yoghurt sauce; ironically, this is much closer to the original Turkish döner kebab than the "German döner" which contains much minced meat and is seasoned but not marinated. Cinnamon and coriander are often used to season shawarma marinade, whereas it is hardly ever used to season döner meat.

• India: Shawarma found its way to India via the large number of non-resident Indians who live and work in Persian Gulf countries. Sometimes porotta, a south Indian flatbread, is used instead of pita.

• Israel: In Israel, shawarma (Hebrew: שווארמה) is a very popular street food and is sold everywhere. It was introduced to the Jewish population by Arab residents or Jews who immigrated from Arab countries. Often the rotating skewer is placed at the front of the fast-food stand, exposed to the street, so that patrons can view the preparation process. Shawarma is served in a pita or a lafa and is usually eaten with salad, hummus or french fries. An important condiment in Israeli shawarma is Amba (condiment).

• Mexico: In Puebla, shawarma was introduced by the numerous Middle-Eastern immigrants, mostly from Lebanon, but also Turkey and Iraq, in the early 1920s. Since then, it has become a traditional dish of the city, locally known as taco árabe, "Arabian taco", sold in taquerías orientales, "[Middle-]Eastern taco stands". 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– even though the skhug (or kharif) has been replaced with a thick chipotle-garlic sauce. 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.

• Netherlands: In the Netherlands, shawarma (shoarma) is a popular meal, especially after a night out. Here it is served as pork, chicken, beef or lamb combined with salad and garlic sauce.

• Pakistan: 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 Gulf states. However it acquired cult status in Karachi in the late '90s. It became closely associated with the sheesha fad which was taking place at the same time. Road-side stalls in Islamabad are especially popular for shahwarma lovers in the city and has become a favourite alternate fast food for people tired of pizzas and burgers.

One of the many shawarma stalls in University of the Philippines Diliman during the University's Christmas Lantern Parade.

• Philippines: 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. Shawarma is often cooked using beef in a large pita bread, and served with vegetables such as onion and tomatoes. The shawarma sandwich can usually be topped with locally made cheddar cheese for a few Philippine pesos.

• Romania: In Romania, shawarma (şaorma) is hugely popular, with venues being renowned throughout a city. Shawarma is usually cooked using beef or chicken (some restaurants also serve lamb shawarma, but this is rather uncommon) in a large lipie (lebanese bread) 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). Prices vary around 9 RON (just over USD$3 in 2007). Traditionally, the shawarma shops also sell Döner Kebabs, falafels, lemonade, ayran and kefir.

A Shawarma Ad in Russian and Arabic, Moscow

• Russia: In Russia, shawarma (Russian: шаурма or шаверма) gained popularity in the former Soviet Republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan and has become one of the most popular street foods. 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.

• South Africa: 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 chain of shawarma restaurants is 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.

• Spain: 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 kebobs.

• Taiwan: 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.

• Tunisia: 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.

• United Kingdom: In the United Kingdom, shawarma consists of slices of skewered which are served in a pita with salad, pickles and tahina. It is mostly associated with Lebanese restaurants, which are particularly concentrated on Edgware Road in London. Kosher schwarma is available in areas of North-West London, namely Golders Green and Hendon, due to the large Jewish demographic. The original shawarma take-aways first appeared in Picadilly Circus in the early 70's, catering mainly to tourists and Arab expatriates, but quickly spread to other parts of London and the U.K.

• United States: Shawarma is found in many places that host Arab population. In Los Angeles, for example, the large Middle Eastern population makes shawarma almost ubiquitous. New York City, particularly Queens, and South Florida's large Israeli populations makes it easy to find shawarma in all the Kosher restaurants and Israeli food Stores. In metropolitan Detroit, it is available at many Middle Eastern restaurants, with a high concentration in Dearborn. Also Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan has a very large population of students from the Middle East (both directly and from Dearborn), which has led to the opening of many hookah lounges and Middle Eastern restaurants in the area. Shawarma can be found in the University District of Seattle, Washington and in some suburban malls. Shawarma is also found in San Francisco's Financial District. Even in relatively remote Mankato, Minnesota, shawarma can be found at a local mall.

• 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.

Trivia

• In a segment on the Middle East conflict, The Daily Show host Jon Stewart made a reference to shawarma, at which point the audience broke out in spontaneous applause. This caused Stewart to ask, somewhat quizzically, "Are you applauding shawarma?"

• In the American Dad! episode, "Stan of Arabia", there is an establishment in Saudi Arabia named Shawarma King, a likely parody of Burger King. There is, in fact, a restaurant called "Shawarma King" in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. There is another Shawarma King establishment in the metro Boston area. And there are two located in Ottawa, Ontario.

• The Rock Hyrax has been jokingly referred to as a "Shawarma Bear." This references its size and shape, which resemble shawarma.

External links

• What is a Shawarma?