Shawarma Rub

Traditional shawarma is slow roasted meat made from either chicken, lamb, or a mixture of meats. The seasoned meat is alternated with strips of fat on a spit like a vertical rotisserie and roasted slowly while it rotates. The fat keeps the meat moist during the slow roasting and also making it tender and juicy. The meat is shaved off as the order is placed directly into a plate or pita for gyros sandwiches. It has a unique flavor making it very popular world over.

Not many of us have a vertical rotisserie at home however we can achieve the same flavor by using the spice mix and marinating the chicken, fish or vegetables . This may not be the exact spice rub your local Mediterranean restaurant may use on their meats, but it has all the Mediterranean flavors and works great for homemade versions. The flavors are bold, warm, earthy, with a little kick from the hot pepper. If you want it spicier, add more pepper (cayenne or chili flakes) if you’re not into spicy food or feeding little kids, you can totally leave it out. This recipe is for a dry rub to which fresh garlic and olive oil is added for marinating the chicken or what ever shawarma you’re making. See the recipe for amount of garlic you’ll need for 2 pounds of chicken or salmon.

Mediterranean Spice Rub

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tablespoons sweet smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, optional
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, optional
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ to 1 teaspoon hot paprika or cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes (medium to hot in spice level)
• ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons coarse kosher salt

1. Mix all the ingredients and store in a tight fitted jar.
2. This recipe should be enough to marinate 2 pounds of skinless boneless chicken, meat or salmon. For sturdy vegetables like cauliflower, sweet potatoes I recommend use half or use to your personal taste.
3. Add 4-6 cloves of minced garlic for marinating the chicken. For salmon I prefer using garlic powder, about 1/2 teaspoon.
4. You’ll also need 3 tablespoons of olive oil along with the garlic and spice mix to marinate the meats or vegetables. Use this recipe as a guide and adjust the ingredients and quantity to your taste.