Shawarma Egg Rolls Are A Real Thing And Here’s The Recipe
If you don’t know what Shawarma is then you’re missing out on one of the most important Middle Eastern dishes you’ve never had. Shawarma is a Middle Eastern dish comprised of either lamb, chicken, or beef that is prepared on a vertical rotating spit. A typical beef shawarma sandwich is served in a pita with gherkin pickles, turnips, parsley mix and a drizzle of tahini.
I’ve always been inspired by my Lebanese heritage and cuisine, considering that it was what I grew up with. So when Canada’s bad boy Josh Elkin came through the office this week, we grabbed some shawarma sandwiches in Little Arabia, located in the always sunny Southern California. As we were coming up with ideas for some new recipe videos, the thought of rolling up an entire shawarma sandwich inside an egg roll came to mind. Having an Asian girlfriend was my inspiration, but Josh had the know-how to make it possible.
On our way to the store we wisely consulted my Lebanese mother on how to get the the shawarma recipe just right. Although we don’t have a vertical spit for our shawarma, there’s still a way to to make our dreams come true using an oven and the right spices. Here’s the recipe below and check out the video for a detailed visual look.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 deep fryer or large pot
- 1 basting brush
- 3 liters of cooking oil
- Egg Roll Wrappers
- 1 plastic bag
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 pound of thin sliced flank steak
- 1 cup of sliced pickled turnips
- 1 cup of chopped gherkins
- 1 cup of tahini paste
- Salt and pepper
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/3 cup of red vinegar
- 1 lemon sliced
- 1 tablespoon of shawarma spice
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 5 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 largely sliced onion with pedals separated
- 1 cup of finely chopped parsley
- ½ cup of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon of sumac spice
Preheat the cooking oil to 375 degrees F.
Step 1
Slice the flank steak into small bits and add it to a plastic bag. Add the red vinegar, olive oil, minced garlic, onions, shawarma seasoning, lemon juice, and lemons and mix well. Put this in the fridge for about 2 hours (overnight is better).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 2
Add the contents of the bag to a baking tray and cook for about 20 minutes or until the onions become wilted.
Step 3
Combine the parsley lemon juice and sumac in a small bowl and mix well.
Lay out one egg roll wrapper. Paint the perimeter of the egg roll wrapper with the beaten egg.
Step 4
Lay out some turnips in the center of the egg roll wrapper. Add the sliced pickles and some of the parsley mixture. Top it off with a few strips of the shawarma beef.
Step 5
Roll the wrapper from one corner to the next. Pull it back to create a cylinder.
Step 6
Fold in the two side corners of the wrapper over the cylinder and roll it up closed.
Place the egg roll into the hot oil and fry until golden brown and bubbly.
Step 7
Combine the tahini paste with water and 1 teaspoon of salt and mix until the tahini becomes a light, beige color. Season with more salt to desired taste.
