Chicken Shawarma

Bear in mind that there is between 3 -24 hours of marinating time for the chicken.

Buy or find
Lemon juice, 2 1/2 tsp
Garlic, 3 small cloves, crushed
Ginger, 20g, finely grated
Turmeric, ground, 1/4 tsp
Sweet paprika, 3/4 tsp
Ground cumin, 1 1/2 tsp
Sumac, 3/4 tsp
Ground cardamom, 1/4 tsp
Ras el hanout, 3/4 tsp
Chicken stir fry, or diced chicken, 800g
Olive oil, 90ml
Coriander leaves, 25g, thoroughly washed and chopped (use the stems and leaves.)
4 large pita or other flatbreads
Parsley, a handful, washed and chpoped
Dill, a handful washed and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the onion and cucumber salsa
Red onion, 1, thinly sliced
Cucumber, 180g, thinly sliced
Dill leaves, 20g, chopped, plus extra to garnish
Sumac, 4 tsp
White wine vinegar, 4 tsp
Olive oil, 2 tsp

For the tahini sauce
Lemon juice, 2 1/2 tbs
Tahini, 100g
Parsley, roughly chopped, plus extra to garnish
Garlic, 1 small clove, roughly chopped

To make the marinade
Combine the lemon juice, garlic and ginger in a large bowl.

Dry-fry the spices on medium heat until their aroma is released and then add these to the bowl.

Add 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Pat dry the chicken pieces and place them in the marinade along with 5 tbs olive oil and the fresh coriander.

Massage the mixture into the chicken well, cover the bowl and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 3 hours but preferably overnight.

Place all of the ingredients for the salsa in a small bowl, along with 1/4 tsp salt. Mix well and set aside.

Put all of the ingredients for the tahini sauce in a food processor, adding 90ml of water and a pinch of salt and blitz until completely smooth with the consistency of honey. Add a little more water if it is too thick to pour.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan-forced).

Place a cast iron skillet on high heat. Once red hot, quickly sear the chicken pieces for 1-2 minutes on each side until nicely browned.

Transfer to a tray and cook in the oven for 5 -10 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve on warmed pita bread with salsa and tahini sauce and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and dill over the top. Roll and eat.