Hummous Kawarma (Lamb)

Serves 6
Calories: ?? kcal/serving

Sensational flavour, and (suprisingly) great for those who don't like fatty lamb. The hummous can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept in the fridge.

"Jerusalem: A Cookbook" by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi (The Times)

Hummous

2 cans chickpeas
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsp light tahini paste
4 tbsp lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, crushed
100ml ice cold water
Salt

Kawarma Lamb

300g neck fillet of lamb, finely chopped by hand
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Good pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil

For the lemon sauce

10g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
4 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, crushed (optional)
¼ tsp salt

Salad

1 heart of Romaine lettuce, chopped
½ cucumber, chopped
6 tomatoes, chopped
3 spring onions, chopped
6 radishes, stems removed, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

To serve

2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pitta bread

 
 

Method

1. Reserve a few of the drained chickpeas for the garnish.  Whizz the rest in a food processor until you get a stiff paste; then, with the machine still running, add the tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic and 1½ teaspoons of salt.

2. Slowly drizzle in the iced water until you get a very smooth paste, about 5 mins. Transfer the hoummos into a bowl, cover the surface with clingfilm and leave it to rest for at least 30 mins.

3. Place all the Kawarma Lamb ingredients (except the butter and oil)  in a medium bowl. Mix well, cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

4. Just before you intend to cook the meat, place all the ingredients for the lemon sauce in a small bowl and stir.

5. Mix the salad ingredients in a bowl, and dress with a little of the lemon sauce.

6. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large frying pan (or wok) over a medium-high heat. Add the meat in 2-3 batches and stir as you fry each batch for 2 minutes.

7. Divide the hoummos between six shallow serving bowls, leaving a slight hollow in the centre of each. Spoon the warm kawarma into the hollow and scatter with the reserved chickpeas. Drizzle with the lemon sauce and garnish with chopped parsley and toasted pine nuts.

8. Serve with the salad and warm, fresh pitta bread.