In February of 2021 Memphis experienced a blizzard. Many cities are well equipped for such a weather phenomenon. Memphis is exceptionally bad at preparing for any and all weather events. The year that Memphis was swallowed whole by the great white blizzard, I was trapped inside my apartment for a week. And to make life extra spicy, I had no water.
Time progressed. I attempted to write, to journal, but all I seemed capable of doing was “be.” Apparently in the even of of a total lock-in, I immediately get cabin fever. Which isn’t the best plan, admittedly. Neither had I planned for this to happen, nor did I want this to happen. But as they say, “well, here we are.” And there I stayed for about four days (I think, things got fuzzy after a couple of days).
But I had an idea. To watch all four Avengers movies. And it brought me back from the event horizon of sanity. This felt like such a fun idea that I wanted to do this again the next February. Which did happen, but after an ice storm. Different story for a different time.
This time, I would make Shawarma. Why? Well, Tony Stark mentions it toward the end of the first Avengers movie. And learning how to make shawarma had me curious to the origins.
First of all, the meat is cooked vertically, which makes sure that fat isn’t cooked out of the meat. If the lamb or other meat is cooked horizontally, the fat will eventually fall off and add fuel to the fire. This doesn’t always allow for an even cook. While the meat looks funny while slowly rotating, the purpose is a lot more efficient than I once believed.
Secondly, shawarma has its roots in kebabs and gyros. The initial idea came about by what many believed was a man name Iskender Efendi around 1870. He created shawarma in the Turkish city of Bursa. He first called it the kebab, but the Middle Eastern dish evolved from there.
The ingredients and method of cooking was kept a secret until a few decades ago. Thank goodness, because I had fun cooking it. Although I didn’t have the proper bread at the time of learning this dish. I have since decided that I am an uncultured American who needs to be more strict with my culinary aspirations. This barely scratches the surface on this fascinating culinary history. More can be discussed on the history and method of cooking.
Shawarma has a rich history. Far richer in history than the pop culture referenced in the Avengers movie, and rich in flavor. Whether you are at a restaurant, food truck, or cooking at home, this is one of my favorite Middle Eastern dishes. This really should be more widely known and appreciated. Though I shamelessly admit my bias. I give shawarma four stars.