Shatta sauce is a Middle Eastern chili paste, typical of the Levant, that can be made with fresh red or green chilies and olive oil; it derives from the Arabic word شطة shaṭṭah , which means “spicy”.
Its origins go back centuries, when it was traditionally made by grinding fresh chilies, garlic, and various spices.
It is served as a spreadable sauce on bread or as a sauce for fish and meat; I used it to season Shawarma.
Shawarma is a popular dish in Middle Eastern and Arabian Peninsula countries, the meat, usually chicken, beef, goat, or lamb, is grilled horizontally on a rotisserie.
Hence the name shawarma, which in Turkish means “to turn”.
It originates from the Arab-Middle Eastern region and derives from the döner kebab, and can be served with different types of bread like Saj, Pita, and Samoon.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 2 Hours
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for shatta sauce and shawarma:
- 16 fresh red chilies (piri piri, Fresno, serrano)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic
- to taste olive oil
- to taste salt
- 2.2 lbs meat (chicken, beef, goat, or lamb)
- 0.42 cup vinegar
- to taste ground cinnamon
- to taste cardamom
- to taste cumin
- to taste ground turmeric
- 1 onion
- to taste sumac (optional)
- to taste parsley
- 4 pitas
Tools
- 1 kebab rotisserie
Steps for shatta sauce and shawarma:
Blend the ingredients.
For the shawarma: slice the meat thinly and marinate in vinegar with the spices for at least 2 hours.
Add the sliced onion and cook in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes.
N.B. If available, you can use a rotisserie for kebab.
Fill each pita with the meat and shatta sauce, add sumac (optional) and parsley.
Shatta sauce
Shawarma
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
What is the difference between shawarma and döner kebab?
Shawarma is a variety of kebab that has evolved into a separate dish.
Shawarma and döner kebab are very similar in cooking method: in both cases, slices of meat are skewered on a long rod, cooking while the skewer rotates.
The difference lies in the origin of the two dishes: döner kebab is one of the many varieties of Turkish kebab, while shawarma originates from the Arab-Middle Eastern region and derives from the döner kebab.
Another fundamental difference is the seasoning.
The spices used for shawarma are: cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, which give the dish its pronounced Middle Eastern flavors.
The kebab has a Turkish marinade with Turkish spices like parsley, cumin, dill, black pepper, paprika, mint, oregano, and thyme.
