Shawarma Bowl in 15 minutes

I am sure a lot of you choose to keep weekday meals 'frill free' with the sole intent of minimizing the number of dishes that go into the sink for a wash . I am no different .

Strategically therefore , at my home , the needle pushes gently towards doing more of ' one bowl meals' during weekdays as they are are easy to put together , stress free and yes , most convenient . Also , the elements for a one bowl meal can be prepared well ahead in time making weekday cooking an absolute breeze .

As most of you will know , a Shawarma is a middle eastern way of preparing meat where well marinated pieces of protein are roasted , typically on a vertical rotisserie and then carved into thin slices . The meat is then served as a sandwich or inside a flatbread with an overload of garlic sauce , mayonnaise or hummus . It is quite similar to a Greek gyros or a Turkish doner kebab in more ways than one but the preparation, marinade and the type of meat is variable .

In order to make things easy and replicate the taste , I have used a combination of beetroot hummus and pan roasted chicken breasts marinated in middle eastern spices to create the core of this bowl . Pan roasting the chicken on monitored high heat brings in maximum flavor to the protein and when paired with creamy hummus , pickled onion , herb tossed rice and fresh greens , this bowl not only tastes amazing but is also healthy . I have omitted the mayo & the garlic sauce completely in my cook but you can choose to add the same if you feel the need to do so .

In short , this bowl works best for those of you who want to imitate a chicken shawarma at home but in a more simplified manner. While I have used rice as the accompaniment to make it a more wholesome , you can choose to toss in all of the below ( except the rice ) inside a store brought pita bread and have the perfect shawarma the middle eastern way . You can also switch the chicken to a slab of paneer or tofu to make the vegetarian equivalent.

Take a look !

Things you will need ( Makes 02 adult portions )

For the Beetroot Hummus

• 01 medium sized beetroot ( pre- roasted with skin on gas for 10 mins & peeled )

• 1 /2 cup of boiled chickpeas

• 1/4 cup boiled chickpea water

• 1/3 cup of olive oil

• 02 pods of garlic

• 02 tsps. of home made sesame seed paste or store bought tahini

• Salt to taste

For the middle eastern style chicken

• 02 large chicken breasts

• 01 tsp garlic powder

• 02 tsp cayenne pepper

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp homemade Garam Masala ( i.e. a combination of cardamom ,clove , cinnamon powder )

• 01 tsp ginger paste

• Salt to taste

• 01 tbsp. butter

For the rest of the sides

• Pickled onion ( Sliced onion soaked in 01 tbsp. of vinegar and rested for 30 minutes )

• 01 carrot , thinly cut into matchsticks

• 01 red pepper , thinly cut into matchsticks

• 01 small baby cucumber , thinly sliced

• 02 - 04 lettuce heads

• 04 - 05 baby cauliflower florets , pre- toasted with some salt and pepper

• 02 tbsp. olive oil

• 01 cup of cooked rice

• Garlic sauce ( optional )

• Mayonnaise ( optional )

Steps to follow

To make the Beetroot Hummus :

• Rub the boiled chickpeas with your fingers and try to remove the skin as much as possible. This will help you get a very smooth texture in the Hummus .

• Toss all of the ingredients in the blender ( except the oil ) and blitz for 30 seconds.

• Next , keeping the blender motor on , slowly drizzle the olive oil until you see a smooth and creamy consistency coming along .

• Check the seasoning and keep aside - the beetroot hummus is ready .

• You can also store this in the fridge in an airtight jar for up to 2-3 days.

To roast the chicken :

• In a large bowl , marinate the chicken breasts with garlic powder , cayenne pepper ginger paste, paprika, garam masala and some salt - rest it for 20 minutes .

• Next , heat a pan and add in the butter . Lay out the chicken breasts and allow it to roast on high heat , monitoring closely , for 2- 3 minutes on each side until brown and crispy .

• Remove from heat and allow the chicken to rest .

• Once slightly cooled , carve uniformly into thin slices .

To assemble

• Now that all the elements are ready , all you need to do is assemble the chicken shawarma bowl ! Add a generous spoonful of beetroot hummus and top it with some rice , roasted chicken , pickled onion , roasted cauliflower , all the greens and the veges .

• Finish it with a generous drizzle of olive oil and just dig in - I assure you , you will not miss a thing :)