What are the famous varieties of shawarma in abu dhabi
Shawarma is one of the few dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine that is unanimously considered indispensable, and rightfully so. This dish is so popular, that finding a restaurant that doesn’t provide shawarma delivery in Abu Dhabi is a rare sight to behold.
Shawarma traces its origins all the way back to the 18th Century, during the Ottoman Empire, in the region that is now believed to be modern-day Turkey. The word shawarma in Arabic means "turning", which is in reference to how the meat is cooked on a vertical spinning grill. The meat used in shawarma is usually chicken, lamb, beef, or goat meat. Depending on the region, turkey is used in place of chicken.
The meat is cut into thin layers, which are then left to marinate in a marinade made with a variety of different spices. The meat is left to marinate for a long time, becoming very tender & flavorful. This is what gives the dish a distinct flavor that separates it from other middle-eastern dishes. It is also what gives the meat its rich color.
Once marinated, the meat is cooked on a spinning grill. This slow-cooking process is the secret to bringing out the flavors & taste of the dish.
While the meat plays an important role in the taste of the dish, the bread used to wrap the dish is key in holding all the ingredients together. Different types of flatbreads are used around the world, and some of the ones commonly found in Abu Dhabi include:
Arabic Bread: Double Layered, leavened bread.
Saj Bread: Unleavened bread is also known as Tava bread in India.
Samoon Bread: A softer variant of flatbreads, with a similar recipe used to make Arabic Bread, with yeast & a live culture like yogurt.
A critical component that helps bind the meat & bread together, is the variety of sauces that are used. From a classic garlic yogurt sauce to tahini sauce, garlic mayonnaise, and more, each combination adds a different character & flavor to the dish. Recently, most restaurants started adding in french fries & pickled vegetables to give it a salty & crunchy delight.
Different shawarma compositions create different experiences to enjoy. Here are a few popular ones:
The Classic Shawarma
The traditional shawarma wrap, with Arabic bread, chicken or lamb meat marinated with Arabic spices, bundled with pickled cucumbers, french fries with a garlic yogurt white sauce.
Turk-style Shawarma
Here, the meat is seasoned with Turkish spices and is accompanied by a special sauce with dry mint, olive oil & tomato paste.
Mexican-Inspired Shawarma
This shawarma is for spice lovers, with an authentic Mexican spicy hot sauce mirroring Mexico’s hot food culture.
French Shawarma Wrap
The french-inspired version of the shawarma is a cheesy one. A delicious cheddar sauce, mixed with a variety of different herbs & spices replaces the yogurt sauce for a cheesy delight on the classic shawarma.
These are a few varieties of shawarmas you can enjoy here in Abu Dhabi. These can be had at popular shawarma joints like Shawarma Station, which also offers shawarma in Abu Dhabi, no matter where you are!
