Shawarma Spiced Lamb

Ingredients

Serves 2-4

• 1 x 2.5kg bone-in leg of lamb

For the shawarma spice mix:

• 1.5 tablespoons cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 5 cloves
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon sea salt (such as Maldon)

For the marinade and cooking the lamb

• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, in thick strips (remove any white pith from the underside of the strips)
• 2 onions, sliced
• 100ml flavourless oil, such groundnut

For the Israeli salad: (Prep time: 10 minutes)

• 3 small Israeli cucumbers or 1 large English cucumber (seeds removed if the latter), diced
• 3 tomatoes, diced, or 15 cherry tomatoes, diced
• 1 handful parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 1 small handful mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together and season with salt and pepper. If made more than 15 minutes in advance the salad will accumulate juice at the bottom of the bowl – it is up to you whether you drain this off.

For the onion salad: (Prep time: 10 minutes )

• 2 regular onions, thinly sliced
• 1 heaped teaspoon sumac
• 1 teaspoon salt

In a bowl, mix the onions and salt, rubbing the salt into the slices with your hands. Add the sumac. Allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

For the tahini sauce (Prep time: 5 minutes)

• 100ml tahini
• 50ml lemon juice
• 100ml water
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• Salt (a pinch)

Put all the ingredients except the salt in a food processor and process until smooth Taste and add salt if needed.