Ingredients:
Chicken Shawarma
1 1/2 teaspoonsground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoonsground coriander
3/4 teaspoonsmoked paprika
1/2 teaspoonground turmeric
1 pinchground cloves
1 1/2 tablespoonsapple cider vinegar
1/4 cup(60 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound(500 grams) boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3 to 4 pieces each
1/4 cup(50 grams) full-fat Greek yogurt
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Toum
3 heads (100 grams) garlic cloves, well-dried and peeled
1 1/4 cups(300 milliliters, or 250 grams by weight) sunflower oil, or another neutral-tasting oil
3/4 cup(75 milliliters) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
First, marinate the shawarma. Add all the spices, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and a good grind of pepper to a large bowl and mix well to combine. Leave to marinate, refrigerated for at least an hour, or up to overnight.
Meanwhile, make the toum. Halve the garlic cloves lengthways and use a small, sharp knife to remove and discard the inner part (some will look green or similar to a white twig).
Transfer the cored-out garlic cloves to a food processor along with 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of the oil. Blitz until very smooth and aerated, about 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl a couple times. With the machine still running, very slowly drizzle in about 60ml (a fifth) of the oil, followed by a tablespoon of lemon juice. Continue in this way, alternating between oil and lemon juice and ending with the oil. Do this very slowly and steadily; you don’t want the toum to split at all. You should be left with a white, fluffy and homogenised mixture. Transfer to a sterilized, sealed jar and store refrigerated; it’ll keep for up to 4 weeks.
When ready, remove the chicken from the fridge about half an hour before you want to cook it. Preheat the oven to 450°F/230°C.
Skewer the chicken onto four (9-inch/23cm) metal skewers or soaked wooden skewers. Transfer to a parchment lined baking tray and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through, rotating the skewers halfway through cooking.
Assemble the platter: toum, chicken, fries, pickles, herbs, lettuce, onion, and so forth.