Fish Shawarma is similar to Chicken Shawarma, where the fish is grilled or pan-fried with spices and served in pita bread with tarator sauce.
‘Shawarma’ is the Arabic rendition of the Turkish word çevirme which means ‘turning’. While traditionally referencing the spit or rotisserie-cooked nature of the meat, which “turns” on an axis, the modern shawarma has gone beyond its traditional red meat-based roots. Shawarma can sometimes also be spelled as “shawurma” or “shawerma” and generally refers to the cooking mechanism where the meat is thinly-sliced, marinated in spices, and stacked on a vertical turning rotisserie.
While the Chicken Shawarma has caught on popularity, Fish Shawarma is also incredibly popular across Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The tricky part of making this dish has always been that fish is highly perishable and must be consumed fresh. That said, now with the miracles of freezing, fish is still relatively fresh.
I first came across this dish served with tarator sauce in Dubai, where the fish was flaky yet crisp on the outer edges. It was served with a generous helping of salad and the tarator sauce. The menu had the ingredient list that has helped me create my own recipe at home. I now feel confident that the recipe below is both tasty and healthy. The tarator sauce is my own interpretation of the Lebanese favorite using the limes from my garden. As an alternative to meat, my Fish Shawarma recipe is a favorite at home. This dish can also be served with the Tabbouleh with Amaranth salad.
How to make Fish Shawarma:
- Marinate the fish:
- Make the salad:
- Make the tarator sauce
- Assemble the Fish Shawarma in pita bread
1. Marinate the fish: Marinate the small fish strips in the spices, lemon, garlic, and olive oil for two hours.
Fry in a non-stick skillet for 8 minutes on both sides on medium heat. Drain on a paper towel and keep aside.
2. Make the salad: Mix all the cut vegetables for the salad in a bowl. Add the vinaigrette on top just before serving.
3. Make the tarator sauce: Toast the hulled white sesame seeds.
Grind with olive oil and salt to make the tahini.
Then, add the garlic and lime juice and grind with a few drops of water to make the tarator sauce.
4. Assemble the Fish Shawarma:
Slit open the warmed pita bread and slather some tarator sauce on one side.
Put some salad into the pita pocket and drizzle the lime vinaigrette.
Place the fish strips on top. Garnish with sunflower seeds, walnuts, and arugula.
Fish Shawarma
Equipment
- Stovetop
Ingredients
For the fish marinade:
- ¾ lb boneless fish fillets cut into thin strips
- 4 cloves garlic
- ½ lemon (juice)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
- ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
For the salad:
- ¼ cup baby spinach
- 1 cucumber small, sliced thin
- ½ lettuce romaine, chopped
- ⅙ red cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 carrot small, thin strips
- a few cherry tomatoes quartered
For the lime vinaigrette (dressing):
- 1 lime
- 2 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the tarator sauce:
- 1 cup white sesame seeds hulled
- olive oil extra virgin
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ lime juice
- 1-2 tsp water
For the garnish:
- 4 pita bread cut into two to yield 8
- 1 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp crushed walnuts
- ¼ cup arugula leaves
Instructions
How to marinate the fish:
- Marinate the small fish strips in the spices, lemon, garlic, and olive oil for two hours.
- Fry a few fish strips in a non-stick pan for 8 minutes on both sides. Drain on a paper towel.
How to make the salad:
- Mix all the cut vegetables. Drizzle the lime vinaigrette made with the lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper whisked together.
How to make the tarator sauce:
- Toast the hulled white sesame seeds.
- Grind with olive oil and salt.
- Add the garlic and lime juice with a few drops of water to make the tarator sauce.
Notes
- Any boneless fish fillet such as Tilapia, Swai or Catfish will be fine.
- You could use store-bought tahini to make the tarator sauce.
Nutrition
I tried this and the combination of flavors is so good! Definitely a favorite!