Beef shawrama..myfvt

Shawarma is like the ultimate on the go meal. Thinly sliced meat, wrapped in a pita bread with veggies and sauce is a delicious quick meal.
Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef, prime rib is best
  
• 1 cup plain yogurt
  
• 1/4 cup vinegar
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 teaspoon pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 2 cardamom pods
  
• 1 teaspoon allspice
  
• juice from 1 lemon
  
• ___________________________
  
• FOR THE SAUCE:
  
• 1 cup tahini
  
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
  
• 2 tablespoons yogurt
  
• ___________________________
  
• PITA FILLINGS:
  
• 8 loaves of pita bread or 4 large
  
• thinly sliced cucumbers
  
• thinly sliced onions
  
• 1/2 teaspoon sumac
  
• thinly sliced tomatoes
  
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
  
• pickle slices (optional)
  
• 
  Preparation:
  
  Combine all ingredients except for beef, fillings, and sauce ingredients to make marinade. If it seems a little dry, add a little olive oil (a tablespoon at a time). Here is an excellent tahini recipe, if you do not have some handy.
  
  Add beef, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours, preferable overnight.
  
  In a stockpot or large saucepan, cook beef over medium heat for 45 minutes or until done. Be sure not to overcook! If beef becomes a little dry, add a few tablespoons of water throughout cooking duration.
  
  While beef is cooking, prepare the sauce. Combine sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
  
  Take the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and sprinkle with sumac. Add other filling ingredients in a large bowl and combine well.
  
  When the beef is done, you can shred it, slice it, or leave into large pieces. As long as it it thinly cut, there is not much difference. I prefer to cut mine into wide strips.
  Prepare the Pita
  
  Place enough beef on pita that cover 1/4 of the loaf. Add veggies and pour sauce. Roll like a soft taco or burrito and you have shawarma! You can also stuff the pocket of the pita if you like. I prefer to roll large pitas (this is where making your own pita comes in handy), but it is hard to find large loaves of pita at the supermarket.
  Serving Shawarma
  
  You can serve shawarma with fries, falafel, hummus, or with a salad like tabouleh
  

Pita bread is served at just about every meal in the Middle East. It can be used for dipping, or to make delicious sandwhiches in the pocket. In the Middle East, pita is made in brick ovens, where very high heat can be achieved. It is very hard to duplicate in a home kitchen, but this recipe, combined with high heat comes very close.
Ingredients:

• 1 package of yeast, or quick rising yeast
  
• 1/2 cup warm water
  
• 3 cups all purpose flour
  
• 1 1/4 teapsoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  
• 1 cup lukewarm water
  

Preparation:

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Let sit for 10-15 minutes until water is frothy.

Combine flour and salt in large bowl.

Make a small depression in the middle of lour and pur yeast water in depression.

Slowly add 1 cup of warm water, and stir with wooden spoon or rubber spatula until elastic.

PLace dough on floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is no longer stick and is smooth and elastic, it has been successfully kneaded.

Coat large bowl with vegetable oil and place dough in bowl. Turn dough upside down so all of the dough is coated.

Allow to sit in a warm place for about 3 hours, or until it has doubled in size.

Once doubled, roll out in a rope, and pinch off 10-12 small pieces. Place balls on floured surface. Let sit covered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 500 deg F. and make sure rack is at the very bottom of oven. Be sure to preheat your baking sheet also.

Roll out each ball of dough with a rolling pin into circles. Each should be about 5-6 inches across and 1/4 inch thick.

Bake each circle for 4 minutes until the bread puffs up. Turn over and bake for 2 minutes.

Remove each pita with a spatula from the baking sheet and add additional pitas for baking.

Take spatula and gently push down puff. Immediately place in storage bags.

Storing Pita Bread

Pita bread can be stored for up to a week in a pantry or bread box, and up to a month in the freezer. Be sure to use freezer bags when storing in the freezer.