Home-made turkey shawarma in a skillet

Ingredients

• 1 kg turkey shawarma meat, tray (turkey thigh pieces)
• 2 onions, sliced into strips
• 5–6 tbsp oil, divided (for seasoning, the onions and each frying batch)
• 2 tbsp shawarma spice mix
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• To serve
• 4 pitas
• Prepared tahini
• Chopped vegetable salad
• Pickles

Method

1. If the pieces are large, slice them into strips 0.5–1 cm thick and 4–5 cm long, and pat dry with paper towels.
2. Toss the meat with the shawarma spice, turmeric, cumin, salt and 1 tbsp oil. Let it stand for 15 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge).
3. Heat a large skillet (about 28 cm) over high heat with 1 tbsp oil and cook the onions for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden. Set aside on a plate.
4. Cook the meat in 3–4 batches. For each batch add 1 tbsp oil and only enough meat to cover the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Leave it untouched for about 2 minutes to sear, then cook another 4–6 minutes, stirring now and then. An overcrowded pan releases liquid and the meat stews instead of browning.
5. Move each finished batch to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
6. Return all the meat and the onions to the pan, add the lemon juice and stir for 1 minute.
7. Check with a food thermometer in the thickest piece: at least 74°C (165°F). Serve right away in pita with tahini, salad and pickles – shawarma that waits dries out.