Vegan Shawarma in a Flash
Years ago, when I was a broke college student, I lived in a small German town near the Dutch border.
I worked away from home most of the day, so lunch was something I had to figure out for myself.
Money was tight, which meant most of my lunches came from Turkish shawarma stands—the ones selling döner kebab.
For a euro and a half, I'd get an enormous serving of Turkish shawarma stuffed into a huge pita, with grease dripping right onto the pavement in the town square.
I think I ate one of those almost every day.
No wonder, after a few months, I felt like I was slowly turning into a shawarma myself.
I developed a little belly, and little pimples started decorating my face.
I looked and felt terrible.
When I came home to Israel, I stopped eating street-stand shawarma—and animal products altogether. My belly went back to its old size, and I felt like the Mediterranean sunshine worked wonders for my skin.
Ever since, walking past a shawarma stand brings back slightly horrifying memories of my broke-student days in Germany.
Still, I love making vegan shawarma at home. For me, it's a healthier take on the Turkish street food I used to eat.
A Little About the Recipe
The base is tofu, shredded on a box grater. You can swap in the same amount of seitan.
For a little crunch to go with all that juicy goodness, I add half an onion, fried until golden. I really wouldn't skip it. But if you insist, don't hold me responsible.
The shawarma flavor comes from a shawarma spice blend I picked up at the supermarket. If you can't find one, or you'd rather make your own, substitute 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, a pinch of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.
You'll get a similar flavor.
I like to devour mine in a 50 g (1.8 oz) whole-wheat tortilla, with a fresh chopped vegetable salad, a tablespoon of tahini, and a little hot sauce.
Don't forget the hot sauce.
Nutrition Information from Noam Bachar (an Israeli Clinical Dietitian and Fitness Trainer)
A 70 g (2.5 oz) serving of vegan shawarma contains:
139 calories
8 g protein (including 2 g saturated fat)
4 g carbohydrates
10 g fat
Adding a tablespoon of tahini provides:
100 calories
4 g protein
2 g carbohydrates
9 g fat (including 2 g fat)
Adding a 50 g (1.8 oz) whole-wheat tortilla or whole-wheat pita provides:
130 calories
5 g protein
27 g carbohydrates
3 g fat
Have some tofu left? How about carrot soup with roasted tofu cubes?
Vegan Shawarma
Ingredients
- 150 g (5.3 oz) tofu
- 1/2 onion
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon shawarma spice blend
Instructions
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Shred the tofu using the large holes of a box grater.
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Chop the onion and fry it in the olive oil in a skillet for a few minutes, until golden.
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Add the shredded tofu and stir well.
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Add the shawarma spice blend and stir well.
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Serve in warm pita with chopped vegetable salad, tahini, and hot sauce.
