This crispy mushroom shawarma bowl is my variation on a recipe from Jamie Oliver’s latest book Veg. A book totally devoted to vegetarian dishes. All easy, healthy, delicious and affordable. And so varied too, with comfort food like kimchi grilled cheese to lighter fare like the Asian bang bang cucumber salad.
This vegetarian mushroom shawarma is a dish somewhat similar to these favorite tacos of mine. It’s healthy comfort food in a bowl.
I swapped Jamie’s flatbreads, jalapeno dressing and tahini for hummus, pita breads and pickled onion rings. And changed it into a bowl, because you’re probably aware I’m a huge bowl lover. But I did keep the mushroom shawarma, dukkah, salad and yoghurt of the original recipe. And what a winner this dish is! Totally a new favorite.
Recipe
serves 4
1 cup (200 g) natural yoghurt
30 oz (800 g) portobello and oyster mushrooms
1 red onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 preserved lemons, only the rind
1 tsp each ground cumin, ground allspice, smoked paprika
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
extra: pestle & mortar + baking sheet, lined with baking paper + skewer
½ cucumber, in thin slices
100 g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp hummus
pickled red onion rings
2 tbsp dukkah
4 pita breads, toasted and sliced
Line a sieve with pieces of kitchen towel. Tip in the yoghurt and pull up the paper and very gently apply pressure so that the liquid starts to drip through into a bowl. Leave to drain.
Chop the mushrooms. Peel and quarter the onion and separate into petals. Peel the garlic and roughly chop the preserved lemons. Bash to a paste in a pestle and mortar with ½ a teaspoon of sea salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper and the spices. Pour in 1 tablespoon of oil, then toss with all the mushrooms and onions. Marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 475F (240ºC). Thread the mushrooms and onions on to a large skewer, then place on a large baking tray and roast for 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Push the veg together so it’s all snug, baste with any juices from the tray, then roast for a further 15 minutes, or until gnarly, drizzling over the pomegranate molasses for the last 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the cucumber, tomatoes and vinegar in a bowl. Add salt to taste.
Divide the hummus and salad over 4 plates or bowls. Put the mushroom shawarma and optional onion rings on top. Drizzle over your favorite olive oil, sprinkle with dukkah and serve with the pita breads.
