It’s been hot here. Real hot. Our outdoor thermometer has often read in the high 30’s and into the 40’s for the past month (for those working on Fahrenheit, 40 degrees Celsius is 104 degrees) with a few days of blessed respite. By the time it’s dinner I just haven’t felt like cooking, much less sitting down to a hot meal and outdoor BBQ’s are still not fun. Thankfully, we’ve had a few great meals up our sleeve which are table, toddler and fun friendly.

I’ve adapted this dish from Yotam Ottolenghi’s Hummus Kawarma which is in his incredible book Jerusalem. This book is one of my favourites and while they’re not always applicable to weeknight dinners (see this post) the flavours speak for themselves.

My take on Yotam Ottolenghi’s Hummus Kawarma

Ingredients

To marinate:

• 300gr Lamb backstrap (last night I also used veal scotch fillet with success)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• good pinch of nutmeg
• 1 tsp za-atar
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tsp salt

To serve:

• A simple mix of chopped tomato and cucumber
• Hummus
• Flatbreads

Method:

1. Chop lamb into small strips and set aside
2. Mix all ingredients and marinate for at least half an hour in the fridge (I tend to do this around lunch time)
3. About 30 min before it’s time to cook get your lamb out of the fridge so it’s not as cold before you cook it
4. Bring together all your ingredients to serve and make sure they’re ready
5. When the table’s set turn the stove on a medium high heat, put oil in a heavy frypan and cook your lamb (with all the ingredients it’s been marinating in) for about 4 minutes, stirring while it cooks
6. Transfer the lamb to a separate bowl and with all the ingredients on the table each person serve themselves what they want: It’s very much a sharing dish and finger food fun.