Aromatic Yellow Rice Shawarma

I could never imagine that the most memorable Middle Eastern dish. I would have it in America and not in one of the Middle Eastern countries. However, the yellow rice shawarma was so special that even my spouse who isn’t as foodie as me, loved and praised it many months after.

On a beautiful summer evening, my partner and I decided to make the most of our night and explore the Middle Eastern cuisine offered by a restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin. We hadn’t been there before and were eager to learn more about the culture through its food. Being familiar with a few dishes from this region already, we were excited to experience a whole new variety of flavors. As we took our seats, a waitress began to sing in Arabic and her melodious voice filled the entire restaurant with an enchanting sound. Her singing was so captivating that it seemed like time had stopped, allowing us to bask in the beauty of her song. We were mesmerized by the pureness of her heavenly voice as she sang with remarkable gracefulness.

The owner, a pleasant man who had once been a Lebanese refugee, warmly welcomed us when we arrived and enthusiastically recommended the yellow rice shawarma. His story of resilience was inspiring to hear and made us appreciate our experience at the restaurant even more. After much deliberation, we finally decided to take a chance and give the dish a try. To our surprise, it was love at first bite! The succulent chicken thighs were incredibly juicy and bursting with flavor. Additionally, the yellow rice provided an ideal accompaniment to the meal. We couldn’t have asked for anything better!

As we devoured each mouthful of the delicious meal, we eagerly questioned the owner for his recipe. Initially, he was reluctant to divulge it. However, after much persuasion and cajoling, he finally relented and agreed to give us the recipe. We were ecstatic and vowed to recreate it in our own kitchen.

In order to prepare this scrumptious yellow rice shawarma, you must begin by taking the chicken and thoroughly coating it with a combination of coriander, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cardamom, onion powder, and salt. This flavorful mixture will provide the chicken with an incredible flavor. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least an hour so that all of those intense flavors have time to really sink into the meat. In a pan, heat some olive oil and once it is hot, add the chicken to the pan. Cook the chicken until it is golden brown and cooked through completely. Once the chicken has been cooked to perfection, remove it from the pan and place it on a plate so that you can set it aside for later use.

In the same pan, add some more olive oil and sauté chopped onions and crushed garlic until they’re soft and fragrant. Add cumin seeds and turmeric and cook for another minute. Then, add rinsed and drained long-grain rice and stir to coat it in the spices.

Add chicken stock, water, and salt to the pan and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is cooked and all the liquid is absorbed. Finally, add the cooked chicken to the pan and mix it with the rice.

Serve the yellow rice shawarma with a squeeze of fresh lemon and some shawarma sauce on top.

This delicious dish is ideal for any kind of gathering, whether it be a family dinner or an informal get-together with friends. Accompany it with some tasty hummus and pita bread, as well as a refreshing salad of cucumber, tomato, and red onion to really round out the meal.

The exquisite yellow rice shawarma is a wonderfully versatile dish. You can use any type of protein, such as succulent lamb, juicy beef, or even flavorful tofu, and customize the spice level to suit your individual taste. This dish has endless possibilities and will always be a delightful meal no matter what ingredients you choose! This delectable dish is incredibly simple to prepare and is always a guaranteed hit with any crowd. Not only is it quick to make, but it also has an unbeatable flavor that will leave your guests begging for more!

In conclusion, yellow rice shawarma is a dish that’s close to our hearts. It reminds us of that beautiful summer evening in Madison, Wisconsin, where we discovered it for the first time. Making this dish is sure to be a pleasure and we are sure your friends and family will love it too. We invite you to share it with them!

This is the recipe for this wonderful yellow rice shawarma dish:

Ingredients:

• 1 kg of boneless and skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil (or as needed)
• 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 1 cup of long-grain rice, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 3/4 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• Fresh lemon, to serve
• Shawarma sauce, to serve.

Spice mix for chicken shawarma:

• 3 teaspoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
• 3 teaspoons of ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons of garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 2 teaspoons of salt.

How to make yellow rice shawarma?

1. Combine the 3 teaspoons of olive oil and shawarma spices (consisting of ground coriander, cumin, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cardamom, onion powder, and salt) in a bowl.
2. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl and coat them with the spice paste by turning them.
3. Add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to a pot with tall sides and heat it.
4. Put the chicken thighs in the pot and cook each side until they are lightly browned. Once finished, take them out of the pot and place them on a plate.
5. If needed, add more olive oil to the same pot and fry the chopped brown onion until it is soft.
6. Next, add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and 2 cloves of crushed garlic and fry for 30 seconds. After that, mix in 1 cup of rinsed and drained rice along with 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and stir to coat.
7. Combine the chicken stock and water (1 cup of chicken stock and 3/4 cup of water) in a pot and bring it to a simmer.
8. Once the chicken has simmered, position it on top of the rice, seal it with a tightly-fitted lid, and reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cook without stirring for 15 minutes.
9. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let it sit for an additional 10 minutes without lifting the lid.
10. Once the chicken has cooked for the last 10 minutes, take it out and slice it (if desired) or serve it whole. Fluff up the rice with a fork and dish it up alongside the chicken along with some fresh lemon (according to your taste). Serve shawarma sauce on the side.

So what are you saying? Looks delicious isn’t it? Just from reading the recipe my mouth is watering. In less than 1 hour you can cook this amazing meal from Middle Eastern cuisine which will amaze everyone. Enjoy cooking!