Shawarma

Shawarma is a Middle Eastern meal that originated in Turkey and expanded throughout the Middle East until the Ottoman Empire fell apart in the early twentieth century. While many people associate shawarma with the resulting wrap or sandwich, it actually refers to the method of cooking thin slices of meat on a large rotating spit. Any meat can be cooked in this manner, but lamb or chicken are the most common in restaurants.

Chefs shave off pieces of the stacked slices as the spit rotates in front of a flame or heating element. They're stuffed into a wrap or pita bread with fresh chopped tomatoes and salad vegetables, grilled peppers, pickles, tahini, hummus, and French fries. Shawarma can be found on the street and make an excellent lunch.