Shawarma, shawarma, doner kebab, durum, duner - these are all different names for the same dish. So in different countries they call fried meat with sauce and salad, wrapped in pita bread or flatbread. This oriental fast food quickly conquered the whole world, making it a worthy competitor to fries and hamburger.
A bit of history, or who invented shawarma
Kadyr Nurman is considered the creator of shawarma. He was a Turk by origin, but lived in Berlin, where in 1972 he launched his small business - a trade in fried meat wrapped in pita bread. This dish was prepared by him based on the Turkish kebab, but adapted for the always rushing inhabitants of the Old World.
At the end of the 20th century, shawarma gained unprecedented popularity. Perhaps, in every European city there were small stalls where meat - veal, lamb or chicken - was roasted on vertical skewers. People from the southern states cheerfully wrapped the meat in flat cakes, added lettuce and cabbage, and generously poured sauce over it.
Eastern fast food is loved by Europeans for its speed of preparation and satiety. It would seem that the invention of shawarma should have become a bonanza for its creator. However, Nurman did not patent his recipe and idea. Despite this, he was glad that thanks to him, his compatriots could make good money in Europe.
Kadir Nurman's contribution to the popularity of Turkish kebabs was officially recognized only in 2011, two years before his death.
Shawarma and shawarma: what's the difference?
Turkish kebab has many names. We can say that each country has its own. So, in Germany it is called doner kebab, in England and Poland - kebab, in Armenia - kebab in Kars, in Bulgaria - duner, in Israel - shwarma or shawarma. In Russia, oriental fast food has taken root under two names - shawarma and shawarma. True, in the isolated corners of the country it is also called shawarma.
There are no fundamental differences in the cooking process between shawarma and shawarma. They have exactly the same filling, the difference lies in the shell. So, in shawarma, the filling is wrapped in thin pita bread, and for shawarma, half of the pita serves as a shell.
What is shawarma / shawarma made of in Russia
In Russia, this dish can be bought not only in street stalls. They are not shy about serving it in some cafes and even restaurants. It is noteworthy that in all places it is prepared in different ways. However, different interpretations in no way detract from the merits of this dish. It is believed that in Russia the most delicious shawarma is prepared in St. Petersburg. By the way, it is universally called shaverma there.
In Russia, this oriental dish is made from almost any, moderately fatty meat. Street vendors tend to prefer chicken because it is cheap. However, in restaurants you can find shawarma made from beef, lamb, turkey, pork.
The second required ingredient is what the shawarma is wrapped in. The ideal option for these purposes is Armenian thin lavash. A half of a pita - a round Arabian flatbread - is also suitable. It is worth noting that in some cafes, shawarma is not wrapped in anything at all: meat and vegetables with sauce are simply laid out on a regular plate. However, many connoisseurs of this dish do not recognize such liberty.
Sauce and vegetables - with them, as in the case of meat, there are also many options. In Russia, they usually offer fresh white cabbage with ketchup or mayonnaise. Some vendors make shawarma with Chinese cabbage, Korean carrots, lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers.
