Mat Lindsay

Ester and Poly’s Mat Lindsay sinks his teeth into a fun new venue that sees the chef turn late-night snacks into top-notch bites. With housemade breads and sauces, and spiced roast meat, it’s the mother of all shawarmas, and we’re digging in.

Let the good times roll with the star chef’s brand-new shawarma shop.

WHEN IT COMES to fast food, there are few things as satisfying as shawarma. Just ask chef Mat Lindsay. The pita sandwich, with spicy roasted meat, was always a hit for staff meals at his Sydney restaurants, Ester and Poly. So when the opportunity came to open his own shawarma venue, with partners Russell Beard, Mark Dundon and Jin Ng (Paramount Coffee Project), Lindsay pounced. Situated in Surry Hills, Shwarmama will open from 8am until 10pm every day of the week. The menu will offer just five items: sabich, an Israeli breakfast sandwich with fried eggplant and boiled eggs; herb-filled falafel in housemade pita; a hummus plate with pita to dip; shawarma in flatbread and garnished with salad, pickles and condiments; and a riff on a snack pack, aka hot chips topped with meat and various sauces. But this isn’t your average snack stop. “It’s definitely not a trashy kebab shop,” he says, adding that he’ll be using lamb belly, lamb neck and pork, all sourced from NSW farms. In other departures, Shwarmama will be equipped with turntables (“There’ll be a DJ sometimes!”) and licensed with a single white wine, red wine and beer. Plus, customers can serve themselves coffee from a dispenser. It will be standing room only though, furnished with benches. “It’s a bit of fun really,” adds Lindsay.

LAMB SHAWARMA SERVES 8

Making this at home is easy with a butterflied lamb leg. At Shawarmama, the meat will be roasted on a rotisserie. Begin this recipe 1 day ahead.

2.5kg boneless lamb leg, butterflied Flatbread, harissa, hummus (recipe

p 104), crispy eschalots, chips, to serve 1/4 red cabbage, shredded finely (we

used a mandoline)

SHAWARMA SPICE MARINADE

20g black peppercorns

2 tsp white peppercorns

2 tsp each fennel seeds and cumin seeds 2 each cloves and star anise 1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp each ground cardamom, cinnamon

and nutmeg

1/ 2 tsp ground ginger

1 tbs smoked paprika

11/ 2 tbs sumac

8 garlic cloves

1/ 2 cup (125ml) vegetable oil

For the shawarma spice marinade, place all spices in a medium frypan over medium heat and toast, tossing frequently, for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer spice mixture and 2 tsp salt flakes to a small food processor and whiz until coarsely ground. Add garlic and oil and whiz until combined.

Place lamb in a large bowl and rub shawarma marinade all over. Season and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 24 hours for flavours to develop.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat a lightly greased barbecue or chargrill pan over high heat. Barbecue lamb, skin-side down, for 5- 6 minutes until charred, turn, and barbecue for a further 4-5 minutes. Transfer lamb to a large oven tray on a wire rack, skin-side up. Roast for 50 minutes-1 hour or until cooked through. Remove from oven and stand for 20 minutes before slicing.

Place flatbread on a plate and spread some harissa and hummus down the middle. Top with cabbage, shredded lamb shawarma, crispy eschalots and chips. Roll up to serve.