Hummus Kawarma (Lamb) with Lemon Sauce

Serves 6 This kawarma (or lamb) topping is served atop Yottam Ottolenghi’s Basic Hummus with lemon sauce, and garnished with cooked chickpeas, chopped flat-leaf parsley and toasted pine nuts.

KAWARMA:

10½ ounces neck fillet of lamb, finely chopped by hand ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper 1 teaspoon ground allspice ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg 1teaspoon crushed dried za’atar or oregano leaves 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1tablespoon chopped mint 1tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 teaspoon salt 1tablespoon unsalted butter or ghee 1 teaspoon olive oil

LEMON SAUCE:

1/3 ounce flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped 1 green chile, finely chopped 4tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2tablespoons white wine vinegar 2cloves garlic, crushed ¼ teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

For the kawarma, place all the ingredients — except the butter and oil — in a medium bowl. Mix well, cover and allow the mixture to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Just before you are ready to cook the meat, combine all the lemon sauce ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Heat the butter (or ghee) and olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the meat in two or three batches; stir as you fry each batch for 2minutes. The meat should be light pink in the middle. Divide the hummus among six individual shallow bowls, leaving a slight hollow in the center of each. Spoon the warm kawarma into the hollow and scatter with the reserved chickpeas. Drizzle generously with the lemon sauce and garnish with some parsley and the pine nuts.