From the street and the mangal
Grilled meat is at the heart of Levantine eating out, from shawarma stalls to family barbecues.
- Chicken shawarma: spiced chicken roasted until charred, wrapped with garlic toum and pickles.
- Shish tawook: garlicky, yogurt-marinated chicken skewers.
- Kafta: minced lamb or beef with parsley and seven-spice, grilled on flat skewers.
Garlic toum
Toum, a fluffy garlic sauce of garlic, lemon, salt and oil, is the essential partner for chicken grills. Our shawarma recipe explains how to make it.
Without a grill
A very hot grill pan, the oven’s grill element or an air fryer all work well. Aim for charred edges and juicy centres.
Serving
Serve with khubz, hummus, tabbouleh, fries, pickles and grilled tomatoes for a full Lebanese grill spread. South Asian readers will find these milder than tikka and seekh kebabs, with garlic and lemon instead of chilli.