Braised lamb shawarma sandwich

Roughly chop 650 g of onions into big chunks and pulse them in a blender or food processor at high speed until broken down.

Squeeze the onion mash through a fine mesh sieve or a nut milk bag for a couple of minutes to get about 250 ml of onion juice.

In a bowl combine 2.5 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp allspice, then half a teaspoon each of ground cardamom, white pepper, cinnamon, ground ginger, ground coriander and mahleb, about half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg and a quarter teaspoon of ground clove.

Turn it into a wet rub with three tablespoons of the onion juice and two tablespoons of lemon juice, then grate in a tomato.

Cut out the fat pocket holding the scent gland across from where the shank points, and trim off any stamps.

Quarter four medium onions and two plum tomatoes and poke a couple of holes in two chillies.

Combine 200 ml of the remaining onion juice with 500 ml lamb or vegetable stock, 2 tbsp white vinegar and 2 tbsp lemon juice.

Put the vegetables and three bay leaves into a deep roasting dish, then spoon the marinade over both sides of the lamb and rub it in.

Stick a thermometer probe in, pour in the braising liquid, wash out the remaining marinade and top up with about 750 ml of boiling water.

Wet a baking sheet or two and spread them over the tray like a blanket to keep the moisture from evaporating, then seal with foil.

Cook in a 160 centigrade fan oven for about five to six hours; the lamb needs to reach 97 centigrade and hold there.

At 97 centigrade the meat may still be tough; the collagen needs about two hours near that temperature to break down. Cover again with the foil open at the sides and put it back in at 140 centigrade for two more hours.

For the tahini sauce, combine 100 g tahini, 150 g Greek yoghurt, 50 ml water and 40 ml lemon juice in a bowl.

Season with half a teaspoon each of salt, black pepper, cumin and cayenne, grate in a clove of garlic and whisk until thick.

Slice two red onions into thin strips, scrunch them to separate the layers and transfer to a sterile jar with 2 to 3 cloves of garlic, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp black peppercorns and 2 tsp sumac.

In a pot bring 2 tsp salt, 1.5 tbsp sugar, 400 ml water and 300 ml white vinegar to a boil, then pour it into the jar to submerge the onions.

Cool; they are ready after an hour and keep improving.

For the lavash, combine 10 g dried active yeast, 4 g sugar and 200 ml warm water in a bowl or stand mixer, add 300 g bread flour and 5 g salt, and mix on low until the loose flour gathers into a dough.

Knead on low speed about five minutes, until grabbing the dough leaves only the tiniest traces behind.

Form a ball, oil the bowl, cover and rest 15 minutes.

Flour the worktop, divide into six roughly equal pieces, tuck them into smooth balls on a floured tray, cover and rest another 15 minutes.

Flour the surface and rolling pin and gently roll each into a 25 to 30 cm circle small enough for a preheating non-stick pan.

Cook over high heat about three minutes, flipping once larger bubbles appear on the first side, then store them in a large covered pot to keep them moist.

Light a couple of small pieces of coal until white hot, fold a square of foil into a bowl, set it in the tray with a small amount of vegetable oil and tip the coals in.

Cover the tray quickly to trap the smoke and leave it 15 to 30 minutes.

Slice a tomato thinly, chop parsley leaves off their stalks and pull out a large handful of pickled onions.

Lift the lamb out of its cooking broth carefully, since it will fall apart.

Fill a container with some of the onions, chillies, tomatoes and broth from the tray and blend to a smoky shawarma sauce.

Pull the bones out, shred the meat with forks or hands, pour over some of the smoky sauce and toss.

Lather a bread with tahini sauce, add tomatoes and parsley, pile on the meat, then pickles, more parsley and more tahini or smoky sauce, and wrap.