What makes shawarma taste like shawarma? The spices, of course! You can buy a spice blend from the grocery store, but like most ingredients, it tastes better when you make it from scratch. Here’s a shawarma spice blend recipe that I love to season meat with, or mushrooms as a veggie alternative.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cardamom (or cloves)
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or 1/2 tsp ground black pepper)

Instructions:

Mix all spices together. If you prefer something with less of a kick, add 1/2 tsp ground black pepper instead  of the 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper.