Chicken Shawarma & Chaos: Finding the Holy in the Messy

I don’t want to scare another mom off from motherhood.

And yet — I talk about the chaos. I post about the exhaustion. I name the overwhelm. I describe the mental gymnastics and the constant self-doubt and the way you sometimes sit down at the end of the day and think, “I did so much, and I still feel like I barely held it together.”

But here’s the thing: I talk about it because it’s not in spite of the chaos that motherhood is holy — it’s because of it.

We weren’t created to float through motherhood with everything polished and easy. That’s not where growth lives. That’s not where holiness hides. Holiness shows up in the mess. In the cutting board layered with crumbs while your baby pulls at your leg. In the one dinner you made this week that everyone actually ate. In the way you whisper Hashem, help me under your breath when no one else is listening.

And that’s what I thought about while prepping this meal.

It’s a little layered. A bit intricate. Definitely not one-pot. But oh — it’s so worth it.

There’s something about homemade chicken shawarma in warm pita, filled with fresh Israeli salad, crunchy cabbage, and creamy tahina that feels like a labor of love. You chop and slice and season and marinate and assemble — and then you sit. You breathe. You taste. And you remember: this, too, is holy work.

CHICKEN SHAWARMA:

-4oz mushrooms

-1 small onion

-1lb dark chicken thighs boneless

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

-1 tsp granulated garlic

-1 tsp shawarma spice

-1tsp tumeric

-1 tsp curry

-1 tsp cumin

-3 tbsp olive oil

* Preheat oven to 415.

* Slice the mushrooms and onions and place in an oven safe pan.

*Wash and cut the chicken in small cubes and add in the pan.

* Add in remainder of ingredients and mix well till everything is evenly coated in the pan.

* Cook open for 45-50 minutes.

PITA:

-1 packet fast acting yeast (fleishman’s)

-2 tsp sugar

-1 1/2 tsp salt

-1 1/4 cup warm water

-3 cups flour

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1 tbsp olive oil (to help rise)

* Place the yeast, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Then add in 1 cup of the flour (the remaining 2 cups will be added later).

* Add in the warm water and mix well. Let the bowl sit for about 15 minutes till it lightly bubbles.

* Add in 1 more cup of flour and 2 tbsp olive oil. Begin kneading and mixing it well. Slowly add in more flour as needed till a ball of dough forms.

* Drizzle the 1 tbsp olive oil over the dough ball and around the bowl and cover for an hour to let it rise.

* Once it’s risen, the dough should make around 4-5 pitas. Form the balls and sprinkle a flat surface with flour and begin shaping the pitas. Do not make them too flat. Keep it about 1/4 inch thick.

* Using a nonstick frying pan, drizzle a drop of olive oil and place heat on medium high heat. Place the ready shaped pita into the pan and watch as it slowly will bubble and form a ‘pocket’. After about 1 minute, flip to the other side. Cook for another 1-2 minutes eyeing how it’s browning to your liking.

* Keep doing this order for all pitas and make sure the heat isn’t too hot. Lower it occasionally if needed.

ISRAELI SALAD:

-1/3 large cucumber

-1 tomato

-1/2 small red onion

-2 large Israeli pickles

-handful fresh parsley

-2 tbsp olive oil

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

-juice of 1/2 lemon

* Dice the cucumber, tomato, onion, pickles, and parsley. Place them in a bowl. Add in remainder of ingredients and mix well.

CABBAGE SALAD:

-1 super small head purple cabbage

-2 1/2 tbsp mayo

-2 tbsp honey

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper

-2 tbsp water

-juice of 1/2 lemon

* Slice the cabbage head thinly and place in bowl. Add in remainder of ingredients and mix.

TECHINA:

-1/3 cup tahini sesame paste

-1/3 cup water

-1 tsp salt

-1 tsp pepper