X’tiosu Kitchen in Boyle Heights is a Oaxacan-Lebanese culinary mashup created by Zapotec brothers Ignacio and Felipe Santiago. Their dishes draw on the vibrant flavors of rural Mexico and quality ingredients from Lebanese suppliers. Join the Fowler and Ignacio and Felipe to learn how to make chicken shawarma tacos topped with their famous tahini-based arabesque salsa and pickled turnip.

Ingredients – Xtiosu Kitchen’s Famous Chicken Shawarma Taco with Arabesque Salsa

Makes 6 to 10 tacos

Equipment:

5 mixing bowls (1 large for marinating meat, 1 medium for mixing spices, 1 small for raw onion topping, 1 small for cilantro topping, and 1 medium for Arabesque salsa)

knife and cutting board (for chopping chicken, onions, and cilantro)

plastic wrap

2 whisks

1 large cookie sheet

comal or pancake griddle (for warming tortillas)

serving dish

oven

Shawarma

1 lb. chicken (breast or leg meat—latter preferred)

12 corn tortillas, taco-sized

DRY

½ white onion, coarsely chopped

¼ t. cloves, ground (optional)

1 T. dried oregano, crushed

½ t. paprika

½ t. Seven Spice

½ t. cumin (optional)

1 t. garlic powder

1 ½ t. salt

WET

1 c. dry white wine or white wine vinegar (your choice)

½ c. orange juice

¼ c. vegetable oil

Toppings:

½ white onion, finely chopped

½ c. cilantro, finely chopped

½ c. tomatillo or green salsa (your choice)

½ c. tahini

pickled turnips (to taste)

You can prepare these in advance by cutting one medium turnip and ½ medium beet (both turnip and beet should be about the same size, but you will only need ½ of the beet). Cut them around the same width and they should fit in a 24 oz container. Place ½ teaspoon salt,  ½ T dried oregano, 5 garlics and ½  jalapeño cut in half into the jar. Combine ½ cup white wine vinegar and boiling water into the jar to cover the turnips and beets. Let sit for at least two hours, preferably overnight.

****TO PREPARE IN ADVANCE****

In a mixing bowl, whisk together dry and wet shawarma ingredients. Set aside. On a cutting board, cut chicken into 1-inch-thick strips (note: the width is important but not the length). Place chicken strips in the mixing bowl and combine with dry ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and allow to marinate for at least 45 minutes (preferably overnight).

Come to class with your oven preheated to 400 degrees F.

Global Cuisine Cooking Lessons
Variety is the spice of life. Learn how LA’s favorite international restaurants cook up their most famous, easy-to-make dishes in live cooking classes led by their chefs on Zoom. When food is your love language, some secrets are too good not to share.

Image credit: X’tiosu Kitchen’s signature chicken shawarma taco, topped with arabesque salsa and pickled turnip. Courtesy of X’tiosu Kitchen