Bahrain runs on its cafeterias, the small neighborhood counters with a turning shawarma spit, a griddle and a queue, and the order that sums them up is malgoum. It starts as a shawarma and keeps going: the meat goes into a flaky Indian style paratha or a chapati instead of pita, then comes a layer of cheese, a handful of French fries, salad and sauce, and the whole thing is rolled up and pressed on the griddle until the cheese melts. It is a small, delicious record of the island's history as a crossroads, with Arab, Indian and Persian ideas all in one roll.

At home there is no spit, but a hot oven does a very fair impression: thinly sliced marinated chicken roasted until the edges char, then chopped. The rest is assembly. It is the perfect food for the night race, which is to say it is eaten in one hand while the other stays free for pointing at the screen.

The chicken shawarma

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/3 cup (80 g) plain yogurt
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon baharat
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt

Method

1. In the large bowl, stir together the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, baharat, turmeric, paprika and salt. Add the chicken thighs and turn them with the tongs until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Heat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with a rack in the upper third. Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread the thighs on it, opened out flat, with a little space between each. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Let the chicken rest on the board for 5 minutes, then cut it into thin strips and chop them roughly. Toss the pieces in the juices left on the baking sheet.

The oven fries

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb (680 g) russet or other floury potatoes
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Method

1. Put the potato sticks in a bowl of cold water and swish them around, then drain and dry them very well on a clean towel.
2. Toss the potatoes with the oil and salt on the second lined baking sheet and spread them in a single layer. Roast them on the lower rack at the same time as the chicken, for 30 to 35 minutes, turning them with the spatula halfway.

The tahina sauce and salad

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup (80 g) tahina
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove
• 4 to 6 tablespoons (60 to 90 ml) cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 cups (140 g) white cabbage or iceberg lettuce
• 2 ripe tomatoes
• to taste hot sauce

Method

1. Whisk the tahina, lemon juice, garlic and salt in the small bowl. It will seize and thicken at first. Whisk in the cold water a tablespoon at a time until it loosens again.
2. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can with the sharp knife and slice the tomatoes. Keep them separate on a plate ready for assembly.

Rolling the malgoum

Ingredients

• 4 frozen parathas, about 8 inches (20 cm) across
• 4 slices (about 3 oz / 85 g) mild melting cheese such as processed cheese slices, mozzarella or mild cheddar

Method

1. Heat the frying pan over medium heat. Cook each paratha straight from frozen for about 1 to 2 minutes per side, pressing it with the spatula, then stack them under a clean towel.
2. Lay a warm paratha flat. Put a slice of cheese in a strip down the middle, then a quarter of the chicken, a handful of fries, some cabbage and tomato, a good drizzle of tahina sauce and a few drops of hot sauce if you like.
3. Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, then roll the paratha tightly from one side to the other, keeping the filling tucked in. Leave the top end open.
4. Put the rolls seam side down in the hot pan and press them flat with the spatula for 1 minute, then turn and press for 1 minute more. Cut each in half on the diagonal.

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