Halal Guys Copycat Beef and Rice Bowls

New York is a food lover’s paradise, with everything from Michelin Star restaurants to the world’s best “by the slice” pizza. With over 50,000 eating outlets, you can eat just about every cuisine the world has to offer and try food you can’t taste anywhere else. One thing New York excels at is street food, and this Cart Beef Rice Bowl is the perfect fusion of flavors you see on the streets of the city that never sleeps.

Whenever I’m in New York or anywhere else, I love to walk through the city and eat like the locals do. I’m always tempted by the mouthwatering smells from the food carts lining nearly every corner, and I will make a point to look out for any food markets or pop-up events. The first time I tried a rice bowl in New York, I was blown away by how much comfort the bold spices brought me on a cold Manhatten day. You can enjoy a variety of rice bowls in the city, from Hawaii Poke bowls and Indian-influenced dishes to the Middle-Eastern style that has inspired this recipe. There’s some dispute about the first rice bowl of this kind to hit the city, but the consensus is that it was brought to New York by The Halal Guys who were Egyptian immigrants who kickstarted the halal cart concept in the 90s.

Wherever meat rice bowls began, they’re now among the best street food New York has to offer. Traditionally, halal carts sell Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired foods, such as falafel and grilled lamb. Rice bowls usually consist of tender beef, chicken, or lamb made with spices and fragrant turmeric rice and topped with a creamy yogurt sauce. My Cart Beef Rice Bowl uses a shawarma spice blend that is made up of herbs and spices, including turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, and cardamom. You should be able to pick up shawarma mix in your local grocery store or a specialist spice store, but if not, it’s quick enough to make your own blend at home. I guarantee this will become your kitchen staple, so it’s worth looking around for a great blend.

Shawarma is a popular Middle Eastern dish that consists of spit-roasted meat, typically lamb, chicken, beef, or turkey. The meat is slowly cooked on a vertical rotisserie, often in pita bread or wrapped in a flatbread called lavash. Not many people have the ability to spit roast at home, so my ground beef shawarma is the perfect alternative if you want to enjoy a Middle Eastern spice fix. The exact origin is debated, but it is thought to have developed from similar grilling techniques used in ancient Mesopotamia. Over time, the dish spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, adapting to local cuisines and tastes. Lebanon is said to be the home of the best shawarma in the world, but I think NYC does a pretty good job at this meat feast, too, and my version is perfect for lovers of bowl food.

While this mix of flavors sounds complicated, it’s actually perfect for a quick and satisfying meal. I love to make it in large batches so that I can make bowls for lunches for the whole family to enjoy. Whether you’re reminiscing about your own street food adventures or want to try something new at home, this dish is sure to become a favorite. Let’s dive into this flavorful bowl and enjoy a taste of the cart experience in the comfort of your own home!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Rice Ingredients:

1/2 cup long-grain white rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
3 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
½ teaspoon turmeric powder

Sauce Ingredients:

½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Beef Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons shawarma spice blend
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

Cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
Cucumber, diced
Parsley, finely chopped

Instructions:

Rice: Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, then soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes. Then drain the soaked rice.

In a small pan, combine the soaked and drained rice, 3 cups of water, chicken bouillon cubes and turmeric powder.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed.
Fluff the rice with a fork and set it aside.
Sauce: In a bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Refrigerate the sauce until you’re ready to assemble the bowls.

Beef: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the chopped onion and sauté until they become translucent. Then add the garlic, cook for 30 more seconds.
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until it’s browned and cooked through.