Arayes | Middle Eastern Recipes

ground lamb

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground beef

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground beef is often more affordable.

pita bread

🥗Healthier: whole wheat pita

💰Cheaper: flatbread

Whole wheat pita adds fiber, while flatbread is usually less expensive.

Grate 2 onions directly onto a tea towel and squeeze out the juices, saving the juice for later use.

Chop the grated onions on a cutting board with half a cup of chopped coriander until well combined.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped onion and coriander with 1 kilo of beef mince.

Add 1 tablespoon of garlic paste, 2 tablespoons of paprika, 1 teaspoon of cayenne, 2 teaspoons of cumin powder, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 teaspoons of onion powder, 2 teaspoons of coriander powder, and 1 teaspoon of black pepper to the meat mixture.

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and cover the bowl, letting it sit for 15 minutes.

Cut 10 pita bread in half to create pockets and open them up.

Fill each pita pocket with around half a cup of the meat mixture, pressing down to fill evenly without overstuffing.

Heat a couple of teaspoons of oil in a pan and add the stuffed pitas, cooking on both sides until golden brown.

Turn the pitas meat side down to caramelize and cook through.

Remove the pitas from the pan and bake them in the oven for around 20 minutes until completely cooked through.

For the yogurt tahini sauce, combine 1 cup of Greek yogurt with 2 tablespoons of tahini, 1 teaspoon of garlic paste, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, and half a teaspoon of salt, mixing until smooth.

Serve the Aras with the yogurt tahini sauce.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

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