How To Make Arayes | Middle Eastern Stuffed Pita

Grate 1 Lebanese cucumber on the larger side of a box grater.

Place the grated cucumber into a bowl lined with a cloth and squeeze out all the moisture.

Add the squeezed cucumber into a bowl.

To the cucumber, add 250 g of plain Greek yogurt.

Add 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper.

Season the mixture with salt and ground white pepper to taste.

Add the zest from 3/4 of a lemon and the juice of half a lemon to the bowl.

Mix everything together until well combined and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

In a bowl, add 500 g of 90% lean beef mince.

Grate 1 small brown or yellow onion on the larger side of a box grater and add it to the beef along with its juice.

Grate 3 cloves of garlic using a microplane and add to the bowl.

Chop 10 g of cilantro and 5 g of flat leaf parsley, then add to the bowl.

Add 1 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, salt, and about 20 cracks of black pepper to the meat mixture.

Mix everything together with clean hands until well combined.

Let the mixture marinate for up to 24 hours or use it straight away.

Open up the pita bread to create a pocket, being careful not to tear it.

Stuff half of the meat mixture into each pita, ensuring it's evenly distributed.

Brush one side of the stuffed pita with sunflower oil or avocado oil.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and place the stuffed pita in the pan, oil side down.

Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown and crunchy, then oil the other side.

Flip the pita over and repeat the cooking process until crispy all over.

Remove the cooked pita and place it onto a wire rack.

Slice the cooked pita in half or quarters for serving and garnish with flat leaf parsley and cilantro.

Equipment Needed

Dietary

Allergens