Description
Deliciously crispy Lebanese meat-stuffed pita pockets, known as Arayes, filled with a spiced lamb or beef mince mixture and pan-fried until golden. Served with a creamy whipped tahini sauce, this recipe offers an authentic Middle Eastern street food experience perfect for a flavorful snack or light meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Filling
- 5 pita breads, thin pocket type, ~15cm/6″ diameter, cut in half (about 250g/8oz total)
- 1/2 brown onion
- 500g (1 lb) lamb or beef mince
- 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
- 3 tsp ground coriander
- 3 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or plain paprika)
- 3/4 tsp ground allspice (or mixed spice)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce or omit for less spicy)
- 1 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
For Cooking
- Olive oil spray or brush
Whipped Tahini Sauce
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tbsp tahini (or Chinese sesame paste)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare the onion: Using a standard box grater, grate the brown onion directly into a bowl to capture all the juices, which add moisture and flavor to the meat filling.
- Make the meat filling: Add the lamb or beef mince, grated garlic, chopped parsley (if using), ground coriander, ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground allspice, cayenne pepper, and salt to the bowl with the grated onion. Mix everything thoroughly with your hands until well combined.
- Portion the filling: Divide the meat mixture into 10 equal portions, about 55 to 60 grams (1/4 cup) each. Flatten each portion into a semi-circle slightly smaller than the pita halves for easy stuffing.
- Stuff the pitas: Gently open each pita half to form a pocket, then carefully fill it with one portion of the meat mixture. Close the pita and press down to spread the filling evenly toward the edges, ensuring the pita stays intact without tearing.
- Preheat oven for warming: Set the oven to 50°C (120°F) and place a rack on a tray. This setup will keep the cooked arayes warm while you finish cooking the rest.
- Cook the arayes: Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Lightly spray or brush both sides of each stuffed pita with olive oil. Place 2 or 3 pitas at a time into the pan depending on size. Cook each side for about 2 minutes, pressing lightly with a spatula, until golden brown and crispy. The thin meat cooks quickly, so watch carefully.
- Keep warm: Transfer cooked arayes onto the rack in the warm oven to keep them hot as you cook the remaining stuffed pitas.
- Prepare whipped tahini sauce: In a heatproof bowl, combine plain yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, and salt. Whisk the ingredients together, then microwave on high for 15 seconds. Whisk again until the sauce resembles soft whipped cream. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Serve: Optionally cut arayes in half and arrange them on a serving platter. Serve with the whipped tahini sauce and enjoy your crispy Lebanese meat-stuffed pitas.
Notes
- Note 1: Use the thin pocket pita breads (~15 cm diameter) to make stuffing and folding easier and authentic.
- Note 2: Lamb gives a more traditional flavor, but beef mince is a good alternative.
- Note 4: Grating the onion releases moisture and flavor but if you prefer less pungency, squeeze out excess juice.
- Note 4: Adjust cayenne pepper to control spiciness for your preference.
- Note 5: To prevent pita tearing when stuffing, open pita gently, and avoid overfilling.
- Note 7: A sandwich press can be used instead of a frying pan for even cooking and pressing, speeding up the process.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Keywords: Lebanese, Arayes, stuffed pita, Middle Eastern, spiced lamb, crispy pita, tahini sauce, street food
