Almost Arayes
These are called almost arayes because they weren’t cooked inside the pita like the traditional Lebanese dish, but they are still jam-packed with flavor from Middle Eastern spices, fresh herbs and a zingy sauce on the side.
Ingredients
Arayes Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 1/2 large onion grated (I used a vidalia)
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 4 to 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 to 5 thick small pita
Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- For the meat mixture, grate the onion and then squeeze it out really well with a clean kitchen towel.
- Add the onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, coriander, allspice, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, one tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper, and give it a good stir to combine.
- Add in the ground lamb and mix with a spoon or your hands until everything is very well combined.
- Heat the last two tablespoons of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the meat and saute, breaking it into large pieces as you go. Cook it until the largest piece registers 160 degrees in the middle, and remove it from the heat.
- While the lamb mixture cooks, make the sauce by mixing all of the ingredients together until it is smooth.
- Cut the pita into halves so you have pockets for the meat, and serve the lamb stuffed in the pita bread with the sauce on the side for dipping.