Lamb Arayes with Tomato Cucumber Salad and Tarator
Lamb Arayes with Tomato Cucumber Salad and Tarator
Prep Time: 35 - 45 minutes
Cook Time: 25 - 35 minutes
Servings: 4 - 5
Authored by Andrew Arida
Ingredients
7 spice mix (can omit it you’re using a store bought blend)
2 tbsp allspice
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp ground cloves
3 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp garam masala
Lamb arayes
1 lb ground lamb (or beef)
½ yellow or brown onion
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped parsley
2 ½ tsp 7 spice
2 tsp ground sumac
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
4-5 pita bread
Fresh mozzarella, torn (~ 2 cups)
¼ cup olive oil
Cucumber tomato salad
3 persian cucumbers, cut into small cubes
2 cups cherry or sugar bomb tomatoes, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp chopped parsley
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tsp ground sumac
1 tsp dried mint
½ tsp kosher salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
Tarator (tahini sauce)
⅓ cup tahini
Juice from half a lemon, more to taste
Kosher salt, to taste
Water, to loosen
To serve
Hummus
Olive oil
Sumac
Directions
7 spice mix
Mix all 7 spice ingredients together in a small bowl or container. Set aside.
*This recipe makes a large batch of spice mix. Store any leftover mix in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Lamb arayes
Add the ground lamb to a large bowl. Grate the onion directly into the same bowl. Grate the garlic cloves into the bowl with a microplane or fine grater.
Add the chopped parsley, 7 spice (only 2 ½ tsp of the mix we made earlier), sumac, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt.
Knead the spices into the meat until everything is evenly distributed, but be careful not to overmix the meat.
Cut each pita bread in half, and carefully open up the halves to create pockets. Gently spread a handful of the meat mixture on the inside of the pita, making sure it fills the entire pocket. Add a few pieces of the torn mozzarella, then press the open edges of the pita bread together so the cheese is contained inside.
Repeat this with the rest of the pita bread, bread mixture, and cheese.
Preheat the oven to 400 F and prepare a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
Heat a large cast iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-high. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil (or enough to coat the bottom of the pan).
Once the oil is hot, add 4 of the arayes bread-side down (more or less depending on how large your skillet is). You will most likely need to do this in 2 batches.
Sear the arayes on the first side until golden brown, about 4-7 minutes, then flip and repeat on the other side. Turn down the heat if the side is browning too quickly.
Flip the arayes a final time on the exposed meat side (the edge of the pita pocket where the filling is visible) and sear until it achieves a dark brown crust. Remove them onto the prepared baking sheet and place them in the oven to finish cooking.
Add the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil and cook the second batch of arayes in the same way as the first.
The arayes will be done when a meat thermometer registers 165 F. Remove from the oven.
Tomato cucumber salad
Add the chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, and parsley to a bowl.
In a jar or dressing container, add the olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, minced garlic, ground sumac, dried mint, kosher salt, and a few cracks of black pepper. Seal the jar and shake until fully combined.
Add a few tablespoons of the dressing to the cucumber and tomato salad and stir to combine. Adjust to taste with more dressing and salt.
Tarator (tahini sauce)
To a small bowl, mix together the tahini, lemon juice, and a generous pinch of salt. Slowly drizzle in some water, a couple tbsp at a time until the sauce is smooth and pourable. Adjust to taste with more salt and lemon juice.
Assemble
To each bowl or plate, add a scoop of hummus. Optionally drizzle with a little olive oil and a sprinkle of sumac. Add a few scoops of the cucumber tomato salad and desired amount of arayes. Serve with the tarator.