Ingredients

Pita Bread

• 5 thin pocket pita breads (~15cm/6" diameter, 250g/8oz pack), cut in half (See Note 1)
• Olive oil spray (or brush with olive oil)

Spiced Meat Filling

• ½ brown onion, finely grated
• 500g (1 lb) lamb or beef mince (ground meat) (See Note 2)
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
• 3 tsp ground coriander
• 3 tsp ground cumin
• 1 ½ tsp smoked paprika (or substitute plain paprika)
• ¾ tsp ground allspice (or substitute mixed spice)
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper (reduce or omit for a milder version – See Note 4)
• 1 ¼ tsp cooking/kosher salt

Whipped Tahini Yogurt Sauce

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp tahini (or substitute with Chinese sesame paste – See Note 5)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• ½ tsp cooking/kosher salt

How to Make Arayes

Prepare the Spiced Meat Filling:

1. Grate the onion into a bowl using a standard box grater, keep all the juices! (See Note 4)
2. Mix the filling : Add the remaining ingredients for the spiced meat filling and mix well using your hands.
3. Portion the meat : Divide the mixture into 10 equal portions (about 55–60g or ¼ cup each). Flatten into semi-circles slightly smaller than the pita halves.
4. Stuff the pita : Gently open each pita pocket and place the meat inside. Close and press lightly to spread the filling evenly to the edges. (If your pita is tearing, see Note 5 for a helpful tip!)

Cooking the Arayes:

1. Preheat the oven to 50°C (120°F) and place a rack on a tray, this will keep the cooked Arayes warm.
2. Cook : Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Spray both sides of the stuffed pitas with olive oil. Place 2–3 pieces in the pan at a time (depending on space). Cook for about 2 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula until golden and crispy. The thin meat layer ensures fast cooking! (For a sandwich press method, see Note 7.)
3. Keep warm : Transfer the cooked Arayes onto the rack and place them in the oven while you cook the rest.
4. Serve : Cut in half if desired, then pile onto a serving platter. Serve with Whipped Tahini Sauce and enjoy!