Arayes are small, savory, Lebanese sandwiches and one of the most popular street foods in the Middle East. The traditional recipe uses pita bread, stuffed with spiced ground meat (or try a vegan substitute such as seitan crumbles), grilled until crispy. Any kind of pita works fine for this recipe. Thick, thin, or whole wheat, and even other types of flat bread will do. Thick breads make a more satisfying sandwich, but not too thick, as it may impede grilling.
The recipe below will make six arayes.
Arayes Ingredients
- 4 rounds of pita breads
- 2½ cups ground beef or lamb (or a mix of both or vegan alternative)
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 small tomato, finely diced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp paprika (optional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil (for brushing)
Directions for Arayes
Cut each pita in half to create pockets. Set aside.
To prepare the filling, combine the ground meat, chopped onion, parsley, cilantro, tomato, cumin, coriander, allspice, paprika, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well until evenly combined.
Evenly fill each half of pita bread with the meat mixture, but don’t overfill, to avoid splitting the bread.
Begin preheating a grill or griddle on medium heat, and brush both sides of each pita with a light layer of olive oil.
Grill the pitas for about four to six minutes on each side, pressing down gently. Cook until the meat is fully cooked and the bread is crispy.
Keep cooked Arayes warm by placing them in an oven on low heat. For more flavorful arayes, add chili flakes, garlic, or a dash of cinnamon to the meat mixture. Serve with a tahini-based sauce.