Griddled pita stuffed with sumac spiced meat.
Serves 4
A wonderful addition to the kebab culinary canon and a reversal of the usual order of things, as meat is wedged into pita bread before being griddled. In Arabic, arayes means “brides” and here she is, the delicately spiced filling, enveloped in the arms of her groom, the bread. The marriage is undeniably burger-like but even quicker to prepare and with enticing sour and smoky notes from the sumac and paprika.
These kebabs work well made in advance and packed up to cook on a campfire, if you are that way inclined.
450g beef or lamb mince
1 heaped tablespoon
tomato paste
1 heaped tablespoon
pine nuts, toasted
1 heaped teaspoon
ground sumac
1 heaped teaspoon
smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
3 tablespoons finely
chopped parsley
4 large pita breads
Olive oil, for brushing
Pomegranate molasses, to serve
Mix together the minced meat, tomato paste, pine nuts, spices, salt and parsley. Cut the pita breads down one side and spread the filling in each in a thin and even layer. Brush the outsides with olive oil.
Heat a griddle pan to medium–high. Grill the pitas, pressing down with a spatula and flipping occasionally. A quarter turn in the pan will give you criss-cross markings. They will probably take about 8–10 minutes in total, depending on your bread and how rare you like your meat. The pita should be well toasted and the meat cooked to a juicy pink or well done. Serve drizzled with pomegranate molasses.
Serve with crunchy salad with tomatoes, herbs and perhaps a tahini dressing. You can make one by mixing Greek-style (strained) yoghurt with a minced garlic clove, a few spoonfuls of tahini and seasoning with salt.
Images and text from The Nutmeg Trail by Eleanor Ford, photography by Ola O. Smit.
Murdoch Books, $49.99. Cover illustrations: nutmeg and chilli from rawpixel; cinnamon and star anise from Shutterstock; peppercorns from Creative Market.
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