Middle Eastern Recipes | RecipeTin Eats

Tray bake dinner: Lamb kofta meatballs

Nagi — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:50:50 +0000

An enormous heartfelt thanks for the messages of support following the news of Dozer’s condition. I don’t have the words to properly express how much it meant to me and never imagined I would find myself in a position where I felt such overwhelming support from all corners of this big wide world. I will continue to provide updates on his progress in the Life of Dozer section, and hope to have good news in the coming weeks. ~ Nagi x

This tray bake dinner combines beautifully spiced lamb kofta meatballs with colourful roast vegetables for a Middle Eastern dinner that’s as versatile as it is delicious. Stuff into warm flatbreads, make couscous or rice bowls, or serve with roasted cauliflower for a substantial low-carb salad meal!

Lamb kofta meatballs tray bake

There’s a lot less sheet pan dinner recipes on my website than one would expect for someone who tells “everyone” that she mostly shares dinner recipes. It’s because I’m a little fussy about them. I find that if you toss everything – meat and vegetables – in the same seasonings, everything comes out tasting the same-same.

Which is fine every now and then. But I get bored quickly.

But this meatball tray bake? Anything but boring!! Think – your favourite boldly spiced lamb koftas, in meatball form, with a pile of colourful capsicum and red onion. All baked on the same tray. The smell when this is in the oven is incredible!! It’s the cinnamon. Signature Middle Eastern spice.

Stuff in warm pita breads, make rice or couscous bowls or a big low-carb warm salad!

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this tray bake dinner.

Kofta meatballs

These are the same ingredients used in skewered lamb koftas.

Lamb mince (ground lamb) – While lamb is a favourite in Middle Eastern cuisine and just goes so well with the spice mix, these meatballs are also terrific made with beef. Chicken and turkey would also be good but you’ll need to add a little extra breadcrumbs else the mixture is too loose.
Onion – Use a box grater to shred it so you don’t need to cook the onion separately before adding into the mixture. Also, the onion juices just make the meatballs tastier!
Panko breadcrumbs – Adds bulk and absorbs moisture so the mixture isn’t too wet to form meatballs. Panko breadcrumbs are easy to find these days in the Asian and breadcrumb aisle of grocery stores. Ordinary breadcrumbs (smaller and finer, like sand) can also be used but the meatballs will not be quite as tender.
Garlic – Very rare to find savoury dishes on my website that don’t involve garlic!
Spices – Classic Middle Eastern spices: cumin, coriander, paprika (I use regular but smoked would be lovely), cinnamon (Middle Eastern secret ingredient!) and cayenne pepper. These meatballs are mildly spicy so feel free to reduce or omit the cayenne pepper.
Coriander/cilantro – For a hint of freshness and for visual purposes too. Substitute with parsley.

The vegetables

For the vegetables, you could really use any roast-able vegetables you want. I opted for capsicum / bell peppers for a splash of colour and also because I like that they are easy to cut into strips for easy of stuffing into flatbreads.

Sauce options

The meatballs are pictured in post drizzled with Tahini Sauce which is a widely used sauce in Middle Easter cuisine. The nutty flavour and creamy texture goes so well with the spice flavour of the meatballs and just adds that extra touch to take this from tasty to OMG gawd this is soooo gooood!! (Which is the bar to which I aim!)

Tahini sauce

Lemon yogurt sauce – use the sauce in this recipe.

Being a sauce I use quite regularly in Middle Eastern recipes, I finally got around to writing it up as a separate recipe, so find the Tahini Sauce recipe here. The other sauce option is Lemon Yogurt Sauce which is also on-point for Middle Eastern food – use the sauce in this recipe.

For the simplest option (and we all have those days), just a dollop of plain yogurt will work fine, or even a squeeze of lemon juice.

How to make Lamb Kofta Meatball Tray Bake

The only difference between making normal Moroccan meatballs and this one is that you don’t need to deal with cleaning up the stove splatter. I know which one I’m making tonight!

Toss the vegetables with salt, pepper and olive oil.
Mix the lamb kofta meatball mixture in a bowl with your hands. Mix well to ensure the spices are dispersed evenly throughout.

Roll 16 meatballs. They are slightly on the large side to ensure they don’t dry out when cooked in the oven.
PRO TIP: I use an ice cream scoop with a lever to portion out the mixture. Then I roll the balls. This is the most efficient way I have come up with to make meatballs – without resorting to $5,000 meatball making machines (oh yes, they exist!)
Spray the meatballs generously with oil so they will brown in the oven.

Scatter the vegetables around the meatballs.
Bake for 15 minutes, then finish with 5 minutes under the grill/broiler to get a bit of colour on the meatballs. 20 minutes is all the cook time we need for meatballs to cook them through without overcooking them which will make them dismally dry on the inside.
You’ll also get some nice charring on the edges of the capsicum, reminiscent of the flavour we would’ve achieved if we had cooked these over charcoal which does not happen midweek around these parts!

How to serve baked lamb kofta meatballs

I promised you versatile, and here’s proof!

Wraps / pita pockets (pictured at top of post) – Stuff the meatballs and vegetables into warm wraps or pita pockets and drizzle with Tahini Sauce or Lemon Yogurt Sauce (use the one in this recipe). Shredded lettuce and tomato slices are great extras to bulk it out and (happily) cram extra vegetables into your meal.
Bowls (pictured above) – Make bowls with a mound of steaming basmati rice or couscous (very on-theme!).
Warm salad – Make roasted cauliflower (without the parmesan) and pile onto a plate. Top with the meatballs and all the vegetables, finish with a dramatic, generous drizzle of the tahini sauce and a shower of toasted pinenuts or almond flakes and fresh coriander/cilantro. Stand back and admire the glittering pile that is your dinner that happens to be low-carb and nutrition packed!

And as I describe that cauliflower salad to you, I’m kicking myself for not having shot it! It was so, so good. Next time! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Tray bake dinner: lamb kofta meatballs

Recipe video above. This easy sheet pan dinner combines beautifully spiced lamb kofta meatballs with colourful roast vegetables for a Middle Eastern dinner that's as versatile as it is delicious. Stuff into warm flatbreads, serve with couscous or rice bowls, or add a side of roasted cauliflower for a substantial low-carb dinner.

Less messy and healthier than pan frying – less oil! Tip: make meatballs on the large side so they don't dry out in the oven.

Course Mains, One Tray Dinner, sheet pan dinner

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Baked meatballs, kofta meatballs

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Servings

Author Nagi

Ingredients

KOFTAS

1/2 onion , grated using a box grater
500 g / 1 lb lamb mince (ground lamb), or beef
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (sub regular breadcrumbs)
2 cloves garlic , finely minced
2 tbsp coriander/cilantro , finely chopped

KOFTA SPICES

2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp paprika (plain, sub smoked)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (a bit spicy, reduce to taste or leave out)
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/2 black pepper

VEGETABLES

1 large red capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
1 large yellow capsicum , deseeded, sliced into 1 cm thick slices
1 red onion , cut into thin wedges
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp each cooking/kosher salt and pepper

SERVING (wraps option)

Olive oil spray (for the meatballs)
4 flatbreads or rice, couscous or cauliflower rice
1 quantity Tahini sauce or lemon yogurt sauce (or even just plain yogurt)
3 cups shredded iceberg lettuce (or other leafy greens)
2 tomatoes , halved, cut into thin slices
1 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , finely chopped, optional (for sprinkling)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
Kofta meatballs – Place the Kofta ingredients and spices in a bowl. Use your hands to combine thoroughly then roll 16 large-ish meatballs (I scoop all mixture onto a tray, then roll into balls). Spread them out on a large tray.
Vegetables – Toss the vegetables with the oil, salt and pepper. Scatter around the meatballs.
Bake – Spray the meatballs with oil. Bake for 15 minutes then switch the oven to the grill/broiler on high. Cook for a further 5 minutes to get some colour on the surface.
Serve – Sprinkle with the chopped coriander then serve! To make wraps, stuff with lettuce, tomato, meatballs, and the cook capsicum and onion. Drizzle with lots of tahini sauce then tuck in! Other ideas: rice or couscous bowls or big salads – see below.

Notes

SERVING OPTIONS

Wraps – Stuffed in pita bread or flatbreads with lettuce, tomato, drizzled with tahini or yogurt sauce.
Bowls – Make bowls with couscous, rice, cauliflower rice or grains/beans (eg lentils – cook using this method).
Warm salad – a substantial low-carb dinner with a side of roasted cauliflower (bake prior to meatballs).

NOTES

Meat – Lamb is a natural choice for Middle Eastern food but the spice mix is really good with beef too. Chicken will also work but you’ll need to increase the panko else the mixture is a little loose.

Life of Dozer

Unsurprisingly, after telling you about Dozer’s laryngeal paralysis condition and surgery, I expect the Life of Dozer section will be focussed on his recovery for the next little while. I want to share the facts but I also want to add a sprinkle of fun. Because even in the fog of worry, there have been moments of laughter!

The serious stuff

So, I’m not going to lie. Dozer’s post surgery recovery has been a little slower and more worrying than expected. For 2 days after his operation, he was very wobbly on his feet and needed help to get up, walk and pee. He would collapse after walking a metre or two, and get very agitated when he couldn’t get up himself when he wanted to – which mean breathing heavily and straining his throat.

What did really scare me though was that his hoarse breathing sounded (to me) worse than it was pre-operation. That combined with his lack of mobility prompted a dash to the emergency vet.

Thankfully they gave him the all clear and just reminded me again that his airways are swollen from the surgery so his breathing and panting will sound laboured and painful. I was told it will take about 2 weeks for the swelling to go down to see if the surgery was effective – if it was, he should breath quietly and in time, go back to some level of exercise. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

I had hoped to avoid using the chill-pills the vet prescribed for Dozer but I gave up. Since starting him on those, he is definitely more relaxed. Basically, peaceful sleeping Dozer means no hoarse panting which should help with the speed of recovery. I think when he’s awake, he is conscious of the fact that he’s short of breath which makes him agitated and breath frantically (like right now, at my feet).

I’m worried, but thinking positively. It’s only day 3 after surgery. 11 days to go.

on the lighter side….

The little things we celebrate – so happy when he was able to weight bear himself and pee without assistance!! (Just in case you are conjuring up visions of paper cups – no, it was nothing like that!! I was using a towel sling under his belly to help support his weight. )

Check out his excellent squatting action. Well done Dozer. Well done! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

The post Tray bake dinner: Lamb kofta meatballs appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Tahini sauce

Nagi — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 05:50:23 +0000

This is a classic tahini sauce that’s creamy and nutty, with a touch of brightness from lemon and flavour from garlic. Use it on all things Middle Eastern, as a dip or drizzle over roasted vegetables for an instant jazz up!

Tahini sauce

Tahini is a great way to make a creamy sauce without reaching for mayonnaise. Nutty and creamy with a touch of brightness from lemon, this is a staple sauce in Middle Eastern cuisine and iterations of it are found all over my website.

However, I thought it handy to separately file a classic tahini sauce which I often offer as a recommended sauce option for Middle Eastern recipes.

There is no one way to make tahini sauce as the desired flavour, thickness and consistency will often vary depending on the dish it is served with. This one I’m sharing today is a classic, great all-rounder.

Roasted broccolini with tahini sauce

Ingredients for Tahini Sauce

Here’s what you need to make Tahini Sauce:

Tahini – This is just blitzed sesame seeds. No salt, sugar or any stabilisers added. Use hulled tahini not unhulled (more bitter because outer layer of sesame not removed).
Find it in the health food or spreads aisle of grocery stores.
To use, give it a good mix as the oil separates with time. It should be smooth and lump free. If yours is old and the tahini has set like concrete on the base of the jar, scrape everything into a container, lightly warm it in the microwave for 10 to 20 seconds then blitz with a stick blender to make it smooth again.

Lemon – For freshness to cut through the richness of the tahini. Substitute with sherry vinegar, red or white wine vinegar or (last resort for me) apple cider vinegar.
Water – This is to thin the sauce into a drizzle-able consistency. It won’t dilute flavour to the point of dismal because tahini is so rich.
Garlic – Flavour. Use a microplane to grate it finely for minimal lumps in the sauce.
Honey (optional) – Just 1/2 a teaspoon of honey adds the tiniest hint of sweetness which is really lovely when using Tahini Sauce for cooked vegetables and fresh salads.
White pepper – White rather than black so you don’t have black specks in the sauce. Though you can absolutely use black pepper instead.
Salt – For seasoning.

How to make Tahini Sauce

Just mix everything together until smooth and set it aside for 20 minutes to let the flavours meld. In particular, the harshness of raw garlic will blend into the sauce.

PRO TIP: If you’re cooking to impress, make it perfectly smooth by blitzing with a stick blender so there’s absolutely no garlic lumps.

What to use Tahini Sauce for

Sauce for Middle Eastern cooked proteins (like Chicken Shawarma, Lamb Shawarma, koftas and meatballs) and in wraps, sandwiches.
Roasted vegetables – drizzle over roasted vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, green beans and asparagus are some favourites)
Dipping – Use as a dip for pita bread, crisps or raw vegetable sticks, and things like Arayes (crispy Lebanese Meat Stuffed Pita Breads).

Also, don’t miss the Lamb Kofta Meatballs Tray Bake recipe that I also published today for which this sauce is suggested as an option! Great sheet pan dinner recipe – no stove splatter to deal with and healthier too because there’s less oil required to cook the meatballs.

Enjoy! – Nagi x

Tahini Sauce

This is my classic Tahini sauce recipe which is very versatile and a great way to make a creamy sauce without using mayonnaise.

Serve with all things Middle Eastern. Drizzle over roasted vegetables, use as a dressing or as a dip for vegetable sticks, pita bread or crackers. It's just a great, quick sauce recipe to know!

Makes just over 1/3 cup (85 ml).

Course Sauce

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword tahini sauce

Prep Time 5

Calories 394cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

1/4 cup tahini , hulled (Note 1)
2 1/2 – 3 tbsp water (Note 2)
1 tbsp lemon juice (Note 3)
1/2 garlic clove , pressed through garlic crusher or grated using microplane (to make sauce smooth)
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/4 tsp white pepper (sub black pepper, Note 4)
1 1/2 tsp honey , optional (Note 5)

Garnish:

1/4 cup flaked almonds, pine nuts or pistachios , toasted (Note 2)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Mix Tahini Sauce ingredients until combined. It should be loose enough so it can be drizzled, but not too runny. Set aside 15 minutes to let the flavours meld.

Uses

Sauce for Middle Eastern cooked proteins (like Chicken Shawarma, Lamb Shawarma, koftas and meatballs) and in wraps, sandwiches
Roasted vegetables – drizzle over roasted vegetables (carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, pumpkin, green beans and asparagus are some favourites)
Dip for pita bread, crisps or raw vegetable sticks, and things like Arayes (crispy Lebanese Meat Stuffed Pita Breads).

Notes

1. Tahini – sesame sauce used in hummus. Use hulled, not unhulled (more bitter). Tahini oil separates in the jar so give it a really good mix with a butter knife before using. If it’s hard to mix together (some brands are better than others – I like Mayver’s) you can also give it a quick zap in the microwave for 20 seconds to warm it up, makes it much easier to mix. Last resort – blitz with stick blender.

2. Water thins the sauce so it can be drizzled. It doesn’t dilute flavour – tahini is very intense!

3. Lemon is the acidity here. Substitute with (in order of preference): sherry vinegar, red or white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar.

4. White pepper is invisible in the sauce, black pepper leaves specks. Visual difference only!

Keeps 3 days in the fridge (bring to room temp to use).

Nutrition for full batch.

Nutrition

Life of Dozer

So happy to have him home, post op. ❤️

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Arayes – Lebanese Meat-Stuffed Crispy Pita

Nagi — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 06:00:00 +0000

Meet my latest obsession – Arayes! Pita pockets stuffed with seasoned meat kofta filling, then pan fried until crispy. Think: Lebanese quesadillas / easy gozleme. Enjoy for dinner or pass them around as an appetiser. I can’t stop eating these!

Arayes – Lebanese street food!

Every now and then I happen across a recipe that really catches me by surprise. Something I’ve never heard of before that’s devilishly tasty, a little different to the usual yet easy and relatively fast to make.

Today’s Arayes is one such recipe, introduced to me by Chef JB, discovered during his globe trotting days.

Originating from the Middle East, Arayes is a pita or flatbread that’s stuffed with raw seasoned meat kofta filling then pan fried, grilled or baked until crispy. Think of it like quesadillas – but with Middle Eastern spiced filling – or an easier version of lamb gozleme.

As with many traditional recipes, there are variations between countries, including the seasoning in the meat, the type of bread used, thickness of meat etc. The Arayes I’m sharing today is a Lebanese one. It’s easy. You can get all the ingredients at any grocery store.

And it’s Outrageously Delicious. (You know I’m deadly serious when I capitalise!)

Quick whipped Tahini Yogurt makes the perfect dipping sauce!

The meat is cooked from raw inside the pita so it melds with the pita bread

Ingredients in Arayes

Here’s what you need to make Arayes.

Spiced kofta filling

Here’s what you need for the spiced kofta filling used to stuff the pita bread.

Protein – Lamb is a favoured protein in the Middle East and goes so well with the Lebanese spice mix we’re using today! However, beef is a very close second.
Spice mix – No unusual players here in this Lebanese kofta spice mix! There’s a fairly generous amount – almost 3 tablespoons – which sounds like a lot. This is because the meat is spread very thinly inside each pita bread so you actually don’t end up with very much with each bite. So you want it to be heavy on the spicing!
Spice note: Mild kick, only 1/2 tsp cayenne across 10 pita bread halves. To reduce to subtle, cut down cayenne to 1/4 tsp. Or omit.
Onion and fresh garlic – For aromatic flavour in the kofta filling.
Parsley – Optional for nice little bits of green throughout.

Pita bread and oil

Arayes is and can be made with all sorts of pita breads – large, small, thin, thick. Have fun and experiment!

Pita Bread – The pita bread I use is 15cm / 6″ wide. You need pita bread pockets that can be split open to stuff the meat inside. Thinner is better as it’s easier to cook the meat through. Fellow Aussies – I use Nana brand pita bread from Woolies, Coles.
Alternatives/variations – I’ve made this with the breadier, thicker pita bread pockets too (like used in this recipe) and it works great, just takes a minute or two longer for the meat to cook. Large Lebanese bread ~30cm/12″ wide also works! You need 2 to 3, spread the meat inside using a butter knife, pan fry until crisp then cut into pieces. And if you can’t find any pita pockets at all, you could even make Arayes using any flatbreads you can get your hands on, or even tortillas! Just make them like quesadillas – spread the meat filling on half then fold over.
Olive oil spray works best for cooking, I found. Using oil in the pan makes the pita pockets a little too greasy. If you don’t have spray, just brush the surface with olive oil.

How to make Arayes

A unique step in making Arayes is that the meat is raw when stuffed inside the pita bread. So as it cooks, the meat juices flavour the inside of the pita bread while the outside goes golden and crispy. It’s sooooo good!!

Grate the onion using a standard box grater. Why grate rather than chop? Because grated is finer than chopped so you don’t need to cook the onion separately before mixing into the meat. It will cook enough with the meat. Plus, the onion juices make the meat mixture even tastier!
Filling – Add the meat and all the other filling ingredients, then mix well with your hands.
Semi-circle shape – Divide into 10 portions, roll into a ball then pat into a thin semi-circle shape approximating the size of half a pita bread.
Stuff the meat inside the pita bread. PRO TIP: If you have trouble prying the pocket open, microwave for 15 seconds on high to soften then run a butter knife inside the slit.

Flatten – Close the pita bread then press down and out to spread the meat to the edges of the pita bread. Though – no need to be too meticulous here! You just don’t want giant areas of meat-less pita bread.
Spray each side with oil. I prefer spraying because I found using oil in the pan makes the Arayes too greasy. Plus, you use far less oil!

Pan fry 4 min – Then pan fry on medium high for 2 minutes on each side until crispy. The meat will cook through in this time because it’s so thin! I do 2 or 3 halves at a time. Cook as many as you can fit in a single layer.
Keep cooked Arayes warm in a low oven on a rack set over a tray (rack prevents underside from getting soggy) as you continue cooking. Or – get 2 pans going to speed things up!
Serving – Pile Arayes onto a platter and serve with Tahini dipping sauce. Serve them whole, as they are. Or cut them into smaller pieces – it’s up to you!

Whipped Tahini Yogurt Dipping Sauce

I think you’ll really like the Whipped Tahini Yogurt dipping sauce too. It’s got a unique texture almost like soft whipped cream. Made with just tahini, yogurt, lemon and garlic, the trick is to warm the mixture in the microwave slightly before whisking. Then as you whisk it, it becomes almost a bit aerated like whipped cream! Neat little trick I picked up from a Fatteh recipe by Nigella Lawson.

If you’ve got any of the sauce leftover, use it as a dip or slather onto toast like you would with goats cheese, then pile on marinated mushrooms or roast vegetables for a delicious crostini. Enjoy! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Crispy Lebanese Meat Stuffed Pita – Arayes

Recipe video above. Lebanese street food – pita bread stuffed with spiced kofta meat, pan fried until crispy! Think of these as Lebanese quesadillas or easy Gozleme. The unique method here is that it's cooked with raw meat inside, so the tasty meat juices soaks into and flavours the pita bread as it cooks. It's outrageously delicious. I bet you become as obsessed with these as I have!

Course Appetiser, Main

Cuisine lebanese, Middle Eastern

Keyword arayes, stuffed pita bread

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings pita halves

Calories 226cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

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

Spiced meat filling:

1/2 brown onion
500g/ 1 lb lamb or beef mince (ground meat) (Note 2)
2 garlic cloves , finely grated
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley , optional
3 tsp ground coriander
3 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (sub plain paprika)
3/4 tsp ground allspice (sub mixed spice)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce/omit for less spicy – Note 4)
1 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt

Whipped tahini yogurt sauce:

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

Cups – Metric

Instructions

Spiced meat filling:

Grate the onion in a bowl using a standard box grater. We want the juices and all! (Note 4)
Meat filling – Add remaining meat filling ingredients. Mix well with your hands.
Divide stuffing in 10 (about 55 to 60g per portion, 1/4 cup). Flatten into a semi-circle shape slightly smaller than the pita bread half.
Stuff – Gently open a pita then place the meat inside. Close, then press to spread to the edge and make it fairly evenly flat. (Is your pita tearing? See Note 5 for tip!)

Cooking Arayes:

Preheat oven to 50C/120F. Place a rack on a tray. (To keep cooked Arayes warm.)
Cook – Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Spray both sides of the pita with olive oil then place 2 or 3 pieces in the pan (whatever you can fit). Cook for about 2 minutes on each side, pressing down lightly with a spatula, until golden and crispy. The meat is spread so thin it cooks really quickly! {Sandwich press – Note 7}
Keep warm – Transfer cooked Arayes onto the rack and put in the oven to keep warm. Cook remaining pita.
Serve – Cut in half if desired (sometimes I do, sometimes I don't!). Pile Arayes onto a serving platter. Serve with Whipped Tahini sauce. Enjoy!

Whipped tahini sauce:

Place ingredients in a heatproof bowl and whisk to combine. Microwave for 15 seconds on high. Whisk again – it should resemble soft whipped cream. Use slightly warm or at room temperature.

Notes

1. Pita bread – You need pita bread pockets that can be split open to stuff the meat inside. Thinner is better as it’s easier to cook the meat through but I’ve made this with thicker pita bread pockets too and it works great, just takes a minute or two longer for the meat to cook. (Aussies – I use Nana brand from Woolies, Coles.)

Other breads –

Large Lebanese bread ~30cm/12″ wide also works! You need 2 to 3, spread the meat inside using a butter knife, pan fry until crisp then cut into pieces.
Tortillas or other flatbreads – Smear meat on half, fold over like a quesadilla and cook!

2. Meat – Lamb is a favoured protein in the Middle East and goes soooo well with the spicing. But beef is a close second!

3. Spiciness: Mild kick, only 1/2 tsp cayenne across 10 pita bread halves. To reduce to subtle, cut down cayenne to 1/4 tsp. Or omit.

4. Grated onion is finer than chopped so it doesn’t need to be cooked separately before mixing into the raw meat. It cooks through with the meat! Plus, juices adds more flavour.

5. Tahini – A paste made with sesame seeds. Usually found in the health food aisle at grocery stores. Use hulled tahini (more common), not un-hulled which is darker and more bitter. The jar label will specify whether the tahini is hulled or un-hulled.

Use Chinese sesame paste as a sub if you have leftovers from another recipe I’ve shared, like this one or this one!

6. Trouble opening the pita bread? Can happen if it’s not super fresh! Microwave 30 sec on high to warm – this will soften it. Then insert a butter knife and run it along the pocket to loosen, then open. Warm one at a time, then do more as you get faster with stuffing!

7. Sandwich press – I tried making these in a sandwich press and while it does work, the bottom is not quite as crispy as pan frying because the weight of the lid presses down on the meat more which makes more fat come out. But for convenience, it’s excellent!

8. Make ahead! Assemble the pitas then keep them in the fridge for a couple of days, ready to cook on demand. Or – freeze!

Serving size – I find 3 pita halves sufficient for a meal with a side salad though heartier appetites would want more.

Nutrition for one piece (ie half a pita).

Nutrition

Similar crispy breads with tasty things inside

Quesadilla!!!

Gozleme!

Aloo Paratha (Indian Potato Stuffed Flatbread)

Mushroom Quesadillas

Oven Baked Chicken Quesadillas

Life of Dozer

This dog really will eat anything. (Well, except kale! 😂)

The post Arayes – Lebanese Meat-Stuffed Crispy Pita appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)

Nagi — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 02:21:33 +0000

Try this irresistible, simple recipe for stuffed eggplant: oven-roasted eggplant halves topped with Moroccan spiced lamb or beef. Low-cal, low-carb, low effort and utterly delicious!

Moroccan stuffed eggplant

You’ll often hear me declaring quite passionately that I think eggplant is one of the most underrated vegetables around. They’re cheap. They’re meaty. And they’re fabulously versatile, used in cuisines worldwide like Asian, Italian, Greek and Indian, prepared through various cooking methods including frying, steaming, roasting and simmering.

Today, we’re smearing, roasting and stuffing. Well, topping, not scooping-and-stuffing, in a manner that gives it a semi-stuffed vibe. Think of this as a mid-week take on traditional stuffed eggplant dishes you find in Arabic cuisine that involves hollowing out eggplants, stuffing with rice, meat, herbs and nuts, often baked in a tomato sauce. Sounds magnificent, doesn’t it? And it is. but there’s a lot more pots and pans involved! We’re going simple today. You can make this tonight, after work!!

Nice close up of said soft juicy eggplant!

Ingredients in Moroccan stuffed eggplant

The base flavouring for this Moroccan stuffed eggplant is a homemade Chermoula spice mix which does double duty as the spice paste for the eggplant as well as flavouring the meat filling.

Homemade chermoula spice mix does double duty

Chermoula spice mix

Chermoula is a North African spice mix that traditionally is a marinade or sauce containing fresh coriander, garlic and spices. Sometimes you can also find it in a dry spice mix form. We’re using the dry blend today for our purposes.

The spices – The majority of the spices are pantry staples, but don’t make a special trip out if you’re missing one or two…or even three! There’s enough in the blend that you can substitute with something else – suggestions are in the recipe notes.

Olive oil and lemon juice – These are used to make the paste. I like to use lemon juice to add a bit of tang as well as cutting down on the oil required to make a smear-able paste.

The meat filling (lamb or beef)

Here’s what you need to make the meat filling. You can use lamb or beef, though if I had my pick I’d choose lamb as it’s a classic pairing with flavours from the Arab world.

3 teaspoons of the Chermoula spice blend is used to flavour the filling. In addition to this, we have garlic and onion for aromatics, and a little tomato paste to bind the filling together.

The eggplant

Choose eggplants around 250g/8oz and 17cm/7″ long. Don’t worry about exact size – adjust toppings accordingly. If you end up with larger eggplants, the topping layer might be slightly thinner, but the dish will still be packed with flavor.

Salt helps remove moisture from eggplants. More on this below!

Toppings

And lastly, the toppings! It really finishes this dish so I urge you to use them. The pine nuts are a great finishing touch, though other nuts will make an adequate substitute (almonds, macadamia, walnuts, or seeds).

If you’re anti-coriander/cilantro, switch with parsley!

How to make Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant

As mentioned above, I call it stuffed because describing it as a “topped” eggplant just doesn’t seem to capture the essence of this dish. 😂 But actually, it’s not properly stuffed – which means no scooping necessary, which means it’s easier to make. Win!

Sweating the eggplant (recommended)

Sweating the eggplant to remove excess water is a recommended but not essential step. It seasons the flesh as well as drawing out excess water that otherwise pools in the eggplant which dilutes flavour when you’re eating it.

But you can mostly get around this problem by simply cutting slits in the skin to let the water escape as it roasts. So don’t sweat it if you don’t have time to sweat it! *Sorry, I couldn’t resist!*

Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise. Keep the cap/stem intact and cut through it, it helps hold the eggplant together once roasted and soft.
Diamonds – Using a small sharp knife, cut 2.5cm/1″ diamonds into the flesh, cutting down as far as you are comfortable without piercing the flesh.
The said diamonds!
Salt – Sprinkle the surface with salt and rub it in. It’s good to get it into the slits but even if you just rub the surface, the salt will make it’s way into the slits.
Sweat for 30 minutes. I put the eggplant upside down in a colander to allow the water to drip out.
Squeeze like sponge to remove the excess water then pat the surface dry.

Making the “stuffed” eggplant

Mix the Chermoula spice blend in a bowl. Measure out 3 teaspoons and set aside for the meat.
Paste – Add olive oil and lemon juice into the remaining chermoula and mix to form a paste.
Smear the paste onto the surface of the eggplant.
Roast for 45 minutes at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) or until the eggplant is softened. Sometimes it takes longer – don’t forget to check the edges.
Spiced meat – A quick cook! Sauté the garlic and onion, then cook the lamb with the reserved Chermoula spice blend. Finally, add the tomato paste and water to make the filling “juicy” (rather than dry and crumbly).
Assemble – Top the roasted eggplant with the lamb filling. Dollop on yogurt, sprinkle with pine nuts and coriander then dig in!

Matters of serving

Servings

This recipe is designed to serve:

2 people as a generous dinner with a small side salad;
4 as a meal with a starch (flatbread, couscous) and a substantial side (like Honey Cinnamon Pumpkin Lentil Salad, roast veg, chickpea salad); or
4 people as a generous starter.

Low carb, low calorie!

For the eggplant alone, it’s a mere 450 calories for a whole eggplant (ie 2 halves) with only 22 grams of carbs. To be honest, a serving of the eggplant alone makes for a satisfying meal – you have protein and vegetables covered! Though I do like to add something fresh on the side, even if it’s just some plain fresh cucumber and tomato.

So, it’s low calorie, low carb, simple to make and a something different to make with beef mince rather than the usual Spag Bol. What do you think?? Feel like giving this a go? I HOPE SO! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb)

Recipe video above. A delicious, unique, EASY way to serve up eggplant and minced / ground beef or lamb! Think of this as a midweek take on traditional Arabic stuffed eggplant that's usually hollowed out.

Don't worry if you don't have every single spice. There's so many in this spice mix, it will still be tasty even if you're missing one…or two, even three!

Serves 2 as a main with a small side salad, or 4 as a meal with a starch (flatbread, couscous) and a substantial side (like this Pumpkin Salad, roast veg, chickpea salad), or 4 as a generous starter.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Ground beef recipe, lamb mince recipe, roasted eggplant, stuffed eggplant

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Eggplant sweating 30

Total Time 1 30

Servings – 4

Calories 450cal

Author Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

Eggplant

2 x 250g/8oz eggplants (aubergines), ~17cm/7" long (Note 1)
3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice (or more oil)

Chermoula spice mix (Note 2)

1 1/2 tsp EACH coriander, paprika
1 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp all spice powder
1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, ginger, turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Spiced beef or Lamb topping

1 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove , finely minced
1/2 onion , finely chopped
250g / 8oz beef or lamb mince , lean if you can (chicken, turkey, pork also ok)
1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
2 tsp tomato paste (Note 3)
1/4 cup water

To Serve

Yoghurt , plain
2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , roughly chopped (sub parsley)
2 tbsp pinenuts , toasted (Note 4)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan).
Sweat eggplants (recommended, see Note 5 to skip) – Cut eggplants in half then score with 2.5cm / 1" diamonds. Rub surface with salt, getting some into the slits. Place face down in a colander and set aside for 30 minutes. Gently squeeze like a sponge to remove excess water, pat surface dry.
Mix Chermoula spice mix ingredients in a bowl. Remove 3 teaspoons for the meat and set aside. Add olive oil and lemon juice into the remaining spice mix and mix into a paste.
Roast eggplant – Place eggplant on baking tray. Slather spice mix onto the surface. Roast for 45 minutes until softened.
Spiced topping – Heat oil in a non stick skillet over medium high heat. Cook onion and garlic for 1 minute. Turn heat up to high, add lamb/beef and cook, breaking it up as you go, until you no longer see red. Add reserved spices and salt, then cook for a further 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Stir in water, cook for 1 minute until it's juicy but not watery.
Assemble – Top eggplant with beef/lamb. Sprinkle over coriander, dollop with yogurt and pine nuts. Finish with an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, if desired!

Notes

1. Eggplant/aubergine – Don’t get too hung up on eggplant size. I always provide weight and measurement because they vary so much in size – what is a “medium eggplant”??! If you have giant ones, you’ll just have a thinner layer of topping (there’s enough flavour in this dish you won’t feel robbed). If you have tiny ones, pile it on higher or reserve leftover meat for another purpose.

2. Spice subs – With so many in this spice mix, it’s fine if you’re missing one…or even three! Just dial up some of the others to make up for flavour. Specific subs:

All spice – mixed spice
Garlic powder – onion powder, or fresh garlic
Ginger – more garlic
Turmeric powder – saffron
Cinnamon – more all spice

3. Tomato paste – or sub water + paste with 1/4 cup crushed tomato or passata. I offer this as a suggestion as I always seem to have a partial bottle of passata in the fridge!

4. Toasting pinenuts – Small skillet, no oil, medium heat, toss until golden and smells toasty. Remove from pan straight away.

5. Eggplant sweating – Draws out excess water so you don’t end up with water in the eggplant halves that dilutes eating flavour. Removing bitterness from eggplant – generally speaking, this has been bred out of eggplants sold these days. I’ve never had a problem.

Don’t have time to sweat? Just cut 2 x 3cm/1″ slits in the skin so the water escapes while roasting. Also, expect to add 5 to 10 min to roasting time.

6. Yogurt tip – To make the yoghurt even tastier, mix 1/4 cup of yoghurt with 1/2 garlic clove, minced, a small squeeze of lemon, salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes to let the flavours develop. I do this for company.

Make ahead – Roast the eggplant and meat filling. Fully cool both, uncovered, then put into containers in the fridge. Re-warm both using method of choice (juice up the meat with a splash of water if needed) then assemble!

Leftovers will keep for 3 days in the fridge. Not convinced cooked eggplant will freeze well but the meat will be fine for 3 months!

Nutrition per serving, using lean beef – 2 eggplant halves (i.e. one whole eggplant) per serving. This is a satisfying meal even by itself!

Nutrition

Originally published in March 2016. Majority spruced up in 2023 with a better, more streamlined recipe with better flavour, sparkling new photos and a brand new recipe video!

Proof of eggplant fondness

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Life of Dozer

Can’t even whiteboard recipe ideas without Mr D hovering around.

The post Easy Moroccan Stuffed Eggplant (beef or lamb) appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.