Arayes Kafta — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Flatbread stuffed with heavily spiced ground lamb kafta mixture, grilled until the bread is charred and crispy while the filling stays juicy and aromatic. A Jordanian barbecue favorite served with tahini.

Ingredients

4 Arabic flatbreads
500g ground lamb
1 large onion, grated
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tomatoes, finely diced
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne
Salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
Tahini sauce for serving

Instructions

1 Combine ground lamb with grated onion, parsley, mint, diced tomatoes, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly by hand.
2 Cut flatbreads in half to create pockets. Open each pocket and spread a thin, even layer of the kafta mixture inside.
3 Press the stuffed flatbreads gently to flatten and distribute the filling evenly. Brush both outer surfaces lightly with olive oil.
4 Preheat grill to medium-high. Place stuffed flatbreads on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until charred grill marks appear.
5 The bread should be crispy and the lamb cooked through. Cut each half into triangles using a sharp knife.
6 Serve immediately on a wooden board with tahini sauce, pickled turnips, sliced onions, and a squeeze of fresh lemon.

Did You Know?

In Amman, arayes vendors compete by grilling over charcoal made from specific fruit tree woods, each claiming their wood gives the best smoky flavor.