Indian-Inspired Spicy Cheesy Arayes with Tadka Oil and Cucumber Yogurt

Ingredients

• 500 g Lamb mince
• 1 White onion (Large; grated)
• Coriander (Handful, chopped (for the lamb mixture))
• 4 Green chillies
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• 1 tbsp Masala (Type not specified)
• 1 tbsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Cumin (For the lamb mixture)
• 1 tbsp Paprika (For the lamb mixture)
• 1 tsp Oil (For brushing the stuffed pitas before searing)
• Mozzarella (Cubed; enough to fit in the pita)
• 3 Pittas (Cut in half)
• 4 cup Greek yogurt (The source does not specify fat percentage)
• 1 Cucumber (Grated and strained)
• 2 cloves Garlic (Grated, for the cucumber yogurt)
• Coriander (Handful, chopped (for the cucumber yogurt))
• Lemon juice (Juice of one whole lemon)
• Salt (To taste)
• Black pepper (To taste)
• 3 Ghee (Quantity unit is not specified in the source)
• 1 tbsp Mustard seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 10 Curry leaves
• 4 cloves Garlic (Sliced finely, for the tadka oil)
• 3 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder (For colour)
• 1 tbsp Paprika (For the tadka oil)
• 2 cloves Garlic (Minced, for the garlic brush)
• Coriander (Handful, diced, for the garlic brush)
• 4 tbsp Olive oil

Steps

1. 1

   Combine the lamb mince, grated onion, chopped coriander, green chillies, garlic paste, ginger paste, masala, turmeric, cumin, and paprika in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, cover, and marinate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.

2. 2

   While the lamb marinates, combine the Greek yogurt, strained grated cucumber, grated garlic, chopped coriander, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. 3

   Cut the three pittas in half and lightly toast them. Stuff each pita half with the lamb mixture, layering it with cubed mozzarella and more lamb.

4. 4

   Lightly brush the stuffed pitas with the measured oil. Sear them in a pan over high heat, rotating regularly, until they have char marks but are not burnt.

5. 5

   Transfer the seared pitas to an oven preheated to 200°C / 375°F. Bake for 10 minutes, until the lamb is fully cooked and the mozzarella has melted.

6. 6

   While the pitas bake, prepare the garlic brush by mixing the minced garlic, diced coriander, and olive oil together.

7. 7

   Remove the pitas from the oven and brush them with the garlic-coriander oil. Cook for a couple more minutes.

8. 8

   Meanwhile, make the tadka oil. Heat the ghee in a pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, sliced garlic, Kashmiri chilli powder, and paprika. Cook for 2–3 minutes, moving the pan on and off the heat and stirring regularly so the spices do not burn.

9. 9

   Spoon the hot, sizzling tadka over the cucumber yogurt. Arrange the yogurt and arayes on a plate and serve.

Notes

The source lists “3 ghee” without a unit, so its amount cannot be interpreted reliably. It also does not specify the amount of mozzarella, coriander, lemon juice, salt, or pepper beyond the stated handful/whole-lemon/to-taste descriptions. The oven instruction states 200°C / 375°F; these temperatures are not equivalent, so the source's wording is retained. The final serving assembly is only briefly described.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• spicy
• lamb
• cheesy
• oven-baked
• pan-seared
• Indian-inspired