Pork, beef & lamb

Lamb Arayes Mince

Name: Lamb Arayes Mince
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1kg lamb mince; 2 (300g) onions, finely chopped; 1 (160g) red pepper, finely diced; 250g tomatoes, finely chopped; 30g tomato purée; 4 cloves (20g) garlic, crushed; 6g (2 tsp) ground cumin; 4g ground coriander; 2g (1 tsp) ground allspice; 1g (½ tsp) ground cinnamon; 1g (½ tsp) chilli flakes, or Aleppo pepper; 5g (2 tsp) sumac; 30g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 5g salt; 1g black pepper; 100ml water

Lamb mince cooked down with onion, red pepper, tomato, parsley, sumac and warm spices, made to stuff into pitta and toast until crisp.

makes 21 blocks, about 57p each

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Illustration of a bowl of Lamb Arayes Mince

Time: 50 min15 min prep · 35 min cook
Makes: 21 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 57p
Calories per blockCalories: 126 kcal
Spice

Ingredients

Batch size

blocks

1kglamb mince
2 (300g)onions, finely chopped
1 (160g)red pepper, finely diced
250gtomatoes, finely chopped
30gtomato purée
4 cloves (20g)garlic, crushed
6g (2 tsp)ground cumin
4gground coriander
2g (1 tsp)ground allspice
1g (½ tsp)ground cinnamon
1g (½ tsp)chilli flakes, or Aleppo pepper
5g (2 tsp)sumac
30gflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
5gsalt
1gblack pepper
100mlwater

Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Nutrition

estimated

	1 block	3 blocks
Energy	126 kcal	378 kcal
Protein	9.7g	29.1g
Carbs	3g	9g
Fat	8.3g	24.9g
Fibre	0.9g	2.7g
Salt	0.34g	1.02g

Method

Step 1: Brown the mince in a large dry pan over a high heat, breaking it up, until well coloured. Spoon off most of the fat. (10 min)
Step 2: Add the onions and red pepper and cook over a medium heat for 8 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, cumin, coriander, allspice, cinnamon and chilli for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, water, salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring often, until thick and almost dry. (15 min)
Step 4: Stir in the parsley and sumac, then cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Hotter: use 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes, plus a pinch of cayenne.

Serve it

Toasted in pitta with tahini sauce, pickles and a chopped salad · Over rice with yoghurt and cucumber · In flatbreads with hummus and shredded lettuce

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	126	9.7g	3g	8.3g	0.9g	0.34g
Per 3 blocks	378	29.1g	9g	24.9g	2.7g	1.02g

Cook’s notes

To make arayes: defrost the blocks, split pittas open and spread a thin layer of the mince inside. Brush the outsides with oil and toast in a dry pan or under a grill until crisp, about 3 minutes a side.
Three blocks fill about two large pittas.
Half lamb mince and half 10% fat beef mince makes a leaner, cheaper batch.

Serve it

Toasted in pitta with tahini sauce, pickles and a chopped salad · Over rice with yoghurt and cucumber · In flatbreads with hummus and shredded lettuce.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 378 kcal and 29.1g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Lamb Arayes Mince questions

Why cook it until it is almost dry?

A wet filling makes the pitta soggy instead of crisp. Cooking off the tomato juices keeps the mince thick enough to spread and toast.

Can I use beef mince?

Yes, 10% fat beef mince works on its own or mixed half and half with the lamb. Beef is milder, so add an extra ½ tsp cumin.

What does sumac add?

Sumac is a deep red, lemony spice that brightens the rich lamb without adding liquid. If you have none, stir in the grated zest of 1 lemon at the end.