Arayes are Lebanese and out of the ordinary in every way. While they could be thought of as lamb burgers, their unique shape makes them much more than that. They can be cooked on an outdoor grill, or indoors in a sandwich pan or skillet. In either case, the heat should be moderate to allow the filling to heat through without burning the bread. Serve tabbouleh or a chopped tomato and cucumber salad on the side.
This recipe is essentially buttered noodles for adults (even though buttered noodles are also for adults but . . . you get what I mean). And if I’m going to flex how easy they are, they’re the same commitment as Kraft macaroni and cheese, give or take a noodle. Since tahini occasionally stiffens up if it sits too long, you’ll need to include a generous scoop (or two) of pasta water to keep things smooth and saucy. And while it’s always tempting to skip a garnish, a few sprigs of mint beautifully break up the richness of the nutty sauce
My mother, Larisa, was born in Odessa, Ukraine, and has made borsch all her life. ’This is the hot winter version: vegetarian and super-quick to prepare but also hearty and filling, with a lovely sweet-sour flavor and gorgeous red beet color. It’s served garnished with fresh herbs and a dollop of sour cream.
Serves 2 to 4 as a side dish
Before the conflict began, there was a little restaurant in a hidden corner of a back alley in Aleppo’s Old City, next to the old Jewish cemetery. The restaurant was called the King of Omelettes (Malik Al Ijja) and aptly named it was, too. The place was so tiny, they could only cram in two customers at a time, and there was only one thing on the menu: Aleppian Omelettes. People from all around the ancient souq flocked to it every lunchtime and lined up to get a taste. Celebrities from all over Syria came to visit and the owner proudly covered his front window with pictures of himself and the famous people. The place was shabby and unpretentious, and it operated for generations without ever changing a thing. We’re not sure whether this restaurant is still there. We loved it, and now we’re passing on its secret.