Wraps and Pida my way

Hi everyone

Ive been asked to add a few recipe I made a few weeks back for wraps or pida breads. I used minced lamb and made kofta balls. If your vegetarian of course falafels will do just as well. For me so much depends on the sauces and I tend to mix and match based on what I have in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 small onion
500gm minced lamb
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Grate the onion into the meat and then add the other ingredients. Mix well and make into balls or small fingers whatever you like. Place on a heated pan with a small amount of oil or under the grill. The kofta should seize and cook quickly. Once brown all over but still juicy inside. place in the wrap or on the pita bread.  

If making falafel then this is the basic recipe I use:

Ingredients

250gm broad beans
1 tablespoon each of finely chopped parsley and coriander
4-5 spring onions - finely chop the green part
1 clove of garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper
small pinch of bicarbinate of soda
oil for semi deep frying

Wash the broad beans and soak in water for 8 hours. Drain and remove any floating bits of skin and dry with kitchen towels. Mince in a food processor and the beans should be the consistency of fairly dry slighty grainy puree.

Mix the chopped herbs with the beans in a bowl. Add the green onions, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and bicarbonate of soda. Knead well and the mixture should be pale green and with dark green speckles. Let the paste rest for a couple of hours in the fridge. Using damp hands roll the paste into balls and then place on a baking paper lined tray. Then flatten slightly with your fingers. Fry in the oil turning them until golden brown. Dont let them cook to dark brown if they do turn the heat down of the oil. Drain on kitchen paper and enjoy.


I usually add a salad of cos, diced cucumber, tomato, spring onions sprinkled with salt and pepper and a squeeze of a lime or lemon. I also enjoy tabbouleh

Ingredients
2 tablespoons burghal
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tablespoons fresh coriander
4 spring onions chopped
1 small cucumber diced
1 tablespoon fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 or 2 lemons
2 teaspoons olive oil

Soak the burghal for about 15 mins in a bowl of water. Line a colander with muslin or a clean tea towel and tip the burghal in. Squeeze as much of the water out as possible. Then combine the burghal with the vegetables and herbs. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. add half the oil and mix. If need add the rest. You want the salad to glisten with the oil but not be soaked. Taste and season again if necessary.

In terms of sauces (along with hummus) I have a couple of favorites:

a. Tahini yogurt: 1/2 cup of greek plan yogurt with 2 tablespoons of tahini paste
b. Beetroot, horseradish and yogurt: 1/2  cup of greek plan yogurt with two tablespoons of beetroot chutney and half tablespoon of horseradish cream
c. Tsatsiki: 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 clove of garlic, 150gm diced cucumber, 1 teaspoon dried mint or 1 tablespoon fresh mint, salt and pepper.

For hummus I save time and use canned chickpeas.

Ingredients

1 can of chickpeas
1 medium onions
2 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of tahini paste
1 teaspoon of turmeric
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon

Drain and rince the chickpeas. Chop the onions and garlic and soften over medium heat  with the olive oil. Stir in the turmeric and a small amount of water. Add the chickpeas and enough water to cover the ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer for about an hour. When chickpeas are nice and soft drain them and reserve the liquid.  Then put in a food processor and puree to the consistency of a thick mayonnaise. Transfer to a bowl and add the salt, lemon juice, tahini and remaining oil. 

Make the wraps by combining the ingredients you like from above in a line on a wrap base  leaving 1/8 clear so you can fold it up to keep the ingredients in the wrap when eating  and then roll from one corner to the next. Make sure its nice and tight. I like to place the wrap in foil and then place under a press to toast the wrap. Or just cut open a pida and insert your ingredients and place under a press to heat the bread.

Enjoy xx