Falafel Arayes in Japanese Yam Pita

Crispy stuffed pita with lemon–tahini yogurt and chopped salad

Yield: 12 mini pockets (4–6 servings)
Time: Overnight soak + 1 hr active (about 1 hr 30 min total day-of)

Ingredients

Japanese Yam Pita

• 1 medium Japanese yam, roasted and peeled (about 12 oz / 340 g raw; ~240 g flesh)

• 1 cup / 130–160 g all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

• 1 tsp fine sea salt

• 2 tsp olive oil, plus more for brushing

Falafel (stuffing)

• 2 cups / 400 g dried chickpeas, soaked 12–18 hr in plenty of water, drained well

• ½ medium / 150 g white onion, roughly chopped

• 3 garlic cloves

• ½ cup / 15 g parsley leaves

• ½ cup / 15 g cilantro leaves

• ¼ cup / 5 g dill fronds (optional but excellent)

• 1 Tbsp ground cumin

• 1 Tbsp ground coriander

• 2 tsp ground turmeric

• 1 tsp chili powder

• 1½ tsp fine sea salt,

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 Tbsp baking powder

• 1–2 Tbsp cornstarch, as needed

• 1–2 Tbsp cold water, only if mixture is too dry

• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

Lemon–Tahini Yogurt

• ½ cup / 120 g plain Greek yogurt (or unsweetened vegan yogurt)

• ¼ cup / 60 g tahini

• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• ¼–½ tsp salt, to taste

• Cold water, to loosen

Chopped Salad & Garnishes

• 1 large tomato, diced

• ½ cucumber, diced

• 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

• 2 tsp fresh mint, chopped

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1 tsp lemon juice

• Salt & pepper to taste

• Pickles

• ½ tsp sumac

Equipment

Baking sheet, rolling pin, food processor, large skillet (cast-iron ideal), cooling rack.

Method

1) Make the pita dough

1. Heat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Roast the yam on a bare rack or tray until very tender, 50–60 min. Cool just enough to handle; peel and mash smooth.

2. In a bowl, combine 240 g mashed yam, 130 g flour, and 1 tsp salt. Knead 3–5 min, dusting in up to 30 g more flour until the dough is soft and only slightly tacky.

3. Cover and rest 15 min.

2) Prepare the falafel mix

1. In a food processor, pulse the soaked, well-drained chickpeas with onion, garlic, herbs, spices, salt, and pepper until the texture is coarse-crumbly and starts to clump when squeezed—not a paste. Scrape bowl as needed.

2. Pulse in baking powder and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. Pinch-test: the mix should hold a neat patty; if crumbly, add up to 1 Tbsp more cornstarch or a few drops of water. Mix in the citrus juice. Refrigerate 30 min to hydrate.

3) Shape & bake the pita

1. Put a baking sheet in the oven to preheat. Divide dough into 12 balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each to 3–4 in / 7.5–10 cm wide and ½ cm thick.

2. Brush the center with a film of olive oil, fold edges inward to make a ball (creates layers), flip, and roll out again to the same thickness.

3. Lay rounds on the hot sheet; bake 8–10 min, flip, and bake 6–8 min more until puffed and lightly golden. Cool 5 min and halve to make pockets.

4) Stuff, then crisp (arayes-style)

1. Fill each pita half with 2–3 Tbsp falafel mix, pressing to an even ¼–⅓ in / 6–8 mm layer so it cooks through.

2. Option A (skillet finish—crispiest): Film a skillet with olive oil over medium to medium-high. Cook stuffed pockets 2–3 min per side, pressing gently; edges should be deep golden and the filling set. Work in batches; keep finished pieces on a rack.

3. Option B (oven finish—hands-off): Brush both sides with oil and bake at 425°F / 220°C 10–12 min, flipping once.

5) Sauces & salad

1. Whisk yogurt, tahini, lemon, garlic, and salt; thin with cold water to a spoonable sauce.

2. Toss tomato, cucumber, herbs, oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. Dust with sumac.

6) Serve

Pile the hot arayes on a platter. Spoon over lemon–tahini yogurt, top with chopped salad, and serve with pickles and shatta.

Make-Ahead & Tips

• Soak smart: Rinse chickpeas after soaking; excess water in the processor leads to a dense mix.

• Add baking powder last: It aerates the mix and keeps the interior fluffy.

• Even thickness = even cook: Press the stuffing thinly within the pocket; thick blobs won’t cook through before the bread darkens.

• Freezer-friendly: Uncooked stuffed pockets freeze well. Freeze on a tray, then bag up to 1 month; cook from frozen, adding 2–3 minutes.

• Vegan: Use plant yogurt for the sauce.

Flavor Variations

• Herb-heavy green: Double parsley and cilantro; add 1 tsp grated lemon zest to the falafel mix.

• Smoky heat: Swap chili powder for Aleppo pepper or chipotle powder.

• Sesame crunch: Sprinkle sesame seeds onto pita before baking.