You're Probably Sleeping on Arayes

[@KrossFire330]

Dude I thought your old videos were already great but the stuff you put out nowadays is so well articulated and straight-forward. Thank you for respecting everybody's time, and putting up some great cooking info in this format. KEEP IT UP!!!!

[@chrisparky]

Came here to say the same thing, here is the recipe, here are the alternatives and dam the KZbin 10-minute rule!!

[@magnolia549]

My thoughts exactly. His videos were on my home feed even though I don't watch food/cooking videos but I found myself willing to click each one that shows up because there's no filler to pad out the time. He respects your intelligence and time by getting right into it from the first second. I wish this format was the norm rather than the exceptiom.

[@chrisparky]

KZbin favours long form content for the ad views. I have a lot of respect for creators who refuse to kowtow to that. @@magnolia549

[@buien7]

KZbin videos in a TikTok era

[@FroyourHistory]

​@@chrisparkyThe time needed for mid roll ads has been 8 minutes for a while now

[@DarshanBhambhani]

You represents the pinnacle of KZbin cooking tutorial, not only did you tell us how to make a food, you tell us how to substitute or cut cost if we choose, this is how all cooking videos should strive to be

[@Ntseim]

yeah, iShaq is the best. He fell out of my algorithm a while back. I'm glad I rediscovered him.

[@ITyraxI]

But don't u wanna know how to make Arayes but BETTER?! With 6 days of prep time and 300$ worth of ingredients?

[@theConcernedWyvern]

And he doesn't spend ages dragging the viewer through slow, awkward cuts. He keeps it simple and quick while also being very easy for beginner to get. He's honestly one of the reasons I felt brave enough to cook more adventurous meals.

[@CS0723]

Recipe aside, this is hands down one of the best produced and formatted videos ive ever seen on youtube. No filler, no cringe, all of the information you need and nothing else. That little bit thrown in on 'how to substitute spices' while not relevant to me personally, must be incredibly valuable for others. This is the platonic ideal for what a video should be and this video should be archived as an archetype for which other cooking videos are done. Well done man, this video was by definition, perfect

[@m.f.3347]

a panini press is also an option for cooking them! You won't get the smoky flavour but IMO it's a lot more convenient

[@saratakkoush6109]

Just for the record, we go even thinner with our arayess in lebanon. Basically like ur smearing cream cheese on arabic bread. I dont like kafta at all, but i absolutely love arayess. Shoutout to Refika's kitchen in Turkey with her lifehacks!

[@internetshaquille]

I'm hoping Refika's English channel pops off soon she's super informative

[@saratakkoush6109]

@@internetshaquille yess!! if you can find çiğköfte in a Turkish restaurant in your area I highly highly highly recommend you try it. It's a raw veggie and bulgur paste they make into sandwiches in Turkey, they layer it with lots of veggies a squeeze of Lemon and pomegranate molasses (and sometimes break some doritos in there) and its vegan and long lasting and amazing.. She has an English and turkish video on it. Congratulations on the Baby!!!! Hope Bree is recovering well! And baby is healthy!

[@MetalDragon199]

I came down here to comment the same. I can confirm that the Arayes I've seen use less meat than that

[@denofpigs2575]

Ty for letting me know about that channel

[@pl.com.org.net.pl.]

oh fuck polish cream cheese with it o_o

[@budweiserkingofbeers]

I just adore you and your format. I've loved cookbooks and cooking shows since being a kid with the late 90s food network and your vids make me feel inspired in that way I haven't felt since those days. they're doable, exploratory and FUN ! thanks for giving me that channel 54 feeling 20 years later !

[@internetshaquille]

Wow thanks for the tip how kind of you! :)

[@violetviolet888]

@budweiserkingofbee You might also like @BerylShereshewsky, One of the few who I find inspiring. And @MagicIngredients.

[@naimahmed3720]

Bro hit the "MashaAllah" smooth as hell hahahah Alhamdulillah we gotz the Kofta mix on deck.

[@MusicalMethuselah]

Ok, made this tonight. Time: Almost exactly an hour for an intermediate cook to make it from the first onion chop to arayes on the table. Difficulty: the processor does most of the work, although the sticky meat makes it a bit tricky to get it consolidated and into the pita. I pan-fried in cast iron on low and it browned nicely, and it gave me time to make a tzatziki. Taste: Wonderful seasoning. I made baharat from the spices you outlined, easy enough. The cumin and coriander push it out of Christmas into savory. I ended up not needing to use the tzatziki, so now I guess I'll make falafel. Overall: good recipe. Now that the spice mix is done it will go quicker next time, probably 45 start to eat.

[@MarkTaylor0]

thank you for this. I have a regular cast iron, without the grill, and I was worried if it would come out alright. It came out great, you just gotta go kinda low and slow with it, and hit it with an instant read thermometer to make sure the meat cooks all the way. But if you follow the video and make sure you don't overstuff the pita, the meat will cook quickly. You need to use less meat than you think, because it certainly thickens up as it cooks.

[@MusicalMethuselah]

@@MarkTaylor0 true, it inflates like a burger, good to keep in mind

[@MarkTaylor0]

@@MusicalMethuselah ha yeah I was thinking about how similar to burgers this is as I was making it.

[@travelingtango]

I need to bump up the cumin and coriander next time, I felt mine ended up a bit too nutmeg-y

[@pilotsayshello1758]

oh my god, he puts the ad at the end.. and gets straight into the video less than 15 seconds after it starts... am i in heaven???

[@monkeymachine33]

Yes, yes you are

[@NewtonHamming]

I love how you bring up every anxiety I have about the recipe and give a solution

[@MiddleEats]

Brother Net Shaq, those look positively Mashallah. On the note of using tortillas, totally acceptable! Or if you get the ultra-thin lebanese pittas those folded in half are great. Next up Hawawshi!

[@osamaaj]

Hawawshi is so damn good!

[@chasecomfort3940]

Love seeing other great channels interacting with the comments section here, your broiler schwarma is the GOAT

[@Pantspooper5000]

Hahah I was watching thinking, this looks like a dish you'd see on MiddleEats. Makes me happy to see one brilliant food content creator commenting on a another!

[@Alice_Walker]

Obi I've been making these (with Beyond mince) since I saw them on your channel and they are 👌🏻 DELICIOUS. I hope lots of people try them 💜

[@IsaacIsaacIsaacson]

I'm so sad my local supermarket chain stopped stocking Lebanese pittas.

[@austinnar4494]

Love all the tweaks you included at the end. Almost all recipes are meant to be guidelines or jumping off points, so I love when foodtubers embrace that and teach people how to adapt recipes for themselves. It makes cooking less intimidating.

[@scal2025]

I appreciate that you try to include vegetarian options in your videos. Even when the video is about a meat dish, I always watch because I know I'll learn something I can apply to my vegetarian cooking.

[@GothicPotato2]

Give it a try with Impossible Meat. We've done side-by-sides and they're insanely good.

[@Alice_Walker]

I learned about these a while ago from Middle Eats and make them using Beyond mince. I add some olive oil to the mix because there isn't enough fat in faux mince to get the pita really crispy but it works out delicious! Ghee would work even better if you eat dairy.

[@TheCyberSpidey]

@@GothicPotato2 that or good old potatoes. My mum's vegetarian, so my adaptation of this recipe for her would consist of semi boiled potatoes kinda mashed, mixed with minced paneer (or any cottage cheese) and breadcrumbs to soak the excess moisture from the cottage cheese. Soy granules also do the same job, and are quite cheap and super popular here already. Same with mycoprotein in UK, meat alternatives have existed for decades but it's great to have so many options these days.

[@StrangeGamer859]

The duxelles version looks just as good as the meat one. I want both!

[@RaphaelClancy]

I agree that supermarket tortillas are terrible. But, not because they're thick. Mostly it's because they taste like cellulose gum and sadness. I'm from Northern New Mexico where our tortillas are thick and fluffy (like angels wings to quote abuelita). But, at least when I was a kid, people didn't really eat things like burritos. Tortillas were used for scooping up stews like chile verde and carne adovada. If you wanted bread wrapped around a filling, you were much more likely to get a stuffed sopapilla. Nowadays, I eat more burritos and I'm coming around to those paper thin Sonoran style tortillas but don't write off good thick tortillas there's a reason everyone loves las gorditas.

[@FGCfoof]

Legitimately never thought I'd actually get to leave a comment like this, but thank you for giving arayes the exposure they deserve! We used to call them meat pies in my house, my mom would make them alongside fatayer which we naturally called spinach pies. Random notes/hacks for the lazy among us: 1) I generally prefer my arayes a bit less greasy (the way you make them), but my mom used to lay the olive oil on THICK. She'd lay them flat in a round tray and make sure they were practically sitting in a layer of oil so they wouldn't stick, and then brushed them with oil as well before baking them. The resulting arayes would be extremely crispy, having had the oil and beef fat soaked all the way through and essentially frying the bread. 2) For the spinach pies, while you could make the dough from scratch, at some point my mom switched to store-bought pizza dough and we could never tell the difference. YMMV obviously, but if that's an option that might convince you to try making them, I'm begging you to do so. 3) Can confirm that flour tortillas from the grocery store served us well whenever we didn't want to commit to a whole massive thing shrak bread. With this in mind, labeneh + halal spam + shrak is the perfect snack wrap. Adjust as necessary.

[@TheLazyass111]

Videos like this are why I tell everyone learning to cook about this channel. Ive been cooking for years, but i love learning new stuff from creators like you

[@MueezAhmad]

I love that you never try to fluff the length of your videos, always informative and straight to the point

[@SomeKidFromBritain]

Actually, I sleep on a bed.

[@frogchamp6969]

I liked then i saw you were british :(

[@beaconfilms]

@@frogchamp6969 its actually not cool to say stuff like that dude... ya gotta be nice or say some thing of substance. I've decided to give you a thumbs down so you understand how serious this is.

[@KumarWatsonAgarwal]

Hey me too!

[@Siennarchist]

​@@beaconfilms"so you understand how serious this is" My brother in christ, your high horse is in the clouds

[@bug_god]

@@beaconfilmsi would usually agree with you but that kid is literally from britain 🤢

[@GothicPotato2]

To add a comment on the veggie version, I absolutely recommend going with Impossible Meat for these. They're insanely good, honestly taste just like the meat ones, and it's nice to offer the same options to company of mixed diets (ie. meat eaters and non-meat eaters). Just make sure you make some extras, since these are the absolute perfect thing to throw in the fridge and reheat later for a quick lunch or dinner. Arayes are seriously some of the most amazing and simplest things you can make, and since they're not super common to most US folks you also get bonus cool points with friends and (most importantly) yourself.

[@TheJesusToaster]

I literally just started your chicken tinga from your previous video. My house smells amazing and I'm waiting for those last few hours. Now finishing this video and I already want to go back to the store and get the meat to start this tomorrow. Keep the hits coming, Victor!

[@JoseSanchez-ww7ny]

Ghiool

[@Micg51]

I’ve made it 3 times since that video dropped. Even used up some pork shoulder I had been wondering what to do with, still great!

[@AnnaReed42]

I bought the ingredients but haven't made it yet. Maybe I should get on that 😅

[@cano147]

His name is Shaquille.

[@scripter13]

Love this ad format - No annoying plug at the beginning that's too short for me to even skip, and the ad is CLEARLY delineated as such. None of this "integration" BS.

[@blasoonstorm]

I think this is the first one you've done that I've made before. Arayes are so good. And shout out MiddleEats for showing me the first way to do it.

[@YoSpongebob]

6:26 the way he said the ad really made me respect him.

[@ashleys637]

New to the channel and just subscribed. As others have said, I LOVE the format of this video! A solid recipe w/ multiple substitutions matter-of-factly laid out in less than 10 min. This Lebanese chica approves!

[@internetshaquille]

Phew- thanks for the approval and welcome to the channel :)

[@zackdaugherty5350]

Man, I'm so happy with where youve come as a creator. You've always been a couple cuts above the rest, but I am so glad that you were able to be happy enough with youtube. You're great for the platform.

[@yahavshalem5692]

adding a jalapeno to the onions and cilantro makes a big difference, highly recommended

[@scottycheesecake]

Since I'm on the other side of the world I can't easily get the Mexican stuff, but baharat is just a few minutes walking. What a nice and unexpected video.

[@zeldaandTwink]

the fact that you adress all the complaints and questions i would have aswell as adress dietary concerns makes this one of the best cooking videos ive ever seen :)

[@AudreysKitchen]

Right? It's so multifaceted.

[@user-ny7el1sp6h]

Nowadays people need to think for others

[@osamsal]

Your tackling of substitutions and squashing doubters is just phenomenal.. Kudos!

[@seankavanagh8098]

This man is out here making the most concise yet informative cooking videos on this site.

[@daasdasdasdasd-j5w]

You are so so so thougthful in these videos. As a vegan, I was just going to replace the meat with an alternative from the start, but for you to take that time to express to us that we can still eat it was awesome

[@chillasey]

You’re my hero Shaq, I was just thinking how crazy it is to be connected with other cultures so easily even though I’ve never heard of these. can’t wait to make these this weekend love you

[@TheMrBrendo]

Your content is absolutely premium, love the straight forward and relatable approach!

[@thedude7319]

Ad at the end, a short and clear instructions with decent alternatives for possibilities ? great vid

[@beingpali]

I am beyond impressed. Recipe is authentic. Substitutions are all great. Thought through all the barriers. Love the video. Everything is 100%

[@ObsidianMirage]

One thing I've always appreciated about this channel is the down to earth "you could get away with... Chuck it in the microwave for 10 seconds... Sub out this" attitude. It's really helped me form a practical mind around cooking over the years.

[@amyreynolds27]

This reminds me a lot of lahmacun (what some people call Turkish pizza) - really similar ingredients and prep, but the execution is just a little different. Definitely worth trying if you like this recipe!

[@ozza4496]

If Lahmacun is pizza, this is sorta Calzone.

[@hearttriangle6852]

I can't express enough how much I enjoy AND learn from your videos

[@fultonaaron]

Add egg as a protien based binder and reduce beef use. It also entrains fat and juices in synergy with breadcrumbs

[@lipov7083]

Thank you for including the tortilla substitute. I've never seen a pita in a store in my life.

[@Mr_CthuIhu]

As a life long eater of kofte, I have in fact been sleeping on Arayes. Thank you for sharing this! I'm going to try one using your recipe!

[@redhousepress]

Fabulous. I made these last night with ground lamb. tossed in some fresh mint as well. Keeper! Thank you.

[@flamoctapus4445]

Just made this, literally the best thing I have ever cooked. Absolutely mind blowing

[@stirfryjedi]

A certified classic. And we are watching this on the leftovers of chicken tinga 💯

[@Firetailisafk]

Bro I tried that chicken tinga recipe 🤐 ummm... maybe it's not for me...

[@stirfryjedi]

@@Firetailisafk Hey man! How many of the peppers did you use? We went on the lower side and it was mid-high on the American heat palate. We also chose to put guac on top, and cogita cheese. Anyway...at least you gave it a shot!!

[@Firetailisafk]

@@stirfryjedi ya know i always wonder if I fucked dup the recipe or if it's not for me

[@jomezus]

How the hell did you comment this 3 days ago?

[@user-zf4wm7cd3t]

Always been a fan of your content my dude. Now that I’m going back through the old catalogue I think this vid is best enjoyed at 0.90 speed

[@hayden32040]

3:26 You know this is the MAIN channel right?!

[@Icynova]

Is there a secondary channel!? 👀

[@Jmcinally94]

​@@IcynovaThey're joking about posting "sexual" content on the main account. Real talk though, there is a second channel, Extranet Shaquille.

[@Werepizzaa]

Bro i was thinking about this channel the other day (was remembering how to wash dishes efficiently) and then this popped up on my dashboard. Glad to see u still at it

[@anisoootropic]

Thank you for acknowledging that using a bunch of spices is extra work and money spent if you can't source it. I hate all the people on KZbin with "cheap" recipes that use 0.2 $ worth of cardamon pods, like you'll find those anywhere in bulk and buy a pod to use. It is not a cheap recipe if it calls for a 15+ rare spice pantry! This is one of the things that i love about your videos, you just keep stuff down to earth, keep up the good work, an thank you :) !

[@MattCroushorn]

Ayo??? Shaq wilin @ 3:27 lmao

[@scottycheesecake]

Give your meat a good old rub

[@alt_warn4211]

I do this in an air fryer with lean ground beef and a spray of pam, turns out great and it's pretty healthy. I add cilantro as well.

[@kiwithegreat7721]

Just made this and it tasted incredible thanks a lot 😊 I cooked it over a cast iron skillet and it turned out nice

[@lillypads1111]

These were AMAZING!!! Had everything to make my own spice blend & everything. Making them again tonight. Even my husband loved it & he can be picky.

[@Bluemeanie98]

Just made this, it slaps. Cooked on a cast iron griddle and weighed it down on top so it would make contact. Made a little taziki sauce and some isreali salad for the side and it's great. Also used the kefta seasoning on some grilled chicken for the non red meat eaters and it's great on chicken too.

[@HappyNBoy]

This is a great explainer video, and I appreciate that it isn't meant to be a full meal guide, but just having it paired with like... One veggie dish on the side... It would go a long way to making this look like an appealing main course. Just roast some broccoli, or make a quick tomato, cucumber and onion salad for the side.

[@diodora2381]

Yeah, my uncle made this for us at a barbeque recently. They taste amazing. You don't need a sauce. But come on, just get the pita bread, it'll be so much better, I implore you. Also now it's my turn to make this now that I know a good recipe.

[@munkaccino]

4:42 why is bro serving arayes with spice melange??

[@GMoth]

I made these using tortillas instead of pitas, still came out really well!

[@PrometheusEpimetheus]

Tip: At 0:30 grab some cheesecloth or a clean rag and put the mixture in then grab the ends and make twists until it squeezes the mixture. Its faster, you can process more if you got strong hands and it removes more liquid. Also use this if you're making crispy fried onions!

[@Yerfdog1]

I had to do a double take lol. I'm middle eastern and seeing you make a video about this amazing dish made me happy!

[@TheSporeCell]

As someone who lives in a country where we get between 0 and -10 types of foreign spice mixes, i deeply appreciate the thought of including how to makes the mixes on your own

[@marynorbury-glaser182]

I make these on rotation so have all the spices and lamb is definitely the way to go! Tzatziki on the side. Thanks for giving this dish the love it deserves! ❤

[@osamaaj]

mshallah brother Shaq. Btw, Arayes means brides in Arabic. The singular form is Aroosa

[@karim6651]

my mom made these on a panini press type thing, and we just called them pressed sandwiches. so great

[@AaronWright-o1e]

Tried it at home, great recipe, made my own yogurt sauce with dill and lemon juice to accompany it. Ended up smelling like onions and comino for the next week but its so worth.

[@OutlawMaxV]

This is probably the most well explained recipe i've ever seen, amazing

[@Fred-rv2tu]

I’ve been wanting to learn Mediterranean cuisine and this pops up. Looks like a good place to start. Thank you.

[@naserel-zebdeh7359]

Always a hit. My mum coats the outside of the pita with ghee. Don't think about the calories!

[@TheSolake]

Espectacular. You really nail it with this format.

[@ChipsChallenge95]

1:22 you are now my favorite cooking channel

[@Coid]

The section on variants and stretching was especially nifty. Cheers!

[@ConverseCryptid]

ground meat can also be cut with ground mushrooms and it keeps it juicy and meaty and flavorful!!

[@feebleweevil]

I did it, I finally made the arayes! Except with kangaroo mince for reasons. The arooyes were delicious.

[@yazkaz]

Yesssss, one of the things I missed most when going vegetarian. Now I make them with beyond beef. Will be levelling them up now.

[@duck8672]

Been waiting for this since the Instagram story. May need to join the patreon....

[@jakobperkin7417]

I've never been so hyped to try a recipe for something I didn't know existed like 5 min ago lol. thanks dude

[@NinjaAgnostic]

Got a piece of high praise for you. I've tried more of your videos than any other foodtuber. I don't watch a lot, but still that's gotta say something.

[@OkellaWood]

If you are even ever close to my vicinity, I am buying everyone a beer! Loving this guy!

[@ArtfulDodger-d2p]

One of the better how-to videos. Thanks for sharing ✌️

[@mrjwhit5641]

I just made some, and you're absolutely right, this is delicious and way easier than I imagined.

[@doc8125]

I wonder if adding some % of cooked mushrooms to the beef mix could work well to stretch it out instead of bread, would nbe nice to add a bit more veggies that way too

[@tweasterling]

Amazing video, the first I’ve watched of yours and the best I’ve seen on arayes

[@seaofscissors]

never have any of the reservations shaq always makes sure to account for but it still makes me feel special for some reason, definitely in the conversation for the best to ever do it

[@CuppycakeWillow]

Made these with my partner tonight, subbed the parsley for coriander (cilantro) and they're so good!

[@doctoryoinky]

No other channel has influenced me on trying new dishes and cooking methods as much as this one

[@hemmoau]

First video after I subbed and im literally sitting here with nothing but beef mince and wraps in the house, perfect timing

[@Glue_Stick98]

I liked your choice of Busch Gardens/jungle music for the VPN ad and spice blending sections. It's a copyright-free bop

[@Tesdinic]

another fantastic video I can't wait to try! And thank you so much for adding the vegetarian option so I can make them for my pescatarian husband!

[@BenjaminBerryHoops]

I was already loving this video so much and planning on figuring out to make it plant-based, then you went above and beyond and did that too! Can't wait to try this 😎

[@gracebowyer95]

Thanks for the video! I made these and the parsley and onion mix was totally homogenous, i couldn't wring out any water. i figured this would be trouble and added maybe 1/2 c bread crumbs to try and soak up whatever extra moisture was present but predictably had not great results. hard to get the inside to temp before the outside burned, and it got soggy on the plate quickly. I might try again with half the parsley and onion. the flavor was great, though! made a tahini lemon yogurt sauce to go with it.

[@Firetailisafk]

that random ass "mashallah😁😁✨✨" 😭 great pronounciation

[@Airking090]

0:30 if you have a lintless kitchen towel or cheese cloth you can also use it to expedite this process :)

[@zackdaugherty5350]

Second comment - This is the first youtube video where i've seen someone mention that the beyond meat is usually salted beforehand. Can't believe you're the first to say so. Thanks for the content.

[@kighsir4172]

Very well done! Such a fun and informative watch. Ty

[@HenryIVth]

Can we start calling any video that's concise, quick and helpful an Internet Shaquille video?

[@colinversteeg3946]

This is my favorite recipe I've ever seen on the internet. If for some reason someone sees this, the trader joes Lavash works great for this with 2-3 minutes per side in the broiler on high.

[@andrij1848]

Man, i think your videos are just the best

[@heroino89]

This looks amazing and amazingly easy to do! Thank you for the inspiration.

[@HartleysFilms]

Regarding those spices: you'll definitely enjoy using those spices in plenty of other cooking. Also, consider adding sumac. That's my go-to spice to sprinkle on kebab.

[@strika52]

I really appreciate how you look out for non-meat eaters. Thank you for that.

[@SariAlShammari]

You're probably the only one so far who made it right, but we go even thinner in the stuffing, and extra points if you top with toum or pomegranate molasses 👌