Middle Eastern Beef Cigars with Tahini Yoghurt consist of baharat- spiced beef wrapped in crunchy filo pastry.
Luxuriously dipped into a tahini yoghurt topped with homemade chilli sauce which becomes very addictive with each mouthful.
This is perfect party food or served on a table with other plates for sharing with friends and family. This dish could also be served as a romantic dinner for two with a crisp cold beer or a bottle of wine.
The harmonious blend of flavours and textures definitely qualifies these Beef Cigars with Tahini Yoghurt as ‘sexy food’.
What is Baharat?
Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend containing black pepper, cardamom, cloves, cumin, nutmeg, coriander and paprika and adds a deliciously fragrant flavour to beef. You can buy the spice blend or make it yourself at home with this recipe here.
Tahini Yoghurt Dip with Homemade Chilli Sauce
This dip is so creamy and moorish it will soon become a favourite for dipping not only these beef cigars into but bread, chips, vegetable sticks, sandwiches and anything else you can think of. It’s super simple and fast to make.
The addition of pistachios gives a satisfying ‘crunch’ against the smooth cooking yoghurt and spicy tomato-based chilli sauce.
How to roll the beef cigars
A very easy technique. Simply flatten out your filo pastry, and cover with a tea towel to prevent it from drying out. Now removing one sheet at a time, fold it in half vertically and brush with oil. At the bottom of the pastry, layer some beef mince into a line as per the shape of a cigar. Leave 1.5cm of space on each side.
Now roll it up like a cigar, folding the sides in halfway through to prevent the filling from falling out and to seal the ends. Brush the end with a little extra oil if they need sealing and place onto a roasting tray ready for the oven.
Beef Cigars with Tahini Yoghurt
Ingredients
Yoghurt Tahini Dressing
- 250 ml Greek yoghurt
- 2 tablespoons 30ml tahini
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pinch of sea salt
Chilli Sauce
- 1 large ripe tomato grated
- 1 tablespoon dried chilli flakes
- 60 ml vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 large garlic cloves thinly sliced (approx. 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients for the yoghurt tahini dressing until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Chilli Sauce: Fry the garlic slices in oil over medium heat until lightly browned (be careful not to burn). Then add chilli flakes, smoked paprika and grated tomatoes. Cook for about 5 minutes until the liquid thickens and turns a dark red colour. Remove from the heat and season with salt.
- Beef Cigars: Fry the onion until soft, add garlic and baharat and cook for another minute.
- Add minced beef and fry until nicely browned.
- Next place tomato paste and beef stock into the pan, bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid is reduced and the mince has a thick, sauce-like consistency (no excess liquid).
- Place a filo sheet on a work surface and cover the remaining sheets with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out. Brush the sheet lightly with oil and then fold it widthwise in half.
- On the edge closest to you, put 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture onto the filo, leaving 1.5cm of space on each side. Roll it up like a cigar, folding the sides in halfway to prevent the filling from falling out and to seal the ends.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven at 200 degrees for 20 minutes until browned and crisp.
- To serve: Spoon yoghurt tahini sauce into a dipping bowl. Top with chilli sauce and garnish with pistachios. Place the cigars on a plate next to the dip ready to eat.
