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Mung beans and potatoes (Mash wbatata)
On a job assignment recently, I met a group of people who all worked for the same company (a mega chain of restaurants and hotels in the Middle-East); they were all native Lebanese, but each one came...
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Roast with mashed potatoes (Shahbayieh)
I sat down with my 89-year old aunt, Wadad, to get some information on how things were done in Beirut (food-wise and marketing). Aunt Wadad is a diminutive woman (80 pounds, 4 feet 5″) but she...
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Maamoul
Ma’amoul are the holiday cookie par excellence in this part of the world; every family has the designated maamoul maker and in mine we luckily had a grandmother who would make them and decorate them...
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Herbs stew (Khoresh-e qormeh sabzi)
I was in Erbil, Kurdistan (Iraq) for a few days recently; I visited the Bazaar in front of the old Citadel, of course, and neighborhood markets; I noticed that the vast majority of dry goods were...
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Shawarma on hummus
One of the biggest advantages of living in Beirut is this: I can order this at my favorite deli. It comes with all the trimmings. The flavor is superb and I did not spend a second in the kitchen. If...
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Zaatar and cheese plate
I posted an image of my foray into zaatar hunting and both Arlette and Dana mentioned the zaatar and feta cheese combo. Feta (aka Bulgarian cheese here) is crumbled, doused in olive oil and sprinkled...
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Eggplant and ground meat sauce (Batersh)
I first got wind of this dish on Kano’s blog and was immediately interested; the idea to top eggplant dip with a thick ground meat and tomato sauce sounded delicious; it is apparently a specialty of...
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Kafta patties topped with potatoes and tomatoes (Kafta bel-saniyeh)
Can’t get any more down home than this! I have seen this pan not only at home growing up but on the table of all my schoolmates. It is cafeteria food, Lebanese-style. Kafta patties (a meat mix with...
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Milk pudding (Muhallabiyeh)
This pudding used to belong to the category: What your mother or grandmother will make at home. Now it is available in Beirut everywhere, in delis, at juice bars, coffee joints, even in supermarkets...
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Green beans in tarator (Loobieh bel-taheeneh)
Summer is around the corner and with it all the veggies that one’s heart may desire; let’s start with the green beans, shall we? These are simply boiled or steamed a bit and dressed with a tarator...
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Walnut and red pepper paste (Muhammara)
My favorite condiment. Muhammara (which means “made-red” in reference to the red chili peppers in it), is versatile and quick and easy to prepare. The key is to use good walnuts and red pepper paste....
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Roasted wheat berries
Ms. M. Khairallah is a lady in her eighties living alone in her family’s ancestral home in the village of Ghineh in the Lebanese mountains. Her memories of the olden days is crisp and clear; she...
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Zaatar salad (salatet zaatar akhdar)
Zaatar comes in many varieties in Lebanon; heard from a couple of sources that the total count was in excess of 133! The one above is called green (akhdar), and gets foraged and used in salads. The...
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Bulgur-stuffed veggies
I am unable to post an exact recipe for this dish; I made it on the spur-of-the-moment, using (I think) coarse bulgur and lentils. Use the directions for stuffing zucchini except substitute bulgur...
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Lebanese-style dolmas (Mehshee warak enab wkoosa)
This is the epitome of a Lebanese-style dolmas; the grape leaves are picked fresh (and the freh grape leaves are sold at Middle-Eastern stores )or you can use the brined ones. The zucchinis are much...
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Iraqi Kebab (Kebab Muluki)
I’d vote this as my favorite Iraqi kebab version; learned about it in Nawal Nasrallah’s outstanding Delights from the Garden of Eden. Made it once in Beirut, using a shortcut, of course (placed an...
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Making zaatar
Making one’s own zaatar spice mix is the ultimate slow-food activity in Lebanon; I had been toying with the idea for years and wanted some pointers from local Lebanese mountain folks who could steer...
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Rice and tahini pudding (Mufattaka)
Mufattaka is a glorious rice pudding only familiar to folks who have lived in the oldest traditional Beirut neighborhood called Ras Beirut (Ras is the tip of Beirut or West Beirut, the oldest part of...
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Incense-flavored food
Food has been flavored with incense in Lebanon, in communities across the board; usually, pastries, such as maamoul or pudding such as khabeessa ( a walnut studded jelly made with grape molasses or...
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Labneh balls (Labneh makbouseh)
A slow-food activity for a week-end; making these labneh balls can also pay-off later on when a housewarming gift is needed. Just drain the yogurt overnight (or better yet, for a couple of days);...
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