One major difference between, say, French or Italian or Greek cuisine  and Middle-Eastern cuisine  lies in the widespread use of yogurt in cooking. In traditional Lebanese cooking, béchamel or white sauce is not used, period. Yogurt from cow milk or goat milk is used in hundreds of dishes. To add some kick, a pesto of cilantro (or mint), garlic and olive oil is fried quickly and swirled into the sauce at the last minute. 

When warming yogurt to make a sauce, use some cornstarch and (or) egg to prevent curdling and thicken the sauce a bit.

This kibbeh in yogurt sauce is as traditional as it gets; the only difference is that some people stuff the kibbeh balls and some do not. My grandmother never filled hers; my friend Lena would not  fill  hers either and told me that her husband’s reaction when he discovered the kibbeh balls were hollow was to say: ” Are you playing a trick on me?”. (He was angry). 

Most Lebanese supermarkets carry bags of frozen kibbeh balls. In a pinch, I would use frozen meatballs and add a small handful of rice (or bulgur) to the sauce. Kibbeh balls freeze very well  if you decide to make them ahead of time.

For a kibbeh labnieh recipe, click here

NOTE: If you make hollow balls, make sure to puncture them from both ends with a toothpick prior to poaching them so that they don’t burst!

Do you know what distinguishes a Lebanese home kitchen?

The whiff of fried garlic and cilantro, that’s what. Chicken wings get the garlic and cilantro treatment with the addition of a squeeze of fresh lemon juice the last couple of minutes of cooking.

INGREDIENTS: 2 to 4 servings

• 1 pound of chicken wings (not deboned)
• 2 lemons or more
• 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper
• 1 bunch of cilantro (fresh coriander)
• 8 cloves of garlic (or less depending on your tolerance)
• Olive oil, as needed, mixed with corn oil (for frying the wings)

METHOD:

1. Clean the wings under running water and by rubbing them with a cut lemon; dry them and sprinkle salt and white pepper on them; heat a generous amount of oil in a large (cast-iron if possible) skillet and brown the wings on all sides for about 40 minutes until browned.
2. Meanwhile, chop the garlic and mash with a dash of salt in a mortar. Mince the cilantro (leaves, not the stems); juice a lemon. Add the garlic to the wings then the cilantro. Add the lemon juice and stir the wings to get them coated with the mixture evenly if possible. This final operation should take place the last 2 minutes (or less) of cooking, so as to keep the garlic and cilantro tasting fresh and  to coat them with the oil.  Serve with additional lemon quarters.

Anybody there who does not like falafel?

Falafels have taken America by storm, falafels are even now offered on the menu at some Subway restaurants!

This chickpea loaf is a falafel minus the  deep-frying.

It is fluffy and moist. It is eaten with a fork, with some tarator sauce drizzled on top.

INGREDIENTS: 8 servings, recipe adapted from qooq.com.

• 350 g. chickpeas (dry) or 2 cans of cooked chickpeas
• 1 bunch of Italian parsley, leaves minced
• 1 bunch of cilantro, leaves minced
• 1 Large white onion, chopped and fried till translucent in a skillet with a bit of oil (can skip this step)
• 6 garlic cloves, mashed in a mortar with a dash of salt till pasty (use less if you are not into garlic)
• 3 Large eggs
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

• 1 1/2  teaspoon of cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of  Aleppo pepper or paprika or smoked chipotle powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt

Tarator sauce:

• 1/2 cup of  tahini (light-colored)
• 1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice (or more, to taste)
• 1/4 cup of water (or more, to get it smooth)
• 2 cloves of garlic, mashed in a mortar in a dash of salt (add more garlic, to taste)

METHOD:

1. If using dry chickpeas, soak them overnight in plenty of water and a dash of baking soda; rinse the next day and drain thoroughly; if using canned ones, rinse and drain over a sieve.
2. Transfer the drained chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor; add the eggs, baking powder,  chopped onions, salt, spices, and process till mixture is pasty; add the parsley, cilantro, mashed garlic and olive oil and process till mixture is smooth and all the ingredients are well combined; transfer to a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake in a 375F oven for  45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the loaf comes out dry. Serve at room temperature with tarator sauce.

Tarator sauce:

In a bowl, pour the tahini and stirring constantly pour the lemon juice then the water and add the mashed garlic if using; if not using garlic, taste and add salt if desired; one can also add some minced herbs to the tarator. If the sauce seems to curdle keep stirring, it will smooth out or add more water or lemon juice and stir some more. The sauce needs to be smooth and not too thick, rather loose.

NOTE: I made this using two cans of chickpeas, standard-size, about 15 ounces each (440 g.)

The challenge with these fritters is to infuse them with flavor as they tend to be bland on their own; so go ahead and add all the spices that your little heart desires and you will be rewarded with a delicious appetizer. Squeeze some citrus juice on the fritters before inhaling them, it will enhance their flavor and help with the absorption of the iron in the lentils.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup of red lentils, cooked in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes till soft.
• 1/2 cup of bulgur (#1), soaked in water 10 minutes, then drained and squeezed of the extra water.
• 3/4 cup of rice, cooked.
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon of sumac (optional)
• 2 tablespoon of harissa (can substitute red pepper paste of your choice or chili paste)
• 4 cloves of garlic, mashed with salt in a mortar till pasty
• 2 scallions, minced (can substitute shallot) (optional)
• Rind of an orange or a lemon or a lime
• 1/2 cup of minced cilantro
• 1 cup of minced Italian parsley
• 2 Tablespoons of powdered dried mint
• 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt (to taste)
• 1 cup of  sesame seeds (can substitute pistachios, pecans or walnuts, chopped fine)
• 1 or 2 lemons, quartered
• oil for frying, as needed

These are served with a quick salad of diced tomatoes, diced feta and minced parsley dressed in lemon juice and olive oil, with a touch of sumac if desired.

NOTE: I made the effort to buy a feta with a Greek origin and was rewarded with a creamy smooth-tasting cheese, far superior to the other varieties I used to buy. I soaked the feta in water to make it a bit less salty.

For extra flavor, fry the minced herbs and garlic in a little olive oil for no more than 10 seconds, then add to the lentil mixture.

METHOD:

1. Place the cooked (and drained) lentils in a large bowl. Add the drained bulgur, rice, egg, flour, minced scallions, harissa and other spices, rind of a citrus and toss well to combine. Heat a little olive oil in a small skillet, throw the minced herbs and mashed garlic and stir to combine the mixture for no more than 10 seconds. Remove and add to the lentil mixture and toss.
2. Shape the fritters with  an ice-cream scoop and dip in the sesame seeds or other nuts.
3. Heat some oil in a pan (about one inch) and when hot (at 350F to 375F), drop the fritters and cook about 3 minutes on one side and one minute on the other. Place on a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Serve with the salad and some quartered lemon or limes.

This dish is based  on a popular mezze item on the Lebanese table called batata harra or spiced potatoes. In this plate, cubed potatoes are fried and coated in a cilantro, garlic and chile pesto and served lukewarm with quartered lemons.

I figured I would do the same here, except I cooked the taro thoroughly first, then pan-fried it.

Here are some nutritional information on taro:

• Taro has three times the dietary fiber of potato.
• Taro root has a low Glycemic Index.
• It is an  excellent source of potassium.
• It contains  calcium, vitamin C, vitamin E and B vitamins, as well as magnesium, manganese and copper.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of taro
• 1/2 cup of a blend of olive oil and vegetable oil
• 1 Lemon
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes (optional)

METHOD:

1. Wear kitchen gloves and peel the taro; cut into thick slices shaped like French fries and soak in a bowl of lemony water (squeeze half a lemon into the water).
2. Prepare the cilantro pesto; wash the cilantro and dry; mince the leaves as fine as possible. Peel and chop the garlic and pound in a mortar with a teaspoon of salt until a paste forms. Set aside.
3. Bring a pot a salted water to a boil. Drop the taro and simmer for fifteen minutes until soft and thoroughly cooked. Drain.
4. Heat a large skillet, add the oil blend and when hot, drop the taro “fries” and fry in the oil on all sides until crispy; add the mashed garlic and cilantro and chili pepper flakes (if using) and stir the mixture for 30 seconds until fragrant. Transfer to a serving dish and eat warm with extra lemon quarters if desired.

My first years living in the US as a Lebanese immigrant would get people curious about my origin and the country I was from; I would explain that I was from Asia. This would immediately elicit a puzzled look: “Asia?

“Yes”, I would continue, “Lebanon is in Asia”. Finally I stopped saying I was from Asia. ( Lebanon is part of the Asian continent, this vast land of diverse peoples and cultures).

This dish  is  my attempt to explore the cuisine of the Far East and to study the commonalities between our two cuisines. I did not make strictly Vietnamese spring rolls. These have a stuffing with a definite Levantine flair; but according to those who have been willing guinea pigs, it works!

These spring rolls are not only edible, they are  delicious especially if you like the taste of muhammara (red pepper sauce).

INGREDIENTS:

• 16  spring rolls (8 inches across)
• 1 cup of rice (medium-grain, sushi, Egyptian, Turkish, Italian or US made arborio or similar rice)
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 cup of prepared muhammara (click for recipe)
• 1 cup of diced green pepper
• 1 cup of chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 small lettuce
• 2 limes or lemons
• 1 pound of cocktail shrimps, peeled, deveined and boiled
• 1 cup of diced tomatoes

METHOD:

1. Boil the rice or cook in a rice cooker; mix with half the muhammara sauce, making sure all grains are coated well, adding extra if not. Add to the rice the diced green peppers, chopped onions, diced tomatoes and half of the cilantro. Set aside.
2. Heat some water and pour into a large pan; place one rice paper roll in the water to soften; after a few seconds, retrieve (when totally soft and pliable) and place on a work surface. Place three shrimp in the lower edge of the roll; place twi tablespoons of rice mixture on top of the shrimps, sprinkle some cilantro and a shredded lettuce leaf on top. Close the spring roll by folding it from both sides and rolling it like a package.
3. Serve with some additional muhammara sauce to which you can add a few tablespoons of lemon or lime juice and a swig of soy sauce. Enjoy a light meal.

My mom’s  favorite dish is a traditional Lebanese stew of fava beans in yogurt sauce flavored with cilantro or mint pesto and served with rice. Instead of making this, I thought of translating these flavors into an open-faced sandwich, like a bruschetta.

The stalls are filled with fresh fava beans at the  neighborhood Middle-Eastern store. Feel free to use frozen ones to save time shelling them.

Cover the toasted bread with a garlicky labneh (yogurt cheese),  mash a few fava beans (keeping some whole for good looks), season them with some cilantro pesto. Devour.

INGREDIENTS: 4 servings

• 4 slices of your favorite bread
• 1 1/2 cup of yogurt (or a jar of ready-made labneh)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 1/2 cup of fava beans
• 1/4 cup of cilantro pesto (or 1 bunch of cilantro and 6 cloves of garlic)
• Olive oil, as needed

METHOD:

1. If using fresh fava beans, shell them and drop them in salted boiling water for 3 minutes; drain and when cool, peel them. Set aside. Mince cilantro leaves fine and mash some garlic cloves with a dash of salt in a mortar till pasty (you need one teaspoon of mashed garlic for this recipe); heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet and gently fry the garlic and cilantro for 10 seconds while stirring with a wooden spoon. Transfer the cilantro pesto to the bowl of fava beans and mix to combine well.
2. Line a sieve over a bowl with a coffee filter or a paper towel and drop the yogurt onto the towel; let the yogurt drain for a least a couple of hours; transfer the drained yogurt or labneh to a bowl and add half a teaspoon of mashed garlic with salt to the labneh, mixing well. Taste to adjust seasoning.
3. Toast the bread in a 300F oven till golden; slather a generous amount of labneh on the bread and top with a generous amount of fava beans. Serve immediately.

This potato kafta is a delicious twist on the usual kafta: The potatoes are boiled then mixed with the meat and flavored with a garlicky cilantro pesto.

The kaftas are shaped like burgers and can be pan-fried, grilled or baked with a slice of onion and tomato on top.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound of lean (95%) ground beef (sirloin is what I used)
• 1/4 cup of cilantro pesto
• 1 pound of baking potatoes
• Olive oil, as needed
• 2 Large onions
• 2 Large tomatoes
• Spices for kafta: One teaspoon of allspice, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, black pepper, sumac (or use 1/2 Tablespoon of kafta spice mix)

METHOD:

1. Boil the potatoes until done; meanwhile, peel 6 garlic cloves, chop in little pieces and mash in a mortar with a dash of salt. When the garlic is pasty, stop. Wash and dry half a bunch of cilantro leaves (about 1/2 cup packed) and mince as fine as possible. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet and place the garlic and cilantro on the oil, stirring with a wooden spoon to get the mixture to combine; after 30 seconds remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2. Place the boiled potatoes (peeled) in a large bowl; add the meat, spices and cilantro pesto. Mix to combine well (it is helpful to wear disposable gloves here). Shape the potato kafta into burgers and either pan-fry or grill. If pan-frying, heat a little oil and sprinkle flour on the kafta patties. Another option is to grease a pan, line up the patties and top with a slice of onion and a slice of tomato; salt a bit and bake in a preheated oven at 350F until the patties are done and the meat is cooked. Serve warm.

Source for the recipe: Chef Ramzi’s The Culinary Heritage of Lebanon.

This dish (concocted at the spur of the moment) reminded me of a conversation I had with a foodie friend in Beirut; we were discussing artichokes and that exquisite Lebanese dish of stuffed artichoke bottoms with minced lamb and yogurt; I mentioned I used frozen bottoms imported from Egypt. His reaction was: “What? You are supposed to get fresh artichokes and  (slave over) peel them and clean them up and then get their bottoms” is what he said.

Yeah, right! I will do that when I have a kitchen helper 24/7. (Kitchen help is widely available in Lebanon)

You can save yourselves a lot of time and grief and buy them frozen at the Middle-Eastern store; they are produced in Egypt and are just fine!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bag of artichoke bottoms (about 10 bottoms)
• 2 cups of low-fat yogurt
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• A handful of fresh or frozen fava beans (optional)
• 1/4 pound of large shrimps
• Olive oil, as needed
• 4 ounces of cappellini pasta (or angel hair)
• Spices: Salt, to taste, sumac (1 teaspoon), paprika (1 teaspoon), coriander (1/2 teaspoon)

METHOD:

1. Prep the shrimps (peeling and deveining) and sprinkle with the spices; add a little olive oil and let the shrimp marinate, covered, in the fridge.
2. Boil 8 cups of water in a pot and drop the fava beans (either shelled or in their husks) and boil for 5 minutes until soft. Drain and shell them, removing the outer skin which is thick and hard to digest (for a lot of people). Set aside.
3. Mash the garlic with a dash of salt, chop the cilantro; heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet and add the garlic and cilantro, stirring constantly, for no more than 30 seconds. Set aside.
4. Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the artichoke bottoms for 7 minutes or so; drain and set aside. Heat a skillet and fry the shrimps on both sides for 3 minutes or until they turn bright pink. Set aside.
5. Prepare the yogurt sauce: Place the yogurt in a bowl, add the cilantro and garlic pesto, the fava beans and combine well. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the cappellini 2 minutes. Drain and place in the bowl over the yogurt; combine pasta and yogurt sauce.
6. To assemble: Place the artichoke bottoms on a platter; add a few strands of pasta on each bottom and a couple of shrimps. Place the leftover pasta in the middle, garnish with a few cilantro leaves and serve.

Ever had samkeh harra? Samkeh harra is a glorious dish that is served at buffets at big parties like weddings for example; it is a large fish (loukoz, a type of sea bass), baked whole (head and tail included) and served encased in a tahini and herb sauce with a touch of red chili pepper and a sprinkle of walnuts.

Well, I took the spices and flavors of this dish and converted it into a street food shawarma-style sandwich; easier to manage than a 5-pounder, you simply grill or pan-fry fish fillets, make a quick tarator and serve in a pita bread with fresh tomatoes and avocados.

INGREDIENTS: 4 servings

• 4 fish fillets of your choice
• 1/2  cup of tahini (4 ounces, 125 ml)
• 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice (4 ounces, 125 ml)
• 3 (or more, to taste) cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup of walnuts, crushed
• 1 bunch of cilantro or dill or flat-parsley
• 4 medium tomatoes
• 1 large avocado
• olive oil, as needed
• Spices: 2 teaspoons of sumac, 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon of ground coriander, pinch of cinnamon and salt, as needed

METHOD:

1. Mix all the spices and sprinkle on the fish fillets, both front and back. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil and set the fillets aside. Crush the garlic with a dash of salt in a mortar until pasty. Transfer to a bowl, add the tahini and stir to combine. Add the lemon juice and stir, add up to 3/4 cup of water and stir constantly until the tarator is smooth. Keep in mind you want it fairly thick and not too watery, so always add the water gradually, checking the texture and taste and adjust if needed.
2. Grill the fish or pan-fry in some olive oil until the fish is done. While the fish is cooking, slice the tomatoes, avocados and onions if using. Open each pita, slather with tarator, sprinkle some crushed walnuts, extra herbs, place the fish in the bread, add the tomato slices and avocado slices and serve.

NOTE: The tarator is a sauce that you can adjust according to your taste; more garlic or lemon juice? sure! Anything goes! (tarator=tahini sauce)