Tag Archives: rice

Chicken biryani

The recipe for this dish was generously given to me by a (lady) chef who works for an NGO here in Beirut; biryanis (various versions of the original Indian biryanis) are popular in Iraq and in the Gulf countries where they are considered an important part of the local cuisine. The richness in spices in [...]
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Green wheat and rice pilaf (Tatbeekah)

One of Lebanon’s prominent chefs, cookbook author and cooking instructor is Marlene Mattar and her latest cookbook features the cuisine of Aleppo in Syria (Maedat Marlene min Halab). This dish caught my eye:  It is a pilaf of white rice with roasted green wheat aka freekeh as well as ground lamb, onion and nuts.  We [...]
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Quince stew (Sfarjalieh ma3 ruz)

  If you love fruity, sweet and sour flavors in your food, then this stew is right up your alley. Inspired by a famous stew from Aleppo, Syria but streamlined to the max. The stew combines the flavors of quince, red beets, pomegranate, with a touch of garlic and mint; these flavors are lilting, sweet [...]
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Chard leaves stuffed with rice and meat

This concludes the swiss chard Lebanese dishes (for now!); stuffed with meat and rice or vegan, and served with its hummus made with chard stalks.  The advantage of chard over grape leaves is twofold: First, when rolled the leaves don’t need to be tucked, which saves a lot of time (you can roll an entire [...]
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Bean mujaddara (Mujaddara Hammaniya)

  A mujaddara is primarily made with lentils and a starch (usually rice) and flavored with caramelized onions. It is a dish that is very ancient (mentioned in the Old Testament). In any case, it is healthy, rustic,  easy to make and easy on the wallet.    In the beautiful village  of Hammana (Mount Lebanon range), [...]
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