Milk pudding ( Layalee Lubnan )
This is the title of a famous song (with Chris de Burgh and ElissaLebanese night ) but it is also the name of a famous dessert in Beirut. My cousin had been urging me to try it… “you have got to go with me to El-Ajami and order their...
Read More »
Tahini and Carob molasses
Move over peanut butter and jelly, move over dulce de leche, I got me my dibs wa tahini! I am going to sit down somewhere and savor that creamy, dark, sweet,nutty, earthy, intensely satisfying combination of tahini and carob molasses. It is going to take me all of five...
Read More »
Falafel sandwiches
There is a good measure of excitement when one decides: ” That’s it! today, let’s make homemade falafel” You will actually need plenty of enthusiasm for this project, because it is, shall we say it? time-consuming! So, set aside a couple of daysand you will make falafel that you can...
Read More »
Cardamom and almond cookies
Our August Challenge is here – Representing the Iraqi Cuisine Iraq for me is a word that elicits simultaneously happiness and sadness. I was extremely lucky to visit Iraq in the early seventies with my family. My dad’s close friend lived in Baghdad. He had a beautiful rose garden....
Read More »
Garlic from China
Cooking mainly Lebanese food, as I do, I end up buying garlic on a weekly basis. I noticed that in the last few months (or was it years?) I was not having good luck with garlic. It is more often than not old. So, I dump it and hope for...
Read More »
Beef shawarma sandwich
There are times when a serious longing for a shawarma sandwich has to be satisfied. My daughter texted me from school to let me know all her friends had been talking about shawarma, and could we please go get some!? Shawarma comes from the root verb shawee which means...
Read More »
Rice pudding
I don’t know why I don’t make this more often. Everybody loves it and it is also good for you. I saw a handful of rice leftover and I thought “that’s it”, I will make roz bel haleeb! Picked up Anissa’s book Lebanese Cuisine and voilà! Recipe from Lebanese...
Read More »
Apricot tart
This tart was probably born out of the realization that there should be other uses for the homemade apricot jam besides making the children “aroosseh” (pita roll-up) for an after-school snack. I have made the pastry hundreds of times, it is foolproof. I used the jam I made but...
Read More »
Eggplant dip
Eggplant is one of those vegetables that you start out hating as a kid and as an adult you can’t get enough of. Lebanese cuisine has many outstanding eggplant dishes. This one is by far the easiest to produce and the most popular. It is served at every mezze....
Read More »
