The Chicken Shawarma recipe

Ingredients

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juice of
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (a 'scant' 1/2 cup)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
4 pita bread, oval
4 tablespoons garlic sauce
2 small tomatoes, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 gherkins, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, finely chopped


Directions

1.In a mixing bowl, combine chicken breasts with 1/2 cup of onion, lemon juice, olive oil & spices, then add the thyme before adding the salt to taste.

2.Stir well & then let marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally.

3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, then place chicken breasts in a roasting pan & bake for 25-30 minutes or until done.

4.Remove from the oven & shred the chicken into slivers.

5.Open oval pitas at the seam to create a large pocket, then spread a tablespoon of garlic sauce on the bottom half before filling each pits with equal amounts of sandwich ingredients (i.e. chicken, tomato, onion, gherkins, mint & parsley).

6.Wrap the bottom of the 'sandwiches' with a napkin & serve immediately.

The Moghrabiyeh Recipe

Moughrabiyeh is a dish for special occasions prepared with very big grains of couscous very popular in Tripoli; the second largest town in the north of Lebanon.  

It is usually prepared with Samneh which is Ghee or clarified butter to the west.

The recipe is prepared with olive oil for obvious health reasons.  The dish may be prepared with chicken only or meat only or with both.  It gets its distinctive taste from the spices being used especially the caraway.

Ingredients:  8 servings

300 g. lamb meat from the leg, cut to 2 cm. cubes
One chicken (1500g.), cut to 4, skin removed
One onion, finely chopped
1 small celery branch, finely chopped
1 small carrot, finely chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground caraway
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoons sweet black pepper
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon moughrabiyeh spice mix (see note below)
¾ cup chick peas, soaked for 12 hours with 1 teaspoon baking soda, or 1½ cans (each 425g.) already cooked chick peas
Salt

For pearl onions
700 g. small size onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and freshly ground sweet black pepper

For moughrabiyeh grains
1¼ kg. steamed moughrabiyeh or 3 cups dry (see note below for dry grains)
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon moughrabiyeh spice mix
2 teaspoon caraway
3 cups chicken stock from boiling the chicken and meat

For sauce  
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons ground caraway
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground sweet black pepper
2 teaspoons moughrabiyeh spice mix
2½ cups stock from cooking the chicken and the meat


1. If dry chickpeas are being used, place them with cold water but no salt over medium heat and simmer uncovered till tender.  Drain.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a pan and fry meat till colored.  Set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and fry chopped onion, chopped celery and chopped carrots, add the ground spices and fry few seconds more.  
4. Add meat to the pan and enough cold water to cover.  Bring to the boil, lower heat, and cook ingredients covered 20 minutes.
5. Add chicken pieces and simmer covered till chicken and meat are tender, about 35 minutes more.  
6. Prepare the small onions and add them their juice and the chickpeas the last 10 minutes of cooking.
7. Strain the mixture.  Remove Chicken pieces and separate to big chunks, discarding bones.  Place chicken in a bowl and with the rest of the ingredients keep hot. You should end up with 5½ cups stock to cook the moughrabiyeh and prepare sauce.

To prepare onions  

1.  Place onions in salted boiling water and simmer few seconds.  Drain, refresh in cold water, the peel leaving the stem base intact.  
2. Fry onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil till colored and browned.  Add sugar and fry a little to caramelize the sugar.   Add water to cover the onions, salt, and pepper and bring to the boil.  Cover pan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or till onions are almost tender and a little liquid is left.

To prepare steamed moughrabiyeh grains  

1. Mix steamed moughrabiyeh with the spice mix and fry them 3 minute in butter while stirring.
2. Add the 3 cups chicken stock and bring to the boil.  Cover and simmer on very low heat for about 20 minutes or till the grains are tender and the stock is absorbed, stirring the mixture once or twice.  Keep covered for 10 minutes.

To prepare sauce

Fry the flour in the butter till lightly colored, add the spices and fry a little more.  Add the stock gradually stirring all the time till the sauce boils and thickens.  Simmer few seconds.

To serve
 
1.Mix about a quarter of the drained chick peas, and quarter of the onions with the moughrabiyeh grains and add the rest of the chick peas and onions, and quarter of the meat to the hot sauce.  Place moughrabiyeh on a serving plate.  Top with the chicken pieces and rest of the meat.  Sprinkle some ground caraway on top if desired.  
2. Serve hot with the hot sauce on the side.

N.B.:  If moughrabiyeh spice mix is not available substitute with ¾ tablespoon ground caraway and ¼ tablespoon black sweet pepper.

To prepare dry moughrabiyeh grains

Add 1 tablespoon oil to salted boiling water over medium heat.  Drop 2 cups (400 g.) moughrabiyeh grains and cook for 7 to 10 minutes.  Drain and rinse under running cold water, and season with one tablespoon moughrabiyeh spice mix.  Heat 2 tablespoons butter and fry the grains for 3 minutes, stirring them and gradually adding 3½ cups chicken stock.  Cover and simmer under low heat for about 20 to 30 minutes or till the grains are tender.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

The Recipe of Lahem B Ajin - Armenian Style

I remember when I was in elementary school, I hated when my mother would pack these for lunch for me because they drew so much attention, and everyone wanted to try them. Even my teachers would want a taste, so I would end up with no lunch on those days. :) Growing up in Beirut, there is a huge Armenian community in my neighbourhood , so we would buy these and other ingredients, etc. at the Armenian bakeries.

i ended up by learning the recipe which you'll find it below :)





Servings: 10

2 garlic cloves
1 med onion, roughly chopped
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1 lb. ground lamb or beef
6 oz can tomato paste
8 oz canned diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp paprika
10 flour tortillas

Directions :

-Preheat oven to 400.
-Pulse garlic in food processor to mince.
-Add onion and repeat.
-Add green pepper and repeat.
-Add remaining ingredients and process until everything is very well chopped/combined. Will pull into a ball like a dough would.
-Spread a very thin layer over the tortillas, all the way to the outside edge.
-Carefully place directly on oven rack, positioning so that the edges are supported so they won't fall through.
-Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are browned and meat is cooked through.
-If bubble forms in the tortilla, pop with with tip of knife or fork.

* If you like crisp edges, you don't have to spread the filling all the way to the edges, but bear in mind, if you plan to freeze any and need to re-heat in the oven/toaster oven, already crisp edges will probably just crumble.

** I sometimes like to add paper-thin slices of tomato and cheese to the top of mine.

Salad days in Lebanon as it sets third Guinness food record

BEIRUT – While Lebanon may be far from adept at making governments, food is another matter: on Sunday Lebanese chefs came together to break a third Guinness record for food this year -- this time with tabbouleh.

Under the watch of a Guinness adjudicator, 250 sous-chefs and their 50 bosses from the state-run culinary school chopped and sliced over three and a half tonnes (7,000 pounds) of the salad, using 1,600 kilogrammes (3,520 pounds) of parsley, 1,500 kilogrammes (3,300 pounds) of ripe tomatoes and 420 kilogrammes (926 pounds) of onions.

The tabbouleh record came only a day after Lebanon broke a Guinness record with a two-tonne serving of the chickpea-based dip hummus.

The tiny Mediterranean country -- which has yet to see a government formed over four months after a general election -- also set a record in August for the largest ever kebbe, a dish of minced meat and cracked wheat.

National songs blared from loudspeakers as the white-clad cooks mixed the tabbouleh into a mega-sized pottery dish on Sunday cheered on by thousands of onlookers, some waving Lebanese flags.

"Hummus comes from where? Tabbouleh comes from where?" asked the event host on a microphone.

"From here, from Lebanon," screamed the crowds in response. "One hundred percent Lebanese!"

A battle over hummus and tabbouleh between Lebanon and Israel -- two neighbours still technically at war -- emerged last year and efforts have been underway ever since to clearly identify such dishes as exclusively Lebanese.

Both hummus and tabbouleh, as well as other treats such as baba ghannouj, an eggplant dip, are widely popular in Lebanon, Israel and around the globe.

"El Hommos Lebnaneh & Tabbouleh Kamen (Hummus is Lebanese and Tabbouleh is too) is an attempt to break the current Guinness world records of hummus and tabbouleh, reaffirming the Lebanese proprietorship of these two dishes," said a statement issued by the industrialist association and food syndicate, which planned the weekend events.

"It's pretty much common knowledge that I don't back down," said Fadi Abboud, who heads the Association of Lebanese Industrialists, just before the results were announced.

"And this time, I'm not stepping down."

Lebanese industrialists have said their case was similar to the one over feta cheese in which a European Union court ruled in 2002 that feta is exclusively Greek.

They argue that just as France and Scotland have succeeded in protecting their geographical appelation rights for sparkling wine from Champagne and Scotch whisky, so should Lebanon for some of its dishes.

Lebanese to Israel: Hands off our hummus!

BEIRUT – Lebanese chefs prepared a massive plate of hummus weighing over two tons Saturday that broke a world record organizers said was previously held by Israel — a bid to reaffirm proprietorship over the popular Middle Eastern dip.

"Come and fight for your bite, you know you're right!" was the slogan for the event — part of a simmering war over regional cuisine between Lebanon and Israel, which have had tense political relations for decades.

Lebanese businessmen accuse Israel of stealing a host of traditional Middle Eastern dishes, particularly hummus, and marketing them worldwide as Israeli.

"Lebanon is trying to win a battle against Israel by registering this new Guinness World Record and telling the whole world that hummus is a Lebanese product, its part of our traditions," said Fady Jreissati, vice president of operations at International Fairs and Promotions group, the event's organizer.

Hummus — made from mashed chickpeas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic — has been eaten in the Middle East for centuries. Its exact origin is unknown, though it's generally seen as an Arab dish.

But it is also immensely popular in Israel — served in everyday meals and at many restaurants — and its popularity is growing around the globe.

The issue of food copyright was raised last year by the head of Lebanon's Association of Lebanese Industrialists, Fadi Abboud, when he announced plans to sue Israel to stop it from marketing hummus and other regional dishes as Israeli.

But to do that, Lebanon must formally register the product as Lebanese. The association is still in the process of collecting documents and proof supporting its claim for that purpose.

Lebanese industrialists cite, as an example, the lawsuit over feta cheese in which a European Union court ruled in 2002 the cheese must be made with Greek sheep and goats milk to bear the name feta. That ruling is only valid for products sold in the EU.

Abboud says that process took seven years and realizes Lebanon's fight with Israel is an uphill battle.

Meanwhile, he says, events like Saturday's serve to remind the world that hummus is not Israeli.

"If we don't tell Israel that enough is enough, and we don't remind the world that it's not true that hummus is an Israeli traditional dish, they (Israelis) will keep on marketing it as their own," he said Saturday.

Some 300 chefs were involved in preparing Saturday's massive ceramic plate of hummus in a huge tent set up in downtown Beirut. The white-uniformed chefs used 2,976 pounds (1,350 kilograms) of mashed chickpeas, 106 gallons (400 liters) of lemon juice and 57 pounds (26 kilograms) of salt to make the dish, weighing 4,532 pounds (2,056 kilograms).

It was not clear what the former Israeli record was, and organizers gave conflicting reports on when it was made.

But chefs and visitors broke into cheers and applause when a representative from the Guinness Book of World Records presented Abboud with a certificate verifying Lebanon had broken the previous record. The plate was then decorated with the red, green and white Lebanese flag.

A similar attempt to set a new world record will be held Sunday for the largest serving of tabbouleh, a salad made of chopped parsley and tomatoes, that Lebanon also claims as its own.

The Baba Ghanouj Recipe

INTRODUCTION

The term ‘ baba ghannouj’, which literally translated means “my father is spoiled like a child by my mother” , is actually quite an inappropriate name, not to be uttered at a traditional Lebanese family gathering – the father would be insulted and the mother and children shamed. The more honourable name ‘badenjan mutabbal’ (aubergine dip) is of course an aubergine dip mixed with garlic and lemon juice. The key to the recipe lies in the roasting of the aubergine over a fire or barbeque grill for that traditional smoky flavour. The skins are blackened, then the sweet flesh within is used, being puréed with a strong garlic and mild nutty tahina. Note; if the smoke flavour is too intense, add a heaped tablespoon of natural yoghurt to the dip to produce a milder version.


INGREDIENTS

2 Large aubergines/eggplant
4 Tbsp tahina
2-4 Tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
½ tsp sea salt flakes
1 Tbsp natural yoghurt (optional)
1 Tbsp chopped parsley, to garnish
1 tomato, deseeded and finely chopped, to garnish
A splash of olive oil , to garnish
A sprinkling of paprika, to garnish

Serving Size : serves 4 people as a starter or side dish

METHOD


1. Cook the aubergine over charcoal, a camp fire, a barbecue plate or other open flame(basically anything that will give a good char-grill and that smoky flavour you are aiming for) until the skins are crackling and blackened and the flesh within is soft. Set aside and allow to cool.

2. Peel off the skin of the aubergines, removing all charred pieces. Mash the flesh with a wooden spoon (traditional method) or blend to a purée using a food processor or hand-held blender and mixing bowl.

3. Crush the garlic, add with sea salt to the aubergines & continue to blend to a smooth pulp. Add the tahina and lemon juice and combine well until mixture is a smooth paste.

4. To serve, transfer to a serving dish and top the aubergine dip with chopped tomatoes, parsley, olive oil, a generous sprinkling of paprika and offer with freshly toasted Lebanese bread.

The Fish Sayadieh Recipe

Sayadieh Samak

Ingredients
2 1/2 kg whole white fish fillets (or whole fish which you can later debone)
3 onions, thinly sliced
250 ml oil
1/2 lemon (juice extracted)
1 lemon, sliced
3 teaspoons baharat mixed spice
1 1/2 tsps ground cumin
60 g roasted pine nuts
crispy caramelized onion
salt and white pepper (to season)
water

1. Fish stock preparation

Preheat the oven to gas mark 180 deg C.
Gut, scale and cut off the fish head (keep it aside)
then wash, clean and dry the fish.
To caramelize the onions, heat half of the oil in a
pot and add the sliced onions. Let them cook on
a gentle heat until darkish-brown in color but not
burned. Remove the onions from heat.
To make the fish stock, add the fish head to the oil
in the pan in which the onions were cooked. Add
1 tsp baharat spice, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, salt &
pepper and fry till browned. When brown, add 8 cups
water and let it boil for 45 minutes. Strain and use
the stock to cook the rice.

2. Rice preparation

Wash the rice 3 times, and soak it for an hour. Add
half of the remaining oil to a large pot and when hot,
add the rice, 1 tsp baharat spice mix and 1/2 tsp
ground cumin. Stir-fry to seal the rice for 2-3 minutes.
Keeping 1 cup of stock reserved aside, pour in the
rest of the stock (6 cups) over the rice. Bring the stock
to boil, and reduce the heat once boiled. Cook gently
for aboout 20 minutes or until all the stock has been
absorbed and the rice is cooked.

3. Preparation for baking the fish

Using the remaining oil, grease a roasting tin and fish.
Season the fish inside and outside with salt & peper.
Rub the spice mixture all over and inside the fish.
Place the lemon slices inside the fish and put the fish
in the roasting tin, pouring in half cup of water.
Bake in the preaheated oven for 1 hour.
To serve, pile the cooked rice on a platter and top it
with fish pieces that have been deboned. Garnish with crispy
caramelized fried onions and pine nuts, and serve
with sauce on the side.

The Shish Taouk Recipe

Shish taouk is chicken kebobs. This basic recipe includes the marinade and cooking instructions just for the chicken. You can add vegetables to the skewer if desired. I suggest onions, green peppers and mushrooms.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
•2 lbs cubed chicken breast
•3 tablespoons lemon juice
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
•1/4 teaspoon cumin
•1/2 teaspoon pepper
•1/8 teaspoon cayenne
•1/2 teaspoon of tomato sauce ( in case you want it to turn red color )

Preparation:
In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Allow chicken to marinate for 2-24 hours, covered in the refrigerator.

Place chicken on the skewers (about 5 pieces on each). Grill for 15 minutes or until done. Remember to turn skewers during cooking.

You can serve them with Garlic sauce,pickles and french fries

The Labneh Recipe

"This is the Lebanese version of cream cheese, a lot tastier and lower in calories. Serve on a plate, sprinkled with olive oil, olives, tomatoes, cucumbers and mint. Or simply spread it like cream cheese on pita bread."

And here’s the recipe;

Take two litres of regular whole milk and warm it to blood heat like a baby’s bottle (about 32C). Stir in a cup of plain, unflavoured yoghurt – ideally, you’d have saved some from your last batch of labneh yoghurt but as we’re starting from scratch go buy a small tub of Greek-style yoghurt. Put the milk mix in a warm place and leave it for at least 12 hours or until it’s thickened up. I put my big pot on top of the kitchen counter and wrapped it in a pile of towels to keep it insulated but it’s fairly cool here at nights and it took 24 hours to thicken. Skip this step if you’ve making the whole thing with bought yoghurt.
Line a colander or large dish with fine cheesecloth. I couldn’t find cheesecloth fine enough around here and made do with – of all things – a huge square of nylon shower curtain that I trimmed, hemmed, and bleached. Stir a teaspoon of salt into the yoghurt and then tip it into the colander, let it sit a few minutes and then bring the corners of the cheesecloth together and tie them off into a sort of sling so that you can pick up the mass without losing yoghurt out the sides. I found that a spare pair of hands and a cable-tie was the easiest way of getting this neat but suit yourself.
You’ll see whey dripping off the bundle immediately – you can either let it go down the plughole or collect it and use it for something (traditionally, it’s pig food, but there’s the health-shake crowd too). Hang the bundle so that it can continue to drain for 24 hours – either in a cool, clean place or in the fridge.
Form the labneh into small balls about the size of an apricot and put into good quality olive oil along with a few branches of thyme and some crushed gloves of garlic. This will keep quite well in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
OR the traditional way is to form it into one large mass on a plate with a depression pressed into the top. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with flavourings (dried mint or chilli etc) and serve with pita bread.
See! With a small investment of time and effort, this delicious dish is so easy to make. Milk is quite cheap so have no fear and give it a go!

The Tabouli Recipe

The Tabouli recipe is a healthful and delicious traditional Lebanese food recipe prepared with cracked wheat, mint, garlic, tomatoes, green onions, olive oil and lemon.

An excellent picnic food idea, it tastes great chilled or at room temperature.

Spell it Tabouli, Tabouleh, or Tabule, there's no confusion about one thing-- it's a really nice departure from ordinary salad recipes, a vegetarian meal in itself.




Tabouli


2 cups cracked wheat (bulghur)
2 cups very hot water
1 cucumber, chopped
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch green onions, (8) sliced
1/2 cup fresh chopped mint
2 cups fresh chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced (optional)


Dressing:

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon pepper
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste


Soak the cracked wheat in the hot water until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. When it's ready, drain any excess water, if necessary, and squeeze dry.

Meantime, prepare the vegetables for the salad and mix the dressing ingredients together. Set aside.

Stir the prepared wheat, other salad ingredients, and dressing together in a medium bowl.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Makes about 8 cups, 12 to 16 servings.

The Kibbeh Recipe

Kibbeh is one of those foods that you crave, and the craving won't be satisfied until you eat it. There are many recipes for kibbeh, but this one is very easy and perfect for beginners.

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 lbs finely ground beef or lamb, lean, divided
1/2 lb. bulghur cracked wheat, medium or #2
1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1 teaspoon pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 medium onions, 1 finely chopped, and 1 coarsely chopped, divided
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, soak wheat for 30 minutes in cold water. Remove and drain. Remove excess water by squeezing through thick paper towel or cheesecloth. Place into medium bowl and combine with 1 lb. meat, coarsely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Combine well and place small amount in food processor until doughlike consistency. You can slowly add an ice cube at a time during processing if needed. Place mixture aside, covered.Instead of using a food processor, you can use a mortar and pestle, however it will take you over an hour to achieve desired consistency.

Prepare Kibbeh Stuffing

In a medium frying pan, saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil. Add pine nuts if using. Add ground lamb or beef and chop well with wooden spoon or spatula to end=sure the meat is chopped. Add allspice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Once beef is light brown, remove from heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
Assemble Kibbeh and Fry
Take an egg sized amount of shell mixture and form into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, making a space for filling. Add filling and pinch the top to seal the ball. You can then shape it into a point, or football shape, or leave as a ball.

Fry in 350 degree oil on stove top or in deep fryer for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Makes 25 medium sized kibbeh.

Tips :

Kibbeh can be store in the freezer in an airtight, freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Prepare and do not fry.

The Hummus Recipe

Historical origins

Hummus with olive oil, lemon juice, cumin and sumacMany cuisine-related sources carry forward a folklore which describes hummus as one of the oldest known prepared foods with a long history in the Middle East which stretches back to antiquity, but its historical origins are unknown. The historical enigma is such that the origins of hummus-bi-tahini could be much more recent than is widely believed. One of the earliest verifiable descriptions of hummus comes from 18th-century Damascus and the same source claims it was unknown elsewhere.

Meanwhile some cookbooks repeat the legend that hummus was first prepared in the 12th century by Saladin. Sources such as Cooking in Ancient Civilizations by Cathy K. Kaufman carry speculative recipes for an ancient Egyptian hummus, substituting vinegar for lemon juice, but acknowledge we do not know how the Egyptians ate their chick-peas. Similarly, no recipe for hummus has been identified among the many books on cooking surviving from ancient Rome.

Charles Perry, co-author of Medieval Arab Cookery notes that owing to hummus bi tahina being an everyday staple, and because of the lack of Arab recipe books published between the 14th and 20th centuries, no recipes documenting this food's early ingredients have been found. He says the nearest medieval example recorded in a 13th century Arab cookbook, Kitab Wasf al-Atima al-Mutada is Hummus kasa, which substitutes vinegar for lemon, includes extra herbs and adds walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios.

History of the ingredients
Chickpeas and sesame, the crops from which hummus's main ingredients are taken, were known and cultivated in the ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern worlds. Chickpeas are hummus's principal ingredient, and have been a human food item for over 10,000 years. The chickpea was used as a food item in Palestine before 4000 BC, was one of the earliest crops cultivated in Mesopotamia and was a common street dish in ancient Rome; indeed the famous Roman orator, Cicero, was named for an ancestor who had a wart on his nose shaped like a chickpea. Archeological evidence identifies chickpeas in the Sumerian diet before 2500 BC. They are noted in a 13th century work by Muhammad bin Hasan al-Baghdadi of Persia for a "simple dish" of meat, pulses and spices.It is unknown whether chickpeas were commonly mashed in any of these cultures. Tahini (sesame paste) likewise lacks any clear historical context. Sesame was grown as a crop in ancient Assyrian and Babylonian gardens and is mentioned by Columella.It was common in Roman and Persian kitchens in the form of sesame oil but not as the tahini paste of hummus-bi-tahini.

Other ingredients are used in sundry recipes of hummus-bi-tahini. The olive originated in Syria and Palestine, where it was being cultivated by the fourth millennium BC. A variety may have been indigenous to Crete, where olives were being cultivated by 2500 BC. The Bible mentions olive oil many times and it was exported from Palestine to places such as Egypt. Several Roman writers indicate that salt was used in extracting the oil.Garlic was grown in the gardens of King Merodach-Baladan II of Babylon and probably was in Greece by the early Bronze Age.The lemon was last to arrive in the Middle East and Mediterranean world, originating in India. However, depictions of lemons have been found at Pompeii and Tusculum, so this fruit must have reached the Roman world, at least as a luxury import, by the first century.

Nutritional information

Lebanese hummus, garnished with whole chickpeas, on a Yemeni serving dishHummus is high in iron and vitamin C, and also has significant amounts of folate and vitamin B6.The chickpeas make it a good source of protein and dietary fiber. Depending on the recipe hummus carries varying amounts of monounsaturated fat.Hummus is useful in vegetarian and vegan diets and like other combinations of grains and pulses, when eaten with bread it serves as a complete protein.

Serving methods
As an appetizer and dip hummus is scooped with flatbread (such as pita). Hummus is also served as part of a meze or as an accompaniment to falafel, grilled chicken, fish or eggplant. Garnishes include chopped tomato, cucumber, cilantro, parsley, sautéed mushrooms, whole chickpeas, olive oil, hard-boiled eggs, paprika, ful, olives and pickles. Outside the Middle East it is sometimes served with tortilla chips or crackers.


Lebanese style hummus topped with whole chickpeas and olive oil.For Palestinians hummus has long been a staple food, garnished with olive oil and "nana" mint leaves, paprika, parsley or cumin. A related dish popular in the region of Palestine and Jordan is laban ma' hummus ("yogurt and chickpeas") which uses yogurt in the place of tahini and butter in the place of olive oil. The chickpeas are first boiled alone before the other ingredients are added and it is served hot.

Recipe :

2 (16-ounce) cans chick peas, drained, reserve juice
4 to 6 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
1/2 cup (or more) lemon juice

Drain and dry chick peas. Put garlic in food processor and mince. Add chick peas and mince, scraping down the sides. Add salt, tahini and lemon juice. Mix. Taste. Add enough reserve chick pea juice to make a thick creamy consistency. You should be able to make an indentation in the hummus with a back of a spoon. Check taste again for additional lemon or salt.

Serve on a platter and garnish with radishes, tomato roses, reserve chick peas, parsley and or cayenne pepper. Serve with olive oil and fresh pita bread.

Fattoush Recipe

Prep Time:15 min
6 servings
CloseTimes: Prep 15 min

Ingredients

Fattoush or Peasant Salad:
2 cups shredded lettuce (romaine and/or iceberg)
1 large or 2 small cucumbers, small dice
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped parsley, leaves only, no stems
1/4 cup chopped mint leaves, no stems
1/2 to 1 green pepper, diced
1 bunch green onions, finely sliced
1/2 teaspoon sumac
2 pieces of pita bread toasted until golden brown, broken into pieces the size of a quarter

Dressing:

1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Directions
In a small bowl mix all dressing ingredients well.

Put all salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 to 1 cup dressing. Serve immediately.

Introduction to Lebanese Cuisine

Introduction
The Lebanese gastronomy is a rich mixture of various products and ingredients coming from the different Lebanese regions. Olive oil, herbs, spices, fresh fruits and vegetables are commonly used, as well as dairy products, cereals, fish and meat. The Lebanese cuisine is extremely rich in flavors and colors and yet often offers recipes easy to prepare and suitable for a healthy diet.
The Mezze, an elaborate variety of thirty hot and cold dishes, had made the Lebanese cuisine renowned worldwide. A typical Mezze may consist, of salads such as the Tabouleh and Fattoush, together with dip such as Hummus, Baba ghanoush or Moutabal, and some patties such as the Sambusacs and finally the stuffed grape leaves.
The family cuisine offers also a range of dishes, such as the stews or Yakhnehs, which can be cooked in many forms depending on the ingredients used and are usually served with meat and rice vermicelli.
The Lebanese flat pita bread is essential to every Lebanese meal, and can be used to replace the usage of the fork.
The Arak, an anise-flavored liqueur, is the Lebanese national alcoholic drink and is usually served with the traditional convivial Lebanese meals. Another Lebanese drink is the Lebanese wine, which is now enjoying a worldwide reputation.
Known among the great variety of Lebanese sweets, are pastries such as Baklava, and the Lebanese ice cream with its oriental flavors.
Social events play a significant role in the Lebanese gastronomy, as some dishes are particularly prepared on special occasions: the Meghli desert, for instance is served to celebrate a newborn baby in the family.

Lebanese Cuisine History

History
A unique cultural past has helped make Lebanese food the most popular of all Middle Eastern cuisines. For most of its past, Lebanon has been ruled by foreign powers that have influenced the types of food the Lebanese ate. From 1516 to 1918, the Ottoman Turks controlled Lebanon and introduced a variety of foods that have become staples in the Lebanese diet, such as cooking with lamb.
After the Ottomans were defeated in World War I (1914–1918), France took control of Lebanon until 1943, when the country achieved its independence. During this time, the French introduced some of their most widely eaten foods, particularly treats such as flan, a caramel custard dessert dating back to the 1500s, and buttery croissants.
The Lebanese themselves have also helped bring foods of other cultures into their diet. Ancient tribes journeyed throughout the Middle East, carrying with them food that would not spoil easily, such as rice and dates.

What is lebanese cuisine

Lebanese cuisine includes an abundance of starches, fruits, vegetables, fresh fish and seafood; animal fats are consumed sparingly. Poultry is eaten more often than red meat, and when red meat is eaten it is usually lamb on the coast and goat meat in the mountain regions. It also includes copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, often seasoned by lemon juice.
Rarely a meal goes by in Lebanon that does not include these ingredients. Most often foods are either grilled, baked or sautéed in olive oil; butter or cream is rarely used other than in a few desserts. Vegetables are often eaten raw or pickled as well as cooked. While the cuisine of Lebanon doesn't boast an entire repertoire of sauces, it focuses on herbs, spices and the freshness of ingredients; the assortment of dishes and combination are almost limitless. The meals are full of robust, earthy flavors and, like most Mediterranean countries, much of what the Lebanese eat is dictated by the seasons.
In Lebanon, very rarely are drinks served without being accompanied by food. One of the more healthy aspects of Lebanese cuisine is the manner or custom in which their food is often served, it's referred to as mezze. Similar to the tapas of Spain and antipasto of Italy, mezze is an array of small dishes placed before the guests creating an array of colors, flavors, textures and aromas. This style of serving food is less a part of family life than it is of entertaining and cafes. Mezze may be as simple as pickled vegetables, hummus and bread, or it may become an entire meal consisting of grilled marinated seafood, skewered meats, a variety of cooked and raw salads and an arrangement of desserts.
Although simple fresh fruits are often served towards the end of a Lebanese meal, there is also dessert and coffee. Baklava is also a popular Lebanese dessert