Vegetarian Potato Kibbe (Kibbet Batata) Recipe

There is a wide variety of Kibbe recipes in Lebanon. It can be made by mixing bulgur with meat, or with pumpkin and even with potato like the one I made today. The bulgur is always the main ingredient of all kinds of Kibbe, it should be fine and brown color. This recipe is vegetarian, which makes it suitable for Lent. The major ingredients are simple, based on bulgur, potato and onion, but it needs a lot to spices and flavors.

Ingredients:

4 potatoes
1 cup of fine brown bulgur
2 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon seven spices
1 small onion grated

Ingredients for the filling:

3 large onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon 7 spices
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried coriander
1 tablespoon sumac
1/2 teaspoon caraway
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Boil the unpeeled potatoes in a saucepan with salted water, until they becomes tender

When the potatoes are cold peel then mash them

Wash the bulgur and drain it from the excess water

Mix the mashed potatoes with bulgur, the grated onion, the flour, salt and the spices; mix by hand very well until smooth

Cut the onion of the filling into fine strips and mix with all the spices

Preheat the oven to 180 C

Grease an oven pan with little of olive oil until you cover the bottom

With wet hands place a thin layer of the potato Kibbe mixture and flatten it

Place the filling of onion and cover it with another thin layer of potato Kibbe

Wet a knife and cut the Kibbe into a square or diamond pattern

Drizzle the remaining of the olive oil on the top

Bake for about 30 minutes in the oven, until the top becomes a nice golden color

Serve with a green salad for better taste

Note:

You can also shape the potato Kibbe in a small ball; stuff it with the onion and close the ball forming a flat circle. Fry it in a deep frying pan. It is also DELICIOUS.

Hummus with Ras Asfour Recipe

I believe that everybody is familiar with our traditional plate Hummus (Chick Peas with Tahini). Lebanon entered the Guinness Book of World Records when our Lebanese Chef’s prepared the biggest plate of Hummus ever. However, I don’t think that many of you know what is Ras Asfour, which translated literally means “the head of the bird”. Ironically, it is actually sheep’s meat cut into small sized pieces, nearly as big as a bird’s head, hence the name. Today I made a plate combining hummus with the Ras Asfour meat.

I brought the meat from the butcher in small cuts and I cut it into even smaller pieces. Sheep meat is not lean, so I had to remove some of the fat, but leave enough to keep the meat tender.

Note that you can eat these two separately and each will taste delicious on it’s own.

Ingredients for the Hummus:

2 cups of chick peas
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of Tahini
3 lemon squeezed, salt
2 clove of crushed garlic

Preparation for the Hummus:

Soak the chick peas in a large bowl of water and baking soda, for 12 hours at least. The peas will increase volume after soaking.

Drain them from the water, wash thoroughly and boil in salted water. It will take about one hour and a half for the chick peas to be cooked. When you see a white foam forming on the top of the water, remove it and keep boiling

When the chick peas are soft, drain from the water again and mash them, you can use whatever you have for this purpose (a food processor, blender, etc)

Add the crushed garlic, the salt, the Tahini and the lemon juice and mix well. Adjust the taste of salt and lemon as you desire

Now that the Hummus is ready you can prepare the meat of Ras Asfour.

Ingredients for the Ras Asfour meat:

200 grams of tender sheep meat cut into small size
1 small onion finely chopped
1 tablespoon of grenadine of molasses
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon seven spices

Preparation:

In a small saucepan heat the oil and fry the onion

When it becomes golden color add the meat and fry until it turns very dark, add a small cup of water and cover, let it cook on very low heat until the meat is tender

When it is done add the salt, seven spices and the grenadine of molasses

Now that you have everything ready, place the chick peas in a plate, on the top put the cooked meat. For decoration and taste, add some fried pine seeds on the top of the meat and some olive oil.

Stuffed Vine Leaves in Oil ( Warak Inab Bilzeit) Recipe

This is a vegetarian recipe, and I must say that Stuffed Vine leaves in Olive Oil is an essential dish from our rich Lebanese Mezze. It is so delicious and light that you can easily eat a small plate alone before having your main meal.

Ingredients:

100 grams of vine leaves, blanched and ready to cook ( you can use the preserved ones too)
1/2 cup of short grain rice
2 tablespoons of parsley, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium red tomato, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seven spices
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil+ one extra tablespoon for cooking
your choice of thinly sliced vegetable, such as onion, tomato, carrot or even potato (I used sliced onions)

Preparation:

Prepare the stuffing by mixing the washed rice with the parsley, onion, tomato, salt, spices lemon juice and the olive oil well

Place a vine leave face down and stuff it with one teaspoon of the mixture of rice for filling in the center, fold the two sides toward the center then roll it in a cigar shape

When you finish all the quantity of the vine leaves and stuffing, prepare the pot, place the tablespoon of olive oil in the bottom of the pot, cover the base of the pot with your choice of sliced vegetable, place all the stuffed vine leaves in the pot

Pour water to cover the vine leaves by about one inch, place a plate upside down over them to prevent the vine leaves from opening during cooking. Adjust the salt and lemon as desired

Cook on a medium heat and when it starts boiling reduce the fire and let it cook gently for about 25 minutes until the rice is cooked and tender

Turn upside down on a plate and it’s ready to serve

Traditional Lebanese Rice Recipe

Total time: 35 mins
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Yield: 4 Servings

BY SAAD FAYED

What You'll Need

1 1/2 Cups medium grain (not quick cooking) rice
1/2 Cup vermicelli pasta, broken to small pieces
1/4 Cup butter
2 1/4 Cups water
Salt and to taste

How to Make It

1. Add the butter and vermicelli to a large saute pan or pot that has a tight fitting lid. Brown the noodles, stirring often, and be careful not to burn them. Add the rice and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover, bring the heat down to low, and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.

2. Fluff with a fork and serve as a side dish to fish, chicken or beef.

Source: The Spruce

Batenjan Makdous (Preserved Eggplants in Olive Oil) Recipe

by ninabaydoun

I’m going to show you how to preserve eggplants, using a recipe I learned from my mother-in-law years ago. It takes about ten days for the Makdous to have been pickled properly. After it has been prepared, the eggplants can be eaten as a appetizer, side dish or can even  be put in a sandwich alone. You will find many ways to enjoy it by playing on your own. Personally, I like to eat it for dinner with labneh (yoghurt) and cheese on the side; it makes for a lovely and easy to prepare dinner.

Ingredients:

1 kg baby eggplant
200 grams whole nut
about 15 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon rock salt
1 teaspoon chili paste (optional)
about 4 cups olive oil

Preparation:

1. Wash the eggplants, remove the stem
2. Place the eggplants in a pot full of water, leave it on fire for about 10 minutes (not more); the skin of the eggplants when tested should be soft
3. When the eggplants are cooked place in a strainer and wash with cold water. Make a small slit lengthwise in the eggplant, sprinkle with salt, put them back in the strainer, slit facing down, place a weight over them and leave it for about two days. This helps any remaining water to come out of the eggplants

4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling by roughly crushing the nuts and mixing it with garlic, salt and chili paste if desired
5. With you thumb widen the slit, fill each eggplant with a spoon from the nut garlic mixture

6. Place the filled eggplants in a jar, turn the jar upside down on a plate at a certain angle to release the remaining water, leave it for 2 days until no more juice comes out from it

7. Return the jar after 2 days to upright position, and fill it with olive oil. After five days the eggplants are ready to be consumed

Eggplant Salad Recipe

This is a salad made with eggplant that can be eaten as a side dish that goes well with anything. You can also use it to stuff into a sandwich.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant
1 onion, finely chopped
4 red tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
few leaves rocca
2 tablespoons olive oil
balsamic vinegar

Preparation:

1. Wash the eggplant, dry it, and cut it into thin slices
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan, fry the eggplant until light brown
3. In another pan, fry the onion until translucent, add the tomatoes and fry until tender, season with salt and pepper
4. Place one layer of eggplant in a tray, then put the cooked tomatoes with onion, place on the top another layer of eggplant
5. Place the tray in the fridge for few hours
6. To serve, cut a piece of this salad, place it in a plate, put on the side few rocca leaves, and on top on the leaves drizzle few drops of balsamic vinegar and enjoy eating

Man’oushe roll recipe

This Man’oushe melts in the mouth because the dough is so soft.

Ingredients: 

– 500 gs all purpose flour

– 1/2 cup corn oil, plus one tablespoon

-1 teaspoon salt

– 1 teaspoon sugar

– 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

– 1 teaspoon instant yeast

– 1 1/2 cup natural yoghurt

– 1 cup zaa’tar mixed with one cup  olive oil

– Optional : Some milk and sesame for the decoration on the top of the roll

Preparation:

– In a bowl mix the flour with all the dried ingredients

– Add the corn oil and rub all the flour with oil

-Mix with 1/2 cup of yoghurt at a time until the mixture become a soft and smooth dough ( the quantity of the yoghurt may vary depending on the flour type)

– When your dough is ready rub it with one tablespoon of corn oil and cover with cling film and let it rest for about 2 hours until it doubles in volume

– Take a third of the dough and roll it using a rolling pin on a floured surface to a rectangle shape, pour the mixture of zaa’tar and oil and cover the dough leaving about one inch from each side and roll it into a cylinder

– Cut the rolled dough into a small pieces

– Preheat the oven to 190 degree

– Place each roll in cup cake tray and let it rest for about half an hour.

– If you are using sesame to decorate the top of the roll brush each one with a bit of milk and sprinkle the sesame over it

– Cook for 20 minutes, or until the top of the roll becomes golden color.

BEEF DOLMAS WITH APRICOTS AND TAMARIND RECIPE

This Middle Eastern basic gets a sweet-and-sour spin. In the warmer months, try to find and use fresh grape leaves; they are more tender and flavorful than the jarred types. Out of season, jarred leaves are a fine substitute (we prefer the Orlando brand).

SERVES 8 TO 10 PEOPLE

Ingredients

1 (8 oz.) jar grape leaves, drained
2 tbsp. tamarind concentrate
1⁄4 cup light brown sugar, divided
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. plus 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup (8 oz.) dried apricots
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup long-grain white rice, soaked in cool water for 10 minutes, then drained
1 tbsp. ground allspice
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Fill a large bowl 2⁄3 of the way with ice water. Plunge the grape leaves into the boiling water and cook for 1 minute to tenderize. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, lift the leaves out of the pot and drop them immediately into the ice water. Strain the leaves, use a clean towel to pat them dry, then set them aside while you prepare the dolma filling.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the tamarind concentrate with 4 cups hot water; whisk well to combine. Whisk in 2 tablespoons sugar, the lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
3. Place the apricots in a small bowl. Cover with hot water and set aside to soften for 10 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, Combine the ground beef, rice, allspice, 1⁄2 cup water, and 1 tablespoon. of salt in a large bowl. Mix well. Drain apricots and set aside.
5. Grease a medium (2-4 quart) Dutch oven or similar covered baking dish with olive oil. To assemble the dolmas, working one at a time lay the grape leaves, stems facing you and vein sides up, on a clean surface. Remove the stem, then spoon about 1 tablespoon of the beef mixture into center. Fold the sides over the filling and roll somewhat tightly from the stem edge towards the opposite end, forming a cylinder about 2 1⁄2 inches long. (Grape leaves should be rolled tightly enough to hold their shape but loosely enough to allow rice to expand.) Place a layer of stuffed leaves into the oiled baking dish, then arrange half the apricots on top and sprinkle with 1 tbsp. sugar; cover with another layer of stuffed grape leaves and another layer of apricots, and sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
6. Preheat oven to 350°. Pour the tamarind mixture over grape leaves (the liquid should just cover them), then place the pot on the stove over medium high heat. When the liquid comes up to a simmer, cover, reduce to low heat and simmer slowly for 45 minutes. Transfer the baking dish to the oven and continue cooking until the liquid has reduced by two thirds and the rice and meat are fully cooked, 45 minutes more. Serve the dolmas warm, moistened with cooking juices, as an appetizer or as a side dish.

Fatteh / Chicken with Yoghurt and Chickpeas Recipe

Serves 4

Fatta means "break into pieces" in Arabic and dish is called fatteh because the first layer of this composite dish is made of broken up pieces of toasted or fried pita bread. There are many variations of fatteh, but the broken pieces of bread and the yoghurt topping are a constant theme.

Ingredients

1 medium chicken (about 1.5 kg)
2 Adonis cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
400g net weight ready-cooked chickpeas (from a tin or glass jar)
1 large pita bread, opened and toasted
40g unsalted butter
60g pine nuts
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed (or ¼ tsp of Adonis garlic powder)
900g plain full fat yoghurt

Cooking instructions

Put the chicken in a sauce pan. Add 1.2 liters water and place over medium heat. As the water is about to boil, skim the surface clean. Add the Adonis cinnamon sticks and salt. Cover the pan and boil gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Rinse the chickpeas well. Drain and add to the chicken. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a frying pan and saute the pine nuts, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a double layer of kitchen paper.

Mix the crushed garlic with the yoghurt. Add salt to taste and set aside. Break the toasted bread into bite-sized pieces and spread over the bottom of a serving dish.

Remove the chicken from the stock. Take the meat off the bone, discarding the skin, and shred into bite-sized pieces. Spread over the bread. Remove the chickpeas with a slotted spoon and spread over the chicken. Sprinkle with a little stock and spoon the yoghurt all over. Garnish with the sauteed pine nuts. Serve immediately.

Baba Ghannouj / Grilled Eggplant Dip Recipe

Some tips to help you produce a superior Baba Ghannouj. Grilling the eggplants over an open fire will produce the smoky flavor that is so typical of this dish, though the smoky flavor will come through to a certain extent if you cook them under the grill in your oven. It is important to let the grilled flesh drain for a while to get rid of the excess liquid; and finally, once this done, you need to mash the flesh with the back of a fork to retain texture. The dip will be too smooth if you use a food a processor.

Ingredients

6 large eggplants (about 250g each)
4 tbsp Tahini
1 garlic clove, crushed (or ¼ tsp Adonis garlic powder)
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste
Sea salt
Fresh pomegranate seeds (Ideally the sour type)
Extra virgin olive oil

Cooking instructions

Prick the eggplants in several places with a small knife to stop them from bursting during cooking. Place them on a non-stick baking sheet and cook under a hot grill for 25 minutes on each side. The eggplants are ready when they have become very soft to the touch. By then, the skin should have become slightly charred for a smoky taste.

Remove the grilled eggplants onto a large chopping board. Cut each in half lengthways, and with a spoon, scoop out the flesh. Place the flesh in a colander to drain the excess liquid. Let it drain for a least half an hour.

Put the eggplants in a wide mixing bowl and mash with a masher or the back of a fork. Be sure not to crush them too much, as you want the dip to have texture. Add the tahini and salt to taste. Mix well. Then add the lemon juice and crushed garlic. Mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Transfer the dip to a shallow serving bowl and with the back of a spoon; spread it the same way as with hummus. The garnish can be the same as that of hummus, using mint instead of parsley; or you can use pomegranate seeds, arranged in a star shape in the middle and at regular intervals along the edge. Olive oil is of course used with both garnishes.