Lebanese Cuisine
Hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, kibbe, baklava. Best of the Mediterranean Levant.
Homemade Falafel
Homemade falafel is the fried chickpea fritter of the eastern Mediterranean. Unlike hummus, the chickpeas here are never cooked — soaked overnight and ground raw with parsley, cilantro, cumin, and garlic, which gives the interior that characteristic green flecked colour and the outside that satisfying crunch. Tuck them into warm pitta with tahini sauce, sliced tomato, and pickles.
Lebanese Tabouleh
Tabbouleh is the most refreshing salad in Lebanese mezze: fine bulgur soaked until tender and mixed with large quantities of chopped flat-leaf parsley, tomato, spring onion, mint, lemon juice and olive oil. It is really a herb salad with a little grain — the bulgur plays a supporting role. Light, bright and aromatic.
Authentic Homemade Hummus
Smooth, creamy Lebanese-style hummus made the right way: tahini and lemon beaten first to form a silky emulsion, then chickpeas added gradually. This is the recipe that makes you stop buying the shop-bought version.
Shakshuka with Tomatoes and Eggs
Shakshuka is the late-breakfast staple of the eastern Mediterranean and Maghreb: eggs poached directly in a spiced tomato sauce seasoned with cumin, paprika and harissa. Breaking the yolk into the sauce is half the pleasure. It comes to the table in the same pan, with pita for dipping, and a crumble of feta on top takes it even further.
Falafel with Tahini Sauce and Pita Bread
Falafel is the vegan croquette of the eastern Mediterranean: dried soaked chickpeas — never canned — ground with parsley, coriander, onion and spices, then fried until the crust is crackling and the inside is fluffy and green. The rule is raw soaked chickpeas, not cooked, so the mixture holds together without turning to paste. With homemade tahini sauce and warm pita, it's one of the world's most satisfying street foods.
Lebanese Cuisine: cooking guide
Lebanese cuisine is one of the most complete in the Arab world: creamy hummus with homemade tahini, fresh parsley tabbouleh, crispy falafel, lamb kibbe and honey-soaked baklava. Ingredients like sumac, za'atar and rose water give this cuisine a unique aromatic profile.