Ask a Lebanese and they’ll shake a bundle of parsley and mint at you as they proclaim that a true tabouleh is one that is herb based. I have certainly been guilty of this. But is that really the case? First, let’s consider the etymology of the word which comes from the Arabic root ‘tabala’ meaning to toss, dress or marinate which also offers us a family of ‘mou-TABAL’ dishes… This said, we can come to understand that the...
I’ve strayed from tradition here, as kebab karaz, as it’s known in Syria, is usually made with veal or lamb served on Arabic bread. The spices used are not at all typical and in the traditional manner, kebab karaz, is served over flattened Arabic bread with the sour cherry sauce drizzled over. This notorious dish, which hails from Aleppo, is a real rustic, comfort kind of food in its traditional form. It truly is an alluring demonstration...
Photography by Sarka Babicka This is my take on a popular Levantine dish of chickpeas and yogurt known as fattet* hummus or hummus (chickpea) crumble. The Arabic word fatteh is derived from the root word "fatta" (in Arabic root words are actually only three letters but let's not get into that). To translate it closely it would mean to break up, tear up, or crumble, which is what occurs to the bread in this recipe. This means that a true fatteh...
Have some leftover tabbouleh to use up? I've got just the recipe for you! Head on over to Design Sponge's In The Kitchen With for the recipe and story behind its inspiration.
(Photography by Sarka Babicka) Here's one for the weekend I think you'll really enjoy. Great served at a BBQ (weather forecast looks promising) for everyone to nibble on while, say, the za'atar and pomegranate lamb riblets cook. Serve with a fattoush salad (see The Jewelled Kitchen), maybe some grilled sweet potatoes and you've got a lovely hassle-free meal. Happy weekend. x Smoked Mackerel and Chermoula Pâté with Beetroot Crisps...
And so after 2 years of burns, cuts and tears, The Jewelled Kitchen cookbook is officially out today and in bookstores across Europe and Australia, and the Middle East in a week's time (US launch is October 1st). My fellow blogging friends and I are celebrating by taking turns and posting a recipe a day on our respective blogs over the next couple of weeks. Some of us are even in for a reunion over the weekend at the Food Blogger Connect...
There are many schools of thought on the origin of the Scotch egg. Of the two most notable, the first claims it was invented by the London department store Fortnum & Mason in 1738 and the other claim is that it traveled from Persia to India with the Moghuls, where it is now known as nargisi kofta. In fact, a version of a kafta-encased egg appears in several volumes of Middle Eastern cookery books, including my upcoming cookbook. Anyone have...
"Can't wait to get organized" seems to have been my favourite moan phrase over the last two years. Over the last few weeks, and with the last of The Jewelled Kitchen book edits officially out of the way, I've finally found some down time to bring organization back into my life. Besides clearing up my desktop, folders, emails, and much more, I have also begun thinking about a new design/layout/feel for the blog, and look forward to...
No Thanksgiving or Christmas table is ever complete without a green bean casserole. Over the years, I've made several kinds depending on my mood; there's the classic creamy green bean casserole, the Lebanese version with tomato sauce (loubieh b zeit) or this lighter and refreshing version below. Green beans with feta and caramelised onions Serves: 4 Prep time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes 500g/1lb 2 oz green beans 2 tbsp olive oil 2...
Photography by Sarka Babicka Who doesn’t love roasties? I wrote a post about these a few years back, but thought I’d revisit them as my recipe writing skills have since improved tremendously (thankfully!) You can season them to your heart’s desire and here I’ve chosen to go with sumac; if you like, you can also throw in a few smashed, unpeeled garlic cloves. If you’ve got large appetites, double up the recipe. Sumac...
You may have noticed over the last couple of weeks that most of the photography has been the jaw-dropping work of the very talented lifestyle photographer Sarka Babicka. Over the last 3 years, Sarka and I have become close friends and several months back we decided to collaborate on a series of projects. What began as a weekend visit to my home in the West Country turned into a two-month long 'rock and roll' kibbutz experience. At the time, my...
Tabbouleh Author: Bethany Prep time: 25 mins Total time: 25 mins Serves: 4 Tabbouleh is a salad I can eat (and have eaten) daily for weeks at a time with no complaint. My Teta (Lebanese for Nana) was renowned for making the most delicious tabbouleh (but then so is every other Lebanese grandmother!). Living abroad over the last 8 years, I have noticed that Western versions of this dish use a larger bulgur-to-parsley...
My lovely friends Nando from LiveKitchen & Sarka from Cook Your Dream joined me a couple of weeks back to shoot a series of DKS recipe videos. It was a brilliantly fun day and a great learning curve as I'm trying to become more active in v-blogging. Here goes my first shot, I hope you like it! For more info and for the recipe on labneh and some inspired variations visit one of my other posts about it here. Also, here's a recent recipe...
There's something dreamy about courgette blossoms. They are incredibly delicate and I love their vibrant green and yellow tones. I was first introduced to the idea of eating a courgette flower, in my early teens, nowhere else but in Provence by my, then, French step-mother. She didn't do much to them but drop them in a light batter before frying them. They were simple but so wonderfully fulfilling. Having grown up, for part of my childhood on a...
Yup, it has been a good while since I've last posted. I have been and still am incredibly busy but I won't bore you with the what/where/how. Things will soon unravel in their own time. Meanwhile, I've got a stellar recipe for you. It's inspired by Lebanon, of course, and by my wonderful visits to Abu Kassem, but also from the Food Blogger Connect 2011 goodie bag. The lovely people over at Steenbergs were kind enough to provide us with some...
It's hard to define Abu Kassem in a few words but genuine, humble and generous would be a good start. He is known for the za'atar he grows in the fields surrounding his home in the south of Lebanon and considered to be one of the few enterprising farmers who started domesticating the wild za'atar plant (thyme), which was previously only collected from the wild. He's since developed the brand Za'atar Zawtar which combines the fruits of his...
I have been enjoying this salad plentifully over the last month. After all, how can one resist the combination of crisp green leaves, garlicky butter beans, and a runny egg yolk with a sprinkle of sumac? And if that wasn't enough, this salad can be knocked out in no time! Okay, so you may need to use canned beans but I recommend cooking up a big batch of dried butter beans and then freezing them in individual serving sizes, making it more...
Hello folks! This post is for all my lovely American friends who are getting ready for the Super Bowl on Sunday. My sister, Adla, is over on this side visiting and she's rooting for the Packers, which naturally means I am too, only because she so nicely asked me to. Either way here are some Lebanese recipes that will make the perfect Super Bowl spread. There are so many dips to choose from; of course, everyone is familiar with the traditional...
The idea for this dish came to me months ago but it only came to life yesterday. I am happy to say it was a great success. It takes inspiration from the seven-layer dip although it doesn't have as many layers. It combines hummus b' lahme, hummus balila and gorgeous pomegranate arils and is in fact built upon an intricate layer of flavors. First, there is the zesty and velvety smooth hummus b' tahini, then, a layer of humus balila which hosts...
The last few months have been extremely hectic. Thankfully I have been kept very busy with different projects and prospects although this has meant a little less time for blogging. Holiday season is nearing and I'm really looking forward to more recipe creations and new inspirations. One thing that has also been on my mind is creating football friendly food, like these cauliflower fritters with tahini dressing. So, over the next couple of...
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