Stimulate your taste buds with delectable Lebanese food...

Lebanon, the land of the biblical cedars of the Lord, looks down from the mountains to the Mediterranean below. Here the archaic fuses with the metropolitan to form a beautiful proud, diverse and interesting land. Situated on the Eastern side of the Mediterranean between East and West, it is a cultural, culinary and commerce crossroads. Lebanese cuisine is the epitome of the Mediterranean cuisine, a cuisine that belongs to an ancient land that has been in the making pre-biblical days. It’s a reflection of its warm, welcoming and hospitable culture. If you happen to visit the country you will be welcomed very easily into someone’s home and your experience will be a memorable one. Its peoples, even through a long history of wars and political strife are life loving who like to socialize and be surrounded with culture, good food and whatever is a reflection of a good life. 

In Lebanon, very rarely are drinks served without being accompanied by food. Similar to the tapas of Spain, mezeluri of Romania, 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 or raw vegetables, hummus, baba ghanouj 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.

Fresh vegetables, fruit, legumes, low-fat dairy products, fish, nuts and seeds are the foundation of Lebanese cuisine. Many staples of the Lebanese diet, including olive oil, a variety of nuts, stuffed vegetables, yogurt as well as baklava derived from Ottoman influences. Fresh ingredients are enhanced with herbs and spices instead of heavy sauces. The most common seasonings in Lebanese cuisine include mint, parsley, oregano, garlic, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Fresh fruits and vegetables are consumed in much larger portions than meats in the Lebanese diet, and flat bread or pita is eaten at nearly every meal.

You can get a variety of Lebanese dishes bursting with the flavors indigenous to Mediterranean countries. Lebanese dishes, including hummus, falafel and baba ganoosh, are made from fresh ingredients that are naturally low in fat and olive oil is used instead of the butter or cream. Lebanese cuisine can help you eat better as part of a healthy lifestyle. 

FATTAUSH

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

    2 to 4                        pita breads

    1 head                      Iceberg lettuce

    1/2                             red onion

    4                                 tomatoes

    1                                 cucumber

    1                                 cup mint leaves

    3 to 4 Tbsp.            Lemon Vinaigrette or similar salad dressing

    1/2 cup                    crumbled feta cheese

    12 to 24                   Kalamata or similar black olives

  

Preparation: 

• Toast pita breads, cool, and break into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
• Tear or chop lettuce into bite-size pieces, wash and dry lettuce, put leaves in a very large bowl.
• Thinly slice red onion and add to lettuce.
• Chop tomatoes and add to lettuce.
• Peel cucumber, if you like. Cut in half lengthwise. Spoon out seeds, if you like, cut into thin half-moons, and add to lettuce.
• Cut mint into ribbons, and add to lettuce.
• Add pita pieces to lettuce. Drizzle salad mixture with Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette and toss thoroughly.
• Divide salad between serving plates to arrange on a large platter. Top with crumbled feta cheese and olives, if you like.

MEZZEH PLATTER

Muhammara is a spicy red pepper dip. It is east to make and can be served warm or cold. I suggest serving with toasted pita wedges or fresh veggies.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3                          red bell peppers
• 1 medium        yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 cup             olive oil
• 1/2 cup             breadcrumbs
• 3/4 cup            walnuts, crushed
• 1 1/2 tab          chili powder, or 1 fresh Fresno chile, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place whole red peppers on greased baking sheet. Roast for about 10-12 minutes, turning approximately every 4 minutes.

In the meantime, place breadcrumbs in food processor and add 2 tablespoons of cold water. Blend to make a puree. Add more water as needed.

Remove peppers from oven and peel off skin. Cut open and remove seeds. Cut into pieces and add to breadcrumbs mixture in food processor.

In a small saute pan, saute onions until lightly browned. Add sauteed onions and olive oil to food processor and blend to a dip consistency.

Add remaining ingredients and blend, adding olive oil as needed. 

Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz                can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup               liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tsp                lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tsp             tahini
• 2                            cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon    salt
• 2 tablespoons  olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth. 

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

  

Labneh 

Ingredients

•  (600 g)      thick  yogurt
• 1 tsp            salt
• various seasoning
• a cheesecloth
• a sieve
• a bowl

Instructions :

1. Put a sieve onto a bowl and spread cheesecloth over it. Combine yogurt with salt. Put the mixture into the prepared sieve. Put it into a bowl and into the refrigerator. Let it drain for two days.
2. Remove the drained yogurt from the cloth, shape it into little balls and roll the into various herbs, spices, nuts. You can also marinate it in a mixture of olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs. Or leave it as a spread, without shaping into balls.

Tabaouleh

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches of fresh parsley (1 1/2 cup chopped, with stems discarded)
• 2 tablespoons of fresh mint, chopped
• I medium onion, finely chopped
• 6 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup bulghur, medium grade
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Romaine lettuce or grape leaves to line serving bowl (optional)

Preparation:

Soak bulghur in cold water for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until soft.

Squeeze out excess water from bulghur using hands or paper towel.

Combine all ingredients, except for salt, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Line serving bowl with grape leaves or romaine lettuce, and add salad.

Sprinkle olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper on top.

GREEK BANANAS WITH ROSE PETAL ICE CREAM

Ingredients

• 8 medium bananas
• 2 teaspoons lemon jui2/3 cup od self rising flour
• 2/3 cup rice flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoon light brown sugar
• oil for deep frying

How to make it

• cut bananas into chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl
• sprinkle the lemon juice over the bananas to prevent discoloration
• sift the self rising flour, rice flour, cornstarch and cinnamon, into a mixing bowl, gradually stir in the water to make a thin batter.
• heat the oil in a wok until almost smoking then reduce the heat . slightly.
• place a piece of the banana on the end of a fork and carefully dip into the batter, draining off any excess; repeat until all are battered.
• Melt the sugar and make a thick syrup
• carefully place the banana pieces in the sugar syrup till it get coated. serve along with Rose petal ice-cream

Easy Dairy-Free Joy this Summer!!!

Everyone's favorite way to beat the heat is with a nice and cold treat. But, ice cream isn't the only choice for summer sweets. Sorbet, a frozen dessert typically made with ice and fruit juice, is a healthier way to cool off. Whether you are interested in making sorbet from scratch or using store-bought sorbet to create an entirely new concoction, it’s time for fruit sorbet!

A perfect dessert, easily homemade and with less calories and lower fat content than ice creams and sundaes.

Sorbet is a frozen dessert made from frozen sugar water and fresh fruit. It is naturally fat free and includes all of the benefits of eating fruit, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

­­­­­­Minted Watermelon sorbet

Watermelon, a classic summer treat, is delicious in juicy slices, but I took it to a whole new level with this frozen watermelon and mint sorbet. The sorbet consists almost primarily :

Ingredients

1 cups of sugar
2 cups of water
2 qts. Watermelon

1 tbsp Mint
2 tbsp. lemon juice - freshly squeezed


Method:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes until a syrup forms.
2. Add the watermelon, chopped mint, lemon juice to the syrup.
3. Puree the mixture in a blender.
4. Strain the mixture with a fine strainer. Press on the solids to extract as much juice as possible.


Tips:
If you don't have an ice cream maker, you can freeze the sorbet in a covered container. Stir every half-hour so the mixture doesn't freeze into a solid block. 

Orange Cinnamon Sorbet

To beat the recent heat craze and hot waves, let's take a step to prepare some really cold and refreshing dessert for the family to cool down the heat.........

But for this post I will be sharing the recipe on Orange Cinnamon Sorbet because now it is the peak season where you can get really huge and sweet oranges to make yummy dessert.

Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water ( just boil and chill)

2 oranges

½ cup frozen orange juice concentrate

½ cup lemon Juice

1 stick cinnamon

Grated “zest” from orange

Method:

1. Scoop orange pulp from skin. Puree in blender. Blend together.
2. Cooled syrup, orange pulp, frozen orange juice and lemon juice. Grated cinnamon.
3. Freeze in Metal container. Remove from freezer and return to blender.
4. Blend until smooth. Add orange zest. Blend.
5. Return to freezer in individual servings dishes or glasses.

Tips: may serve in scoop of orange halves

Don't worry about whether this sorbet is being strongly infused with cinnamon taste. I can guarantee you that it’s only a very mild fragrant that act as a finishing touch to balance the citrus taste. But by all means if you just want a pure orange sorbet you can always omit the cinnamon stick.

Grape Sorbet

Grape Sorbet has a average-calorie, average-carb, low-fat and low-protein content. It is a good source of Vitamin C. 

The food contains 41.8g of carbs. The carbohydrate profile of the the food reveals it is low in complex carbs and high in Simple carbs. Carbs are our primary source of energy but its source should be chosen with utmost care. Complex carbs are a more desirable addition to your diet, where as simple carbs should be consumed in moderation as it is very easily broken down, assimilated and absorbed in the body. With 1.1 gms of protein, it is low in protein content, which is an important macronutrient that helps with tissue repair, provides energy and improves immunity.

Not only that, the low fat content of this product makes it suitable to be eaten when trying to lose weight. 

It is also rich in Vitamin C, whose benefits includes, but is not limited to protection against immune system deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and even skin wrinkling.

It has a low density of Sodium, thus making it suitable for a low-sodium diet. 

Based on the composite nutritive standing Black Grape Sorbet has been given a composite ranking of 71, and in moderation. 

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar

3 cup grape juice

½ Soda

2 tblsp lemon juice

1 ½  tsp grated lemon peel

1 cup sprite

Method

1. In a small saucepan, dissolve sugar in ¼ cup of water. Bring to boiling.
2. stir and boil for 1 minute. Cool to room temperature.
3. Puree grape juice in food processor. Pass puree through strainer.( 3 cups of puree)
4. stir soda, lemon juice, lemon peel and sugar syrup. Refrigarate until very cold. Add sprite.
5. Pour into freezer container . Freeze until firm and slushy.                   

Tips: Top with grape halves.

Lemon Sorbet

A lovely refreshing lemon sorbet that's good enough to be served at dinner parties and surely a welcome cooling any day dessert for hot summer days.

Ingredients

    1 lemon's peel, finely diced 

    1 cup water 

    1/2 cup sugar 

    1/2 cup lemon juice 

    1/2 cup mineral water 

    6 strips of lemon zest, for garnish

 Directions

1.  In a saucepan, stir together the diced lemon peel, 1 cup of water and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool.

2. In a pitcher or bowl, stir together the lemon syrup with peel, lemon juice and mineral water.

3. If you do not have an ice cream maker, you may freeze it in a tall canister. Freeze for 1 1/2 hours. Remove and stir with a whisk. Return to the freezer and stir about once every hour for about 4 hours. The more times you stir, the more air will be incorporated, resulting in a lighter finished product.

It's intensely flavoured with a nice smooth texture. I like the bits of zest, they give it a more interesting texture.

Mango Sorbet with Lime and Chili

Mangoes contain the anti-oxidant compounds quercetin, isoquercetin, astragalin, fisetin, gallic acid and methylgallat as well as being packed full of enzymes. These compounds have been found to be beneficial in warding off a range of cancers – colon, breast, leukemia, and prostate cancers.

It also has tartaric acid, malic acid, and citric acid, all of which contribute to bringing about an alkaline condition in your body.

In addition Mango is good for the eyes, helps lower cholesterol and clears the skin.

Ingredients

3 large mangos, peeled and pitted and chopped into chunks

2 cups sugar water syrup.

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 tablespoon chili powder, plus extra for garnish

salt

Method:

Place the mango chunks in the food processor and puree until smooth. You should have about 3 cups of puree. Place the 3 cups of puree in a mixing bowl and stir in the simple syrup, lime juice, and chili powder. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish and place in the freezer. Freeze for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.

Transfer the sorbet to a freezable container and freeze until firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

Serve cold, sprinkled with a little coarse salt and more chili powder, if desired.