This delicious recipe for meat and bulgur balls in yoghurt (kibbeh labaniyya) is a real change from the tomato-based European (Italian) and South Asian (Indian and Burmese) meatball recipes we have made before, and has a pleasingly tangy flavour profile from the natural yoghurt. The recipe is from Ghillie Başan’s The Lebanese Cookbook and is ... Read more »
The Levant is a region long known for the largesse of its hospitality. In The Lebanese Cookbook, Ghillie Başan explores the foods and traditions of a swathe of the Fertile Crescent that takes in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. Başan spent many years living and working in the Middle East (as well as Europe, North ... Read more »
I know I’m not alone in missing international travel, which is naturally hugely affected by this awful Covid pandemic we are experiencing all around the world. A great way to travel in one’s imagination is to cook and eat dishes from other countries, celebrating international cuisine and travelling by way of our bellies. Here, I ... Read more »
In the UK, molasses usually refers to black treacle, a viscous by-product of the refined sugar industry, made from sugarcane and sugar beet. But in other parts of the world, such sweet sticky syrups are made from a variety of fruits including grapes, dates, pomegranates and carob. Some, like pomegranate and date molasses, have become ... Read more »
I developed this recipe when writing a piece about Carob Molasses. Carob molasses mixed with tahini are a common dessert in Lebanon, often served with bread to dip. Using the combination in chocolate brownies was the idea of wonderful Beiruti blogger, Joumana Accad. The malty caramel flavour of carob molasses and the delicious sesame of ... Read more »
In a quiet road in the heart of Fitzrovia, Le Menar offers a modern approach to North African and Middle Eastern cuisine. The menu, developed by head chef Vernon Samuels, is predominantly Moroccan with a few Lebanese contributions and is so full of temptations that another visit is definitely on the cards to try the ... Read more »
I can’t claim to be an expert in Lebanese food; not even close. It’s not even a cuisine I’ve cooked much at home. But I did spend a most wonderful holiday in Lebanon a few years ago, in which our entire focus was to enjoy the delights of the Lebanese table. Under the wing of ... Read more »
Whilst there’s something to be said for leaving well alone when you know the quality of the meat is good, sometimes it’s nice to add a little extra flavour to a roast dinner. I made a very quick and simple za’atar and sumac rub for this beautiful half leg of organic Welsh lamb from Graig ... Read more »
Southern Lebanon is not much visited by tourists, given its volatility. Only a few days ago, six Italian soldiers were hurt in a bomb attack on the main highway near Saida (Sidon). Less than two weeks before that, there were 11 fatalities and many injuries, during clashes at the Lebanese Israeli border. The region is ... Read more »
What comes to mind for you when I ask you to think about Lebanon? Is it the mass exodus of Palestinian refugees into Lebanon during the Arab-Israeli war of 1948? Is it the Lebanese civil war, which lasted from 1975 to 1990, during which Beirut in particular was so often on the news? Internal conflict ... Read more »
The Place of Onions, in old Lille. After last night’s rainstorm the intense sticky heat has broken and today is cool, breezy, fresh… I love it! A drop of… [more]
We went to Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire at The Void this morning, an amazing VR experience where we got to be Rebel Alliance members going undercover as… [more]