Makanek sausages
Here is what I’d do if I had no Lebanese or Armenian butcher nearby who could make these delicious sausages. I’d simply get another, similar, type of sausage and fix them the Lebanese way: Fried or grilled and drizzled with a touch of pomegranate molasses.
These tiny sausages called makanek are made with lamb or beef or a combo and are spicy without being hot; they are redolent of clove, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, black and white pepper, and lots of other spices to the butcher’s discretion. A friend in Beirut makes these with ground meat and lots of spices, but not in a sausage shape, more like a hash. I found them at my neighborhood Middle-Eastern store in Dallas (which has a butcher shop as well). Unfortunately, not as addictive as the ones I can get in Beirut from our trusted butcher.
This is Mr. Kibbeh, owner of a famous hole-in-the-wall eatery in Beirut; when we walked in and my friend told him that I was from America, he pointed to a couple of CNN write-ups (Best Breakfast in the world) pasted on his walls. A delightful man in his early sixties, he had been in the business for 51 years and, as he told me, still enjoys it! Both his father and grandfather had been fawwals, the word given to those who specialise in making ful, that traditional fava bean soup; they operated in the street downtown, but he had to relocate during the Civil War and had been in this part of town for decades, in a mortar and brick shop. He told us he’d been offered to open a franchise in Dubai, but turned it down, as he was not willing to lose his freedom. His lifestyle suited him, he’d open for business at 6 AM and close at 1PM, heading to the mountains, every day.
As soon as we sat down, plates of olives, fresh mint sprigs, sliced tomatoes, onions, pickled turnips and pita bread were offered. We felt like we were back in the old Beirut, where one could eat the most delicious foods for a song, served by folks who had a smile on their face and a genuine warmth, making us feel so welcome. 
We were happy and quickly satiated with the vegetarian offerings, like the hummus fatteh, the ful mudammas, and the eggplant dip; we turned down the sweetbreads and lamb offals that the shop is famous for. I told the owner with sincerity, “if I could write poetry, I’d write a poem about your food”, which put a wide grin on his face.
Comments
13 Comments • Comments Feed
Rosa says:
Mouthwatering! Lebanese food is so scrumptious.
Cheers,
Rosa
On January 30, 2014 at 1:11 pm
Belinda @zomppa says:
What an amazing process!
On January 30, 2014 at 9:02 pm
Simona says:
Hi! It looks so delicious. Where in Beirut can we find this “restaurant”?
On January 31, 2014 at 12:13 am
Joumana says:
@Simona: it is called El Soussi and is located in Mussaitbé. I don’t have the exact street address, but people know it in the area; once you go to Mar Elias, tallet Shéhadé. I doubt they have a website, but I will check/ and let you know.
here http://www.beirut.com/l/23104
On January 31, 2014 at 8:54 am
Gabi says:
Were the place in my neighbourhood, I would be a regular. Definitely. This looks so good and delicious, No poems, I’ld just eat and eat.
I’ve no chance to find makanek. Would a merguez be suitable? Never thought of combining it with pomegranate molasses. But there is a first time for everything, as the saying goes.
On February 1, 2014 at 1:28 pm
Joumana says:
@Gabi: It would be perfect with merguez!!!! (love merguez!)
On February 2, 2014 at 3:34 am
T.W. Barritt says:
Love the visit to Mr. Kibbeh’s place!
On February 2, 2014 at 7:01 am
Velva says:
Butchers are a dying breed here in the U.S.. What I would do to have a local butcher.
The sausages are no doubt delicious and the experience of eating at the hole in the wall is no less thank divine.
Velva
On February 2, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Oui, Chef says:
I love the blend of spices in these sausages, a little sweet, a little hot….YUM!
On February 5, 2014 at 12:02 pm
Nuts about food says:
Noted: next time I make sausages, pomegranate molasses it is!
On February 6, 2014 at 3:20 am
Alicia says:
I was looking for aditional information to complete my post of Libanon and your articule took me back to Beirut. Thank you for sharing your experience.
On October 8, 2018 at 9:01 am
Tee says:
What is the ‘famous hole-in-the-walls’ name? It’s certainly isn’t Mr. kibbeh or is it 🤔?
On August 3, 2019 at 10:55 am
Robert Dib Malouf says:
I hope you can conclude from my last name, that I also belong to the Syrian, Lebanese Club. I have lived in many countries in the M.E. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, K.S.A. the U.A.E. in Abu Dhabi, Iran, Turkey. I found each and every one of those countries have better food than the others when your eating it in that moment, how do you choose the best, they are all fantastic. I also lived in Spain and what food they have there, but truly in my unqualified opinion nothing beats a whopper.
On April 9, 2021 at 5:59 pm