Mujadara
I had heard about this dish before; friends would say ” Oh, it is my favorite mujaddara” . I knew it was a specialty from the south of Lebanon and is called mujaddra hamra and I knew it was made with burgul instead of the rice we used at...
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Pear Cupcakes
I made this in Beirut last summer when we received a bushelful of pears from our orchard. It is really easy to make and taste delicious and light. I made it again yesterday in the shape of cupcakes. Apparently, the cupcake craze has reached Beirut too, which prompted an...
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Bulgur salad with tomatoes and herbs
l A fellow taxi driver in Beirut was describing the kammooneh (from kammoon, cumin) and talking about his village in the south, near the border with Israel. He was mentioning the delicious cumin spice that goes in that dish. My curiosity was piqued and I was planning to try it....
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Kibbé, Besharri-style
This past summer, I sat down with Thérèse, who works as a cook for a few lucky families, and watched her make kibbé, Besharri-style. This is the town that she comes from and this is where she learned this method. Besharri is a village in the north of Lebanon, most...
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Spaghetti Squash in Sage and Pistachio sauce
I know: You are off carbs and that’s it! Well, here is a way to eat a delightful vegetable and feel healthy doing it! Ever had spaghetti squash? Unassuming, when you cut it open it will reveal strands of spaghetti-like filaments. The taste is subtle and fresh and light....
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Pumpkin Hummus
In the US, when you say pumpkin, one immediately pictures a creamy sweet and luscious pumpkin pie. In the Levant, although we do have a pumpkin confection, pumpkin is also savory. This is a dip and is prepared just like the hummus be-tahini. It has the same lilting flavor...
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Pico de Gallo
Living in Texas I have grown quite fond of Mexican and so-called Tex-Mex cuisine. I love it. So, as I was preparing this mujaddara it occurred to me that a fresh pico de gallo to eat it with would be the most compatible pairing. I mean, mujaddara is supposed...
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Orange jelly
بمناسبه عيدالفطرالمبارك كل عام وانتم بخير This is a recipe that I clipped from a French weekly magazine Femme Actuelle of last month called Gelée d’orange au miel et fleur d’oranger. The recipe could not be simpler and uses fresh orange juice, honey, orange blossom water and agar-agar. Turns...
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Cake with molasses (Sfoof)
What would you say about eating a slice of cake that was rich, moist, and tasted of butterscotch,without worrying about raising your blood sugar, or rotting your teeth? The answer is sfoof , but made with carob molasses. Sfoof is one of those popular cakes that used to be...
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