Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Lebanon

Lebanon’s food is built around mezze capital of the Levant: bright salads, dips, grilled meats and arak, eaten leisurely and always shared. Look for Hummus (silky chickpea-tahini dip pooled with olive oil, scooped with pita), Tabbouleh (parsley-dominant salad with bulgur, mint, tomato and lemon) and Kibbeh (national dish of pounded bulgur and lamb, fried, baked or raw). Chickpea and tahini purée recorded in thirteenth-century Arabic cookbooks; Lebanon and Israel have staged rival record-breaking platters since 2009. This atlas has 53 Lebanon dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

53 dishes.

MujaddaraMujaddaralentils and rice crowned with caramelised onions; humble everyday stapleRiz bi haleebRiz bi haleebCold rice pudding scented with orange blossom or mastic, eaten from small bowls.SahlabSahlabwarm thickened milk drink topped with cinnamon, coconut and nutsSalatet rahebSalatet rahebCharred aubergine chopped with tomato, onion, parsley, lemon and olive oil.Samke harraSamke harrabaked fish under a hot sauce of tahini, chilli, coriander and walnutSfihaSfihaopen-faced spiced meat pies with pomegranate tang; Baalbek's prideSfoufSfoufgolden turmeric-semolina cake studded with pine nutsShanklishShanklishpungent aged cheese balls rolled in za'atar, eaten with tomato and onionShawarmaShawarmaStacked marinated meat shaved from a vertical spit into thin bread with garlic sauce.Shish taoukShish taoukgarlicky yoghurt-marinated chicken skewers served with toumTabboulehTabboulehparsley-dominant salad with bulgur, mint, tomato and lemonTaratorTaratortahini loosened with lemon, garlic and water, poured over fish and falafelTermosTermosSalt-brined lupin beans popped from their skins, eaten cold on the corniche.ToumToumfluffy whipped garlic emulsion served with grilled chickenWarak enabWarak enabvine leaves rolled around rice and meat, simmered with lemonWhite coffeeWhite coffeehot water scented with orange blossom, drunk after dinner; no coffee at allZnoud el sitZnoud el sitfilo rolls filled with ashta cream, fried and dipped in syrup

  • Debs w rashi

    Grape molasses swirled into tahini and scooped up with bread. Ready in 5 minutes prep and none cooking. Serves 4.…

  • Darfiyeh

    Goat cheese aged inside a goatskin, dense and strongly flavoured. A cheese & dairy recipe from Lebanon.

  • Fattoush

    Crisp salad with toasted pita shards, purslane and sumac dressing. Ready in 25 min prep and 10 min cooking. 6…

  • Fatteh

    Chickpeas, torn pita and warm yoghurt topped with fried nuts. Ready in 20 min prep and 1 hr 30 min…

  • Foul mdammas

    Stewed fava beans with lemon, garlic and olive oil. Ready in 15 minutes prep and 2 hours, or 10 minutes…

  • Jallab

    Date-grape molasses drink with rosewater, pine nuts and crushed ice. 10 min to prepare. 4 glasses. A drink recipe from…

  • Kaak

    Sesame purse-shaped bread from carts, stuffed with cheese or za’atar. Ready in 40 min prep and 20 min cooking. 8…

  • Kabees

    Brined turnips dyed pink with beetroot, plus cucumbers and wild cucumber. 30 min to prepare. Fills 2 × 1-litre jars.…

  • Kafta

    Minced lamb with parsley and onion, grilled or baked with potatoes. Ready in 30 min prep and 20 min cooking.…

  • Kallaj

    Thin pastry sheets fried with cheese and soaked in syrup, eaten in Ramadan. Ready in 20 min prep and 20…