Lebanese cuisine, considered to be one of the healthiest and most diverse in the Middle East, is also perhaps the best known of all cuisines in the Arab world. Nearly everyone has heard of or tried Tabbouleh salad, which is made from bulgur, or the wonderful cream pudding ashtalieh.
But there are also several not-so-famous Lebanese recipes, which are easy and quick to make. That is why we've chosen 3 lesser known Lebanese dishes you can make anytime:
Salad with Tomatoes and Bulgur
Ingredients: 3 tomatoes, 1 bunch parsley, 1 bunch green onions, 2 garlic cloves, 4 tbsp bulgur, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2-3 slices of lemon, 3 tbsp olive oil, several leaves of fresh spearmint, salt to taste.
Preparation: Wash the tomatoes, dice them and put them in a bowl. To them add the finely chopped green onions and parsley. Parboil the bulgur for 7 to 8 min., drain it and add it to the salad. Make a dressing from the pressed garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and salt, pour it over the salad and stir everything. Decorate with spearmint leaves and serve. Optionally, you can also add diced feta cheese.
Aromatic Lebanese-Style Potatoes
Ingredients: 24.5 oz potatoes, 1 onion head, 2 garlic cloves, 2 cups peeled tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato paste, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 1/5 cups canned chickpeas, several leaves fresh coriander, salt to taste.
Preparation: Braise the pressed garlic and sliced onions in the olive oil; to them add the finely chopped coriander. Also add the coarsely chopped potatoes and braise everything until browned. Once they're nearly ready, throw in the diced tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste and about 2 cups of water. Saute the dish until the ingredients are fully cooked, season with salt and add the chickpeas. Leave it on low heat for about 3 min. and then serve garnished with several leaves of coriander. Optionally, you can add cumin.
Lebanese Sfuf Dessert
Ingredients: 2 cups flour, 3 cups fine corn semolina, 2 cups sugar, 6 tbsp powdered dry milk, 3 tbsp turmeric, 2 tbsp powdered anise, 1 pinch anise seeds, 3 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup oil, 2 cups water.
Preparation: Boil the water with the anise seeds for about 5 min., strain and leave it to cool. In a suitable container, mix the flour, powdered dry milk, sugar, corn semolina, baking powder, turmeric and powdered anise. Mix everything, add the strained water and oil and stir once again. The goal is to obtain a mixture with the consistency of cake batter, then pour it into an oiled tray and bake about 50 min. in a preheated 320°F (160 °C) oven.
