Tag: Western Asian
Lebanese Tabbouleh
Lebanese Tabbouleh
When you think about most of the tabbouleh you’ve eaten at a Mediterranean or Middle Eastern restaurant, you think of a heavily bulgur dominated salad with a little bit of chopped mint and parsley. Lebanese tabbouleh is quite the opposite; being an herbaceous parsley and mint salad with garlic, tomatoes, green onions, with a little bit of bulgur. This type of tabbouleh pairs great with grilled steaks; allowing the acidity of the lemon juice to cut through the richness of beef. You can also serve the tabbouleh inside romaine lettuce leaf hearts.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fine bulgur wheat
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 lemons juiced
- 2 cups flat leaf parsley chopped
- 1/2 cup mint chopped
- 8 oz cherry or grape tomatoes finely chopped
- 5 green onions finely chopped
- salt to taste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- romaine lettuce hearts for serving
Instructions
- Soak the bulgur in a cup of water for 20 minutes until softened. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer.
- Mix the bulgur the parsley, mint, tomatoes, green onions, garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Let marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Right before serving, toss the tabbouleh with the olive oil.
Fattoush Salad
Fattoush Salad
Fattoush is a Lebanese bread salad. The bread in question is pita bread that’s been brushed with a dressing of pomegranate molasses and sumac, then toasted in the oven. The toasted pita croutons are crumbled into a salad of romaine, cherry tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, green onions, fresh mint, and parsley. All of this is tossed in the pomegranate dressing. This salad can be eaten as a side and is even hearty enough as a main course.
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce washed and chopped
- 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 small Persian cucumbers thinly sliced
- 4 radishes thinly sliced
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 large pita bread sliced in half
Dressing
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp sumac
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Mix together the dressing ingredients.
- Turn on your oven’s broiler. Brush the top side of the split pita bread with the dressing.
- Broil for 1-2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, toss the salad ingredients together with the lemon juice.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss again.
- Crumble the toasted pita into the salad and toss.
Beef Kafta
Beef Kafta
Every country in the Middle East has their version of this recipe; whether it is called kofta, kefta, koobideh, or kafta. Lebanese beef kafta consists of heavily seasoned ground beef formed into oval shaped patties, not formed onto skewers, and are either grilled or broiled. The kafta are served with Lebanese rice, pita, and a salad.
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/4 cup parsley chopped
- 1/2 medium onion diced
- 2 tsp 7 spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place the onions and parsley in a food processor. Pulse until everything is finely chopped.
- Mix together all of the ingredients.
- Turn on your oven’s broiler. Portion out the beef into 6 portions. Shape into a flattened oval shape. Place the kafta on a rack on a baking sheet lined in foil.
- Broil the kafta for 5-6 minutes a side.
Lebanese 7 Spice
In the Arabic world, the word “baharat” translates to spices. Lebanese 7 spice is referred to as baharat, as the word is used interchangeably. The spice blend consists of allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, cloves, and nutmeg. Other variations of the spice can include cardamom, paprika, ginger, and ground fenugreek seeds. 7 spice is used in numerous dishes such as beef kafta, stuffed grape leaves, rices, stews, and much more.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp allspice
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Mix all of the spices together.
