Whether you’re planning a dinner party here or just want to learn a few classic local dishes so you can show off to your friends back home, the best place to start Arabic cookery is with simple mezze. We’ve picked the brains of Foaud Abu Zeid, who can usually be found in the kitchen of the One to One Hotel’s Lebanese restaurant, Sahriye. There are plenty of different ways you can make these traditional dishes, but here are Fouad’s favourite variations.
Houmous
Serves four
Ingredients
1kg boiled chickpeas
350g sesame paste
30g salt
30g lemon salt
100g corn oil
1 small cup crushed ice
Method of preparation
Mix the chickpeas with a little of the ice. Then put the sesame paste, salt, lemon salt, corn oil and rest of the ice together. Mix and serve cold.
Moutabel
Serves four
Ingredients
1kg eggplant, roasted
300g sesame paste
15g minced garlic
15g salt
30g lemon salt
1 small cup crushed ice
Method of preparation
First mince the eggplant until it’s soft and pulpy. Then combine with all the other items and serve cold.
Tabouleh
Serves four
Ingredients
3 cups chopped parsley
1½ cup sliced tomatoes
1 cup diced white onions
1 tsp salt
5 tbsp lemon juice
5 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp crushed red wheat (burgul)
4 leaves romaine lettuce
Method of preparation
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them together gently. Serve the mixed salad on a plate with a bed of romaine lettuce.
Raw kibeh
Serves four
Ingredients
200g ground lamb meat
1 cup white onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp salt and pepper
1 cup crushed white wheat (burgul) Iced water (for kneading the mix)
Method of preparation
Combine all the above ingredients gently. Serve the raw kibeh on a plate with mint and onion leaves.
