A menu featuring over 80 items can leave the uninitiated feeling a tad intimidated and confused. Sara Taher takes a closer look at how to tackle these little dishes and highlights the ones you shouldn’t miss
Living in the Gulf, many of you have probably chanced upon a Lebanese restaurant. The menu usually includes a wealth of little dishes laid out for sharing and is often so full with choice, it could leave you at a loss. For those of you without a guide to help you navigate, here are the mezze basics to help you order and enjoy your meal.
Mezze is the term used for little hot and cold appetizers usually served in Middle Eastern cuisine. They can be served for any meal, and the tradition is meant to unite people around the table in a spirit of sharing. The term itself has origins from Greek, Persian and Turkish roots; all essentially implying tasting or little snacks.
In most Arabic restaurants today, the menu will include staple mezze dishes, as well as variations depending on the region. The mezze usually make up the starters of the meal and are followed by grilled meats, poultry or fish. While there are many staples in the mezze menu, such as hummus and fattoush, there are also other variations such as fish kibbeh or beetroot hummus.
The usual suspects
Cold mezze items are usually vegetarian and prepared in olive oil, although raw meat is sometimes served as well. The most common contenders are the salads fattoush and tabbouleh. Lovers of rocket should also try the rocca salad, which is extremely healthy and low in calories. One of the popular items served with olive oil are vine leaves, which are vegetarian and stuffed with rice and tomatoes. A cautionary note: they are very filling so sample them sparingly if you have ordered a large meal.
Cold starters also include the famous dips hummus and baba ganoush (aubergine). These can be eaten with bread or vegetables and some are used to garnish the grilled meats that follow as a main.
Hot starters include a wide variety of vegetarian and meat dishes. Fried kibbeh is very popular and pairs well with hummus. There are also many dishes featuring hot yoghurt (laban) and our favourite is the vegetarian fatet laban. This dish can be served in many variations; some incorporate aubergine chunks while others use minced meat or even chicken.
To get a full culinary experience we recommend trying the following items for less traditional tastes.
Shanklish: This dish is a mix of onions, herbs, parsley, tomatoes and shanklish cheese. Each venue will serve a different variation, depending on the nationality of the chef. Drizzle over a good glug of olive oil and pick up mouthfuls with Arabic bread.
Hindbeh: This green leaf is not always available, however lovers of strong tasting vegetables like rocket will rave about this dish. The vegetable is boiled and served with onions. Sprinkle on some lemon and eat with Arabic bread.
Habra: This dish consists of raw goat fat. It might not sound appealing but it is packed with flavour. It is served as little cubes, and you should pair it with raw garlic, olive oil and Arabic bread. As it is pure fat, it is not the healthiest of items, so you should have it sparingly.
Mohamara: Spice lovers should not miss this wonder. It is a bright red dip that is packed with chillies and goes great with any grilled mains you may be ordering.
Enjoy excellent mezze around Abu Dhabi
You can barely walk the length of a block in Abu Dhabi without coming across a Lebanese restaurant. Here are some of our favourites for those little dishes
Awtar
This established eatery has a host of delicious mezze plates and we really loved the shanklish. They prepare the dish with Syrian zaatar, which has a distinct taste because the mix usually contains more cumin and lemon. They also serve excellent shish taouk; chicken marinated with garlic and served with a garlic dipping sauce.
Al Bahria Street, Tourist Club Area (02 644 1551).
Zyara
This cute venue has just introduced a new lunchtime mezze special, where you can choose from a host of hot and cold options. We particularly loved the vegetarian aubergine stew, as well as the stuffed vine leaves. At Dhs70 a person, the choices are immense and definitely worth the trip!
East Corniche Street, next to the Hilton Corniche Residence, Al Markaziyah (02 627 5006).
Mawaweel
This little eatery has a host of regulars because the food and service are superb. The serving portions are generous and the mezze options were so good, they warranted many return visits. We are big fans of the chicken livers and the spicy sausages called makanek, served with a sour pomegranate sauce.
Near Al Safeer Centre, Mohammed Bin Zayed City (02 639 1333).
Mawal
This venue adds to the experience by featuring live entertainment in the evenings. Open until late, it is a great spot to try if you would like to sample the true Lebanese experience. The food is excellent and we find the kibbeh nayeh here to be one of the best in the city. Don’t leave without trying the lamb chops.
Hilton Abu Dhabi, Al Khubeirah (02 681 1900).
Chef’s choice
We spoke to sous chef Walid El Sayed at Sofra Bld about mezze
What do you recommend from a large mezze menu?
People should definitely try the fattoush, tabbouleh, hummus, kibbeh and cheese pastries.
What ingredients do you always need in the kitchen to make mezze items?
Tahini is the most important one! You also need olive oil, onions, Arabic bread, tomatoes, parsley, cumin, lemons as well as the vegetables and meats you intend to cook with. But those are definitely crucial in the kitchen!
If a person wanted to try something a little different, what would you recommend?
There are three types of hummus that everyone should try; one is served with chopped nuts, one is mixed in with parsley leaves, and one is prepared with beetroot. The flavours differ from dish to dish and hummus is great because you can play around with so many ingredients to enhance it.
Sofra Bld, Shangri-La Hotel Qaryat Al Beri, Bain Al Jessrain (02 509 8555).
Mezze recipes to try at home
Try out these recipes at home to serve as healthy starters
Baba ganoush
Ingredients
1 large aubergine
¼ cup tahini
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 pinch ground cumin
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
¼ cup brine-cured black olives, such as Kalamata
Salt to taste
Preparation
1. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill.
2. Preheat an oven to 375°F.
3. Prick the aubergine with a fork in several places and place on the grill rack four-five inches from the fire.
4. Grill, turning frequently, until the skin blackens and blisters and the flesh just begins to feel soft, for 10-15 minutes.
5. Transfer the aubergine to a baking sheet and bake until very soft for 15-20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly and peel off and discard the skin.
7. Place the aubergine flesh in a bowl and using a fork, mash the aubergine to a paste.
8. Add the tahini, the garlic, the lemon juice and the cumin and mix well.
9. Season with salt, then taste and add more tahini and/or lemon juice, if needed.
10. Transfer the mixture to a serving bowl and spread with the back of a spoon to form a shallow well.
11. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and sprinkle with the parsley.
12. Place the olives around the sides to decorate.
13. Serve at room temperature.
Fateh
Ingredients
5 cups plain yoghurt
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp tahini paste
½ tsp salt
3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
1 tsp cumin
2 Lebanese/pita bread, toasted (you can also fry the bread if you prefer but it is healthier toasted)
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
Preparation
1. In a bowl whisk together yoghurt, garlic, tahini and salt and set aside.
2. Boil chickpeas with water for five-eight minutes.
3. Drain and sprinkle with cumin.
4. To serve, layer toasted bread, chickpeas and yoghurt sauce in a serving dish and garnish with pine nuts.
