Recipe: Some Lebanese recipes for Nickie - Falafel, Stuffed Vine Leaves, Baba Ghanoush, Fool Moudamas, Houmus, Arnabeet Arnabieh, Kibbeh Arnabieh, Kibbeh Meklieh, Malfoof, Koosa Mehshe, Chicken Shawarma

I love lebanese cooking. It is one of my favorites! Here you have a selection of some of my preferred dishes.

Falafel
Serves 4 - 6

1 cup dried broad beans
1 cup dried chick peas
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 cloves of garlic crushed
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbs ground cumin
1 onion chopped
1/2 cup fresh coriander chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley chopped
1/4 tsp mixed spices
Salt & pepper

The mixed spices used here are the traditional 7 spices' you can buy off the shelf. Soak the beans and the chick peas in water and bicarbonate of soda overnight or for 24 hours. Drain and wash. Put with the rest of the ingredients in a food processor, and blend till you get a soft dough like mixture. Remove and keep in the fridge for 1 hour before use. Divide and shape the mixture into small balls, the size of a wallnut. Flatten with your hand, then deep fry in hot oil till golden brown. Serve warm, rolled in pitta bread, with added salad and Tarator.

** Tips ** Tinned broad beans and chick peas work well in this recipe so if you dont have time, just use 1 tin (400g) of each.

Stuffed Vine Leaves
Serves 4

500g vine leaves fresh or (a packet of vine leaves kept in salted wter)
1 1/2 cup rice washed
1 cup parsley chopped
1/2 cup mint leaves chopped
4 small tomatoes chopped
4 spring onions chopped with their greens
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup lemon juice
2 potatoes sliced
Salt & pepper

Dip the vine leaves in boiling water for 1 minute, remove and put aside. If using the ones from the packet remove and wash a few times to get rid of the salt. Combine the rice with the herbs, onions, tomatoes, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Open the vine leaves on a board one at a time. Put 1 tsp of the mixture on each, fold in 2 sides then roll like a small cigar. Repeat till you finish all the leaves or the stuffing. Arrange the sliced potatoes in the bottom of a saucepan, then put all the stuffed vine leaves on top, cover with water. Use a plate to fit inside the saucepan as a lid, to stop the vine leaves from opening. Cook on slow heat for 1 hour or till the leaves are well cooked. Serve cold.

Baba Ghanoush
Serves 3-4

2 big aubergines
2 tbs tahini ( sesame paste )
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs yogurt
1 garlic crushed ( optional )
Salt &pepper

Make a slit in the skin of the aubergine and place under a hot grill for a few minutes on each side or until the skin blackens on all sides. Leave it to cool down, then peel the off skin, wash with cold water and put in a colander for a few minutes to get rid of all excess liquid. Put the aubergines and the other ingredients in a food processor to make into a dip, or crush the aubergines with a potato masher and mix with the other ingredients to get a rough mix . Serve cold topped with some olive oil and chopped parsley or fresh basil.

Fool Moudamas
Serves 4 - 6

2 cups of dried broad beans soaked overnight in water with 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 cloves of garlic crushed
Salt & pepper

Drain and wash the beans, put in a sauce pan with enough water to cover the beans generously. Boil, then lower the heat & cover and simmer for 2 hours, or till the beans are well cooked. Mash the beans with a potato masher, and add the rest of the ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning. Put in a serving dish with chopped parsley and olive oil on top. Serve warm with raddish spring onions and pitta bread.

Houmus
Serves 3 - 4

2 cups dry chickpeas (to be rinsed and drained before use) soaked in water and 1/2 tsp. bicarbonate of soda overnight
3 cloves of garlic crushed
1/2 cup tahini ( sesame seeds paste )
1/4 cup lemon juice
Salt & pepper

Drain the chick peas and rinse well, then put in a saucepan with plenty of water and cook over high heat till it starts boiling, then lower the heat and simmer covered for about one and a half hours, or until the chick peas are soft to the touch, alternatively, use tinned chick peas ( 2 tins of 445g each ). Drain the cooked chickpeas and put in a food processor with all other ingredients till they become a soft paste. Empty in a flat dish and decorate with some parsley leafs and drizzle with good quality olive oil. Serve with warm pitta bread.

Arnabeet Arnabieh

For the sauce:
Same as the sauce for Kibbeh Arnabeih.

Also:
1 large cauliflower cut into florets

Deep fry cauliflower till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and leave aside. Now, cook the sauce, see Kibbeh Arnabieh, for 30 - 40 mins or until oil begins to surface. Add the cauliflower and simmer for 5 mins. Serve at room temperature or hot with rice.

Kibbeh Arnabieh

For the kibbeh: Same as Kibbeh Meklieh, however, deep-fry kibbeh for only half the time.

The sauce:
1 large onion sliced
1 cup tahini
1 litre pure orange juice
1/2 cup of lemon juice
1 tbs sugar
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs pine nuts (optional)
2 chicken stock cubes
1/2 tsp mixed spices
Salt & pepper
* Important **

The mixed spices used here are the traditional '7 spices' you can buy off the shelf.

Fry the onion & pine nuts (if using them) till slightly browned. Mix in bowl the tahini, orange and lemon juice. Add to the onion and nuts and bring the boil stirring constantly. Add spices, salt, pepper and chicken cubes and simmer for 10 mins. Add the kibbeh. Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 mins (or until oil starts to surface). Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve at room temperature.

Kibbeh Meklieh
Makes aprox 20 kibbeh

For the kibbeh:

2 cups burghul
500g minced lamb
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tsp mixed spices
1 tsp mixed herbs
1 tsp cumin powder
A pinch of chilli
1/2 glass water

For the filling:
200g minced lamb
1 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 tbs pine nuts
1 tsp mixed spices
Salt & pepper

** Important **
The mixed spices used here are the traditional '7 spices' you can buy off the shelf.

To make the kibbeh: Place burghul in bowl, cover with cold water and stand for 15 mins. Drain burghul and squeeze in hands to soften. Place the lamb in food processor and mince to fine paste. Add the remainder of the ingredients (adding water a little at a time) to the blender and mix. Remove and keep aside.

To prepare the filling: Heat oil in pan, add onions and cook till soft. Add nuts, cook until lightly browned. Add lamb and spices, cook, stirring until lamb is browned. Shape 1/4 cups of kibbeh into balls using damp hands. Hollow out the centres using thumb, and place a rounded teaspoon (or more) of filling inside. Shape kibbeh into ovals. Now deep-fry the kibbeh in hot oil (in batches) until browned all over and cooked through. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve with mezze.

Malfoof
Serves 4 - 6

1 medium sized cabbage

For the filling: use the same as for the Koosa Mehshe

For the sauce:
1 450g tin of crushed tomatoes
1 large bulb of garlic seperated and peeled
4 tbs tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs butter
Salt & pepper

** Important **
The mixed spices used here are the traditional '7 spices' you can buy off the shelf .

Mix sauce ingrdients and leave aside. Seperate cabbage leaves and boil for 1 minute. Remove and drain. Spread 1 leaf at a time on a board and cut off the thick part of the stalk (keep stalk to one side). Repeat for remainder. If cabbage leaves are too big, cut into vine leaf size. Fill each leaf with 1 tbs of filling mixture and fold the sides in. Then roll like a cigar. Arrange the stalks in the bottom of a deep pan and add on top the garlic. Now stack the stuffed cabbage in the pan. Cover with a heavy plate (inside the pan to keep them in place). Add sauce ingredients and bring to the boil. Then cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Serve hot.

Koosa Mehshe
Serves 4 - 6

1 kg medium sized Mediterranean courgettes

For the filling:
300 g minced lamb
1 1/2 cups rice
1 small onion chopped
2 small tomatoes chopped
1 tsp dried mint
1 tsp mixed spices
A pinch chilli powder
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
2 tbs butter or oil
Salt & pepper

For the sauce:
1 450g tin of crushed tomatoes
4 tbs tomato paste
2 cups chicken stock
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tbs butter
Salt & pepper

** Important **
The mixed spices used here are the traditional '7 spices' you can buy off the shelf.

Hollow out courgettes. Wash and drain. Mix the stuffing ingredients together. Stuff each courgette to 3/4 full. Arrange in a deep pot and add the sauce ingredients. Bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until courgettes are cooked and sauce has thickened. Serve hot.

Chicken Shawarma
Serves 4

8 chicken thighs
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1 tsp mixed spices
1/4 ground cardamon
1/4 cup yoghurt
1 tbs oil
Salt & pepper

** Important **
The mixed spices used here are the traditional '7 spices' you can buy off the shelf.

Slice the chicken.. Marinate using all the above ingredients for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge. Put the chicken with the marinade in an oven tray and bake covered in a hot oven for 30 mins, turning once. Uncover and put back in the oven for 5 more minutes, or till the chicken is well cooked. If desired, pour out the fat for a healtier option. Serve with sliced tomatoes, onions, and chopped parsley, rolled in a pitta bread topped with Tarator, Houmus and Toum.