Hummus

A classic, can be found on almost every Lebanese dinner spread. And now I'm giving you the recipe. It's very easy, you can have it as a healthy snack or a side dish.

Ingredients:

3 cups of chickpeas (soaked over night and boiled saving the water they are boiled in/ or buy canned 24 ounces= 3 cups)
3 garlic cloves peeled and cut in half
4 tbs tahini (a sesame paste, can be found in any stores)
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup of chickpea water
1tsp salt
Olive oil to top
Paprika to garnish

To prepare chickpeas/garbanzo beans overnight:

Soak 2 cups of beans in a large bowl over night. The next day, remove from water and boil for about 30 minutes. Should make about three cups. You can cook extra and then freeze them for later use. To make the hummus, remove the chickpeas from the water but don't throw out the water, we will use it for the hummus.

To make the hummus:

Place chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, water and salt in a food processor and mix until smooth. Place in plate and serve!

You can fry some minced beef and pine nuts or just pine nuts and top it. Delicious!

Bon appétit!

Lola and Elaine

Rashta

This dish is not a typical dish you would find in Lebanese restaurants. It's an old dish, typically made in villages. I think it's perfect for our weather now, it warms you and the lentils fill you up! It's also one of my dad's favorites. I'm sure he would want this dish served in Elaine's Kitchen ;).

Ingredients:

To make the dough

2 cups whole wheat flour (you can substitute for regular flour)
1/2 tbs salt
1/2 cup water (add if necessary)

The rest of the ingredients

1 cup of brown lentils

4 cups of water
3 large onions diced
1/4 cup of olive oil

salt to taste

Time: about 45 minutes . Serves 4.

Directions:

First mix the dough ingredients and make into a ball. Let sit covered for a few minutes. Then roll it until  thin like paper.  Gently roll and cut thin slices like ribbons. separate the thin slices and spread on a floured tray (see picture). Set aside and cover with plastic wrap.

In a medium pot boil the lentils in the 4 cups of water. In the meantime, in a medium frying pan, sauté the onions in the olive oil till brown (about 15 minutes).

Once the lentils are almost fully cooked, 20-25 minutes, add onion to pot. Boil for 5 minutes then add the dough strips. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. For the spice lovers, you can add a dash of chili pepper flakes.

 Spread on tray as shown above.

Bon appétit!

Lola and Elaine

Bamia

Probably one of the easiest thing I've had to do for this blog has been choosing the first recipe. Bamia, is and always will be, my favorite dish. At least a dish I can (and you!) make without needing to go to a specialty store. This blog will serve as a safe place for me to accumulate all the recipes and dishes my mom teaches me over the course of my life, and hopefully, it will also serve as a great place for easy and accessible lebanese recipes. 

Trust me, if I can do it. You can.

Ingredients

1/2 lb of beef for stew (cubed)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

1 medium sized onion

1 12-ounce bag of whole okra 

3 medium tomatoes 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

Salt and Pepper 

Olive oil

Time: An hour and 20 minutes. Serves 4.

Directions:

In a large pot, brown meat in two tablespoons of olive oil for about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cilantro into pot, mix. Add five cups of water into pot and boil.

In a separate pot, fry onion (about 3 mins) until soft. Add okra and tomatoes. Fry for 15 minutes. 

Once water boils, add okra, onion, and tomato mixture into pot.  Then add tomato paste. Let boil for 40 minutes. You can choose to boil for longer, the longer it boils and thickens, the richer and tastier it will be.

Serve with a side of rice.

Bon appetit!

Lola and Elaine