We're back! With summer in full swing and beautiful local vegetables filling up the markets, it seemed like a perfect opportunity to kick off with one of the ladies' favourite dishes. Kousa Mahashi كوسا محشي Stuffed zucchinis are a dish cherished by the former Ottoman Empire, and popular from the Balkans to the Levant. The […]
Burgul Behommos with Chicken برغل بحمص Burgul (aka bulgur wheat), is a dried cracked wheat that is an ancient staple of the Middle and Near East. It is typically made from whole grain durum wheat that has been coarsely ground, soaked, steamed and dried, a process that enhances its shelf life and nutritional profile. Compared […]
For this very unique speciality of Aleppo, I found this lovely summary by food blogger Corinne Mossati: “The people of Aleppo have a shared passion. Not only do they pride themselves in food that is steeped in culinary traditions and guard their recipes close to heart, they undeniably affirm their cuisine as the best in […]
Musaqait Elbatinjan ( مسقعة الباذنجان ) With eggplants and tomatoes in seasons, there are lots of wonderful Levantine dishes to make! This dish, a flavourful eggplants stew with green peppers, chickpeas and small cubes of lamb is a lighter cousin of Greek Moussaka, and is equally good hot or cold. Musaqait Elbatinjan ( مسقعة الباذنجان […]
A light, summery meze menu, perfect for a picnic or patio: fresh-baked flatbreads, a selection of delicious dips and a cool summer salad. Fatayer Lahmeh فطاير لحمة (Sfiha صفيحة ) + Fatayer Sabaneh فطاير سبانخ -or- Fatayer Jibneh فطاير جبنة + Fatayer Sabaneh فطاير سبانخ Fatayer are a whole category delicious small baked treats that […]
Djaj del Moghrabieh مُغربية Moghrabieh, meaning ”a dish from the Maghreb”, is a kind of giant couscous - small balls of semolina flour pasta that were traditionally rolled by hand. It is especially popular in Lebanon where it is made with either lamb shanks or chicken - or sometimes both - and served at big […]
Maldoum ملضوم When researching this dish, I found a lovely description of it on the blog of Tony Tahhan, a Fulbright scholar who has spent time studying the food culture in Aleppo. “One thing I learned about Syrian cuisine is that it is resourceful. Recipes were never exact; more like simple instructions that vary between […]
D'jaj mishwi bil thoom wil za'tar w' eklil el Jabal دجاج مشوي باللثوم و الزعتر و إكليل الجبل Potatoes have become part of the comfort food repertoire all over the world, and the Mediterranean is no exception. Everywhere from France to Greece to Egypt has their own version of a simple and satisfying meal of […]
Kibbeh summaqiyah كبة سماقية Kibbeh in sumac sauce are a specialty of Aleppo, considered by many to be the culinary capital of Syria. Kibbeh – egg-sized elongated balls of finely ground spiced halal beef and bulgur stuffed with a ground beef and nut mixture, are fried and then topped with tangy, dark red sumac-infused sauce […]
Shorbat Silq Bis Adas شوربة سلق بعدس Lentils have been an essential part of the Levantine winter pantry (mouneh) since biblical times; indeed, Esau allegedly forfeited his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of lentil soup – one possibly not all that different than the one we are making tonight. This hearty soup is a […]
