Tag Archives: lebanese cuisine

Vegan Heirloom beans – Lebanese traditional fasoulia bi zeit

Posted on February 21, 2018 | Leave a comment

I heart our Lebanese cuisine for how versatile and wholesome is. Cooking traditional Lebanese is a pleasure, with few ingredients you can have a surprisingly deep flavor dish. Vegan, vegetarian or with meat the same dish can be presented, and each time as a symphony of blended middle eastern flavors.

Today’s dish is vegan heirloom beans, can be done with also pinto beans. Fasoulia (beans) bi zeit (zeit is oil, meaning meatless), when you say bi zeit immediately you think of eating Lebanese bread to substitute rice. Almost all Lebanese vegan dishes can be presented hot or at room temperature, as main dish or even part of mezze but the one thing for sure, is with bread and lots of vegetables. I told you we eat very healthy 🙂

If you are cooking with dried beans, you need to soak them in water for at least 12 hours and better overnight. I am cooking with green ones, thanks for my parents who sent me some overseas.

One cup can serve 2-4 people depending on how you are serving it. I will make 2 cups in this recipe, (almost half a kilo) to serve 4 as a main dish.

2 cups heirloom|pinto beans
4 cups of water
1 big onion finely diced
2-3 garlic cloves crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup tomato puree plus 2 tbsp tomato paste (for deeper flavor)
salt to taste

In a deep pot fry the onions and garlic in olive oil until tender and fragrant.If you are not fan of garlic you can substitute with one tsp garlic salt for milder flavor. Add tomato puree and tomato paste and keep cooking for 2-3 minutes. Drain out the beans (if you have them soaked) and add it to the mixture. Pour 4 cups of water and let them boil.

When it starts boiling, reduce to low heat, cover the pot and let it simmer for an hour. If the water reduces feel free to add some more. The level of water should be always 2-3cm above the grains.

Serve it hot or at room temperature as per your choice. Eat like a Lebanese with an endless choice of side vegetables like cucumber, tomato, radish, raw or spring onion… or even pickles!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

Fatteh batenjen – chickpeas, aubergine, yogurt and pita

Posted on October 19, 2017 | Leave a comment

In a previous post i mentioned that Fatteh, that levantine dish, varies from one country to other; could be vegetarian or featuring meat, could also have potato or eggplant, but the main ingredients are chickpeas, yogurt and crushed toasted pita.

The arabic word “Fatteh”means “crushed”, so fatteh or fattet hummos has its name after the crushed toasted pita and so other middle eastern dishes with crushed toasted pita like “Fattoush”.

For this version of fatteh with aubergine you will need: (yield two portions)

2 medium aubergine cut in big cubes
3 pitas toasted and crushed in medium pieces
500g yogurt (or two cups)
2 tbsp tahina
1tsp salt
2 cups chickpeas boiled (could be canned)
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves crushed

to top with:

50g butter
1/3 cup pine nuts
chopped parsley or mint for garnish

For a healthy option of this dish we will grill the aubergine in the oven after drizzling on top 2 tbsp of olive oil. and set aside

Same goes for the pitas, instead of frying them i will toast in the oven. When ready, put one layer of the toasted bread in a deep dish.

After boiling the chickpeas, or if you are using canned ones, add the garlic (cloves or powder) while it’s still hot, of course after removing its water, put on top of the pitas layer. Now distribute the aubergine evenly on the chickpeas.

To prepare the yogurt sauce, mix it with tahina and salt then pour it on the chickpeas and aubergine.

Fry the pine nuts with butter and drizzle over the yogurt and garnish with finely chopped parsley or mint.

It’s one of my favorite dishes, and as mentioned before, it is a versatile one. You can enjoy it vegetarian or you can add ground beef or chicken. Very easy and quick, using simple available ingredients and hold so much flavors!

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog please let me know the result, I love hearing from you!

And if you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

Adas bhamoud (chard and lentil soup)

Posted on February 15, 2016 | 7 comments

Another traditional Lebanese soup, served also as a main dish due to its powerful ingredients; featuring chard, lentil and potato. A hearty soup, full of iron, protein, fibers and vitamins, suitable for vegetarians and people abstaining from eating meat during the lent period.

Chard health benefits:

Chard is one of the most powerful anti-cancer foods due to its combination of traditional nutrients; chlorophyll, other plant pigments, and soluble fiber. It is an excellent source of vitamins C, E, and K (is especially beneficial in the maintenance of bone health), carotene. It is also an excellent source of several minerals including potassium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. Chard is also a good source of many other nutrients including vitamin B6, protein, calcium, thiamine, selenium, zinc, niacin, and folic acid.

You will need:

chard; leaf and stems (coarsely chopped) about 500g
1 cup lentils
2 cups medium cubed potatoes
1 big onion finely diced
3 garlic cloves roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
juice of 2 lemons or so (your choice to taste)
1.5 -2 liters water

Cook the onion and garlic with the olive oil until tender and fragrant. Add the washed lentils and cover with 1 liter of water. Boil for 10 minutes then add potato and chard with another half liter of water (If you want a more watery soup you can add 1 liter).

When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat then add salt and lemon as per your taste.

My husband doesn’t like lemon too much, unlike me. To please all taste, you can serve lemon aside, so each of you can season individually.

Serve it warm and enjoy one of my favorite soup.

This quantity serves 4-6 plates. If you are pairing it with another food, it will serve even 8 plates. Sahtein!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

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Tagged adas bhamod, chard, easy, healthy, jaymmy, lebanese cuisine, lemon, lentil and chard soup, lentils, marmite et ponpon, potato, recipe, traditional lebanese food

Artichoke stew – easy & quick recipe

Posted on June 11, 2015 | Leave a comment

Lebanese cuisine is one of the ancient cuisine, a result of a blend of many cultures due to the country’s location on the crossroads of three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa. Lebanese cuisine gained its popularity beside the variety and the delicious taste, from being naturally healthy and low in fat. Fresh vegetables and legumes are the staple ingredients in the lebanese dishes especially when we are talking about family cuisine. Specifically stews (yakhné) that are presented with rice vermicelli.

Artichoke stew يخنة آرضي شوكي ورز , is one of my favorite dishes. Very easy to do and so delicious. Knowing the artichoke nutrition facts, you will be making it more often, trust me.

To prepare a meal for 4 persons you will need:

1 kg artichoke hearts, could be frozen or fresh
5 small onion quartered
300g beef cubed (size of a bite)
2 tbsp olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
2 tbsp flour
3 cups of water
salt to taste

Follow this step by step method:

In a pot, bring oil to heat and fry the onion until tender and fragrant (2-3 minutes). Add the cubes of beef and cook until brown (3-4 minutes), then the artichoke hearts (cut them in half or 4 if they are too big), cover with water and bring to boil for 5 minutes. In a separate bowl mix well lemon and flour and stir in to have a thicker sauce. Cover the pot and simmer for 30-40 minutes.

For a complete full meal serve with rice vermicelli. Kids usually love this dish. Don’t hesitate to try this simple and healthy recipe. Alf sahtein!

If you like this post give it some likes and shares to spread the joy. Don’t forget to like marmite et ponpon facebook page and follow on twitter. More interesting posts are yet to come.

how to cook a delicious bemyé bzet – okra (bamia)- suitable for vegetarians

Posted on April 4, 2014 | 2 comments

Okra is a very critical vegetable. It’s either you like it or you hate it.

Okra is a very healthy food due to its high fiber, Vitamin C and folate content. it’s also known for being antioxidant and a good source of calcium and potassium.

This simple recipe will make you change your mind if you think you will never like okra, and for those who know how delicious okra is already enjoy the meal!

It’s suitable for vegetarian people and who don’t eat meat on fridays* (lent)

Ingredients: (for 4 people)

1kg okra
2 large tomatoes diced
1 large chopped onion
5 garlic cloves
one bunch of chopped coriander
salt to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
juice of one lemon

Start by frying the onion and garlic with 1 tbsp of oil, only for 3 minutes on high flame then add the tomatoes and coriander. Cover with 2 cups of water as below