Tag Archives: lebanese traditional food

Mdardara – vegan lebanese lentil and rice pilaf

Posted on March 2, 2016 | 8 comments

This superfood goes beyond having health benefits to amaze you with its delicious taste. It’s only rice and lentils but surprisingly it is so tasty. Another vegan Lebanese traditional dish, fast and easy, to enjoy during lent season and all the time.

To prepare this dish you will need:(4 servings)

1 cup brown lentil, rinsed
3/4 cup rice soaked for 10 minutes and drained
2 medium onion coarsely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
5 cups of water
salt to taste
4-5 onions cut a la julienne and fried for garnish

Boil the lentil in 3 cups of water until tender, but firm. Set aside.

Cook the onion in olive oil, until tender and fragrant, add the rice with 2 cups of water and cook. Add the lentils in the last 5 minutes to cook all together. Add salt to your taste.

Fry 4-5 medium onion cut a la julienne until caramelized to top the mdardara before serving. I believe this caramelized onion takes the dish to the next level and adds the deep flavor that makes the difference!

The best way to eat mdardara is with Lebanese bread, as you may know it’s a staple on every Lebanese table; we eat bread with almost everything. Serve it with a green salad or vegetables such as radish, tomato, cucumber, spring onion… Some people serve it with yogurt.

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.

8 Comments

Posted in main dish

Tagged healthy, jaymmy, lebanese traditional food, lentil and rice pilaf, marmite et ponpon, mdardara, recipe, vegan

Makhlouta (mix grains soup)

Posted on February 11, 2016 | 3 comments

Mixed is the literal translation for the word “makhlouta”. This traditional Lebanese soup consists of a medley of chickpeas, pinto beans (or any bean of your choice), lentils and bulgur. A great source of proteins and iron to serve well for people abstaining from eating meat during the lent period.

If you are vegetarian and this is your first introduction to makhlouta, trust me it will be on your to do list from now on. The ingredients look simple but the outcome is deep in flavor.

You will need:

1 cup chickpeas
1 cup beans (of your choice but usually it’s pinto beans)
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup bulgur
2 big onions finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste
cumin powder for seasoning (optional)

Soak chickpeas and beans for overnight or at least 12 hours to double in size.

In a deep pot fry the onions in olive oil until tender and fragrant. When they start turning into golden brown color, drain out chickpeas and beans from water and add them to the onion then the lentils and bulgur. Pour 2 liters of water and cook on medium heat. 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 hot with a sprinkle of cumin, it gives a nice deep flavor and helps with the digestion of the grains later. Some people like to add lemon juice for this purpose.

This delicious soup serves 4-6 plates. It’s not an entree like other soups, lebanese people serve it as a main dish as it is so filling! It’s a hearty soup served in old days during winter to supply with the energy needed.

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.

3 Comments

Posted in main dish

Tagged bulgur, chickpeas, cumin, hearty soup, jaymmy, lebanese traditional food, lentils, makhlouta, marmite et ponpon, mix grains, pinto beans, recipe, soup, vegetarian

a traditional lebanese dish, kibbeh bil sanyeh (meat kibbeh in a flat oven dish)

Posted on June 5, 2014 | 2 comments

kibbeh bil sanyeh aka flat kibbeh baked in the oven, others call it sandwich kibbeh where ground meat and pine nuts are pressed between two layers of very fine minced beef with bulgur. One of the most popular dishes in lebanon. I can rarely find someone who doesn’t love kibbeh. Everytime i want to invite friends over lunch, they request kibbeh bil sanyeh. What a delicious dish!

Some of non middle easterners only knows the football shape kibbeh, the most served in lebanese restaurants. Let me tell you it’s more than that; there is various ways to cook kibbeh and this flat kibbeh baked in a deep dish is another way. It can also be served raw with fresh mint leaves, olive oil and onion!

Today i am posting the flat one, baked in the oven.

15 inch dish serves 6 to 8 people, for that you need:

For the two layers kibbeh dough:

800g finely minced beef
4 cups bulgur
2 tbsp salt

For the stuffing:

400g ground beef
3 medium onions
80g pine seeds
1/4 cup olive oil
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp sweet pepper

First you start by preparing the stuffing:

Bring the olive oil to heat, add the onion and fry until tender and fragrant.

Add the ground beef and cook until brown then add the pine seeds, salt and pepper and keep cooking until well done. Turn off the heat and keep it aside to prepare the dough.

soak the bulgur in water to become soft (about 10 minutes), then drain and add to the fine minced beef with salt and work it with your hands until it becomes consistent like a dough.

Divide the dough in half. Grease the dish with vegetable oil, take one part and start spreading it evenly in the dish. When it’s all spread, the thickness is approx 8mm.

Bring the stuffing and spread it on the first layer.

Get the second part of the dough to cover the stuffing. Always wet your hands to even out the outer dough.