Tag Archives: tomato

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


okra dishOkra 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

okra sauce

When it just start to boil add the okra and cook for 20 to 30 mns. You should taste to see the doneness of the okra.

okra pot

Once it’s cooked, remove from heat, add the lemon juice and salt to taste.

You can serve it hot as you can serve it cold as a mezze.

okra 2

 

Give it a try and i am sure you will love it.

okra 3

 

aubergine salad aka batenjen el rahib (monk aubergine)


batenjen el rahib

This salad is fantastic, a real celebration to the colors. It’s refreshing and filling.

Usually fried aubergine soak up a lot of oil. In this salad, we will just oven grill them to keep their flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 kilo aubergine
  • 2 big tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • salt to taste

method:

Start by grilling the aubergine in the oven.

grilled aubergine

Let them cool down before peeling them. Meantime cut the tomatoes medium cubes. the onion a la julienne and mince the garlic.

tomatoes and onion

Aubergines are soft and tender, you can simply cut them apart with your hand (medium to big pieces).

Mix all the ingredients and season them with olive oil and salt to taste.

aubergine monk

Do you wonder why they call it batenjen el rahib (monk aubergine)? me too, but I never got a precise convincing answer.

 

finger – licking lebanese taboule as it should be done


When you type “taboule” in the search engine, you get endless recipes, some don’t even resemble the original one.

This recipe is the traditional lebanese taboule as it should be done!

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Ingredients:

  • 4 medium bunch of parsley
  • 2 medium tomatoes
  • 1 small fine chopped onion
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1 tbsp of chopped mint
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp sweet pepper
  • 2 tbsp bulgur (aka burghul)
  • lemon zest

Method:

Gather the parsley in small bouquets, easier to be chopped. Choose the tomatoes half ripe and cut in medium cubes

tomatoes parsley

These parsley were sent to me overseas from lebanon, thanks to my father, knowing that i love taboule.

Add the mint, onion, salt and pepper to taste, lemon, olive oil and burghul.

condiments

Soak the burghul in room temperature water for 5 mns before adding them.

the lemon zest is not a main ingredient but it gives the zing flavor (mom astuce).

Mix all together and taste. You can always add salt or lemon depending on how sour you like it to be. Taboule is the healthiest salad ever. Some have it as an entree and others as a main dish since it’s a complete meal full of nutrients.

I like to eat taboule with lettuce, cabbage, vine leaves and even bread!

tabboule in lettuce

Sahtein! wishing you double health, the lebanese way 🙂