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Pita Bread - Khubz 

Toum - Tahini-Garlic Sauce

Hummous - Chickpea and Tahini Dip

Lamb Kuwarma - Spiced Lamb with Hummous 

Riz Besheriye - Rice with Vermicelli Noodles 

Batinjan Bil Toum - Roast Eggplant with Tahini-Garlic Sauce 

Sabanegh Beriz- Stewed Beef with Spinach and White Beans 

Rez Wa Djaj- Stewed Chicken with 7-spice 

🍘 Pita Bread - Khubz 

Serves: Makes 3 pieces

Total time: 1.5 hours 

Active time: 20 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

• 185g plain flour

• 100ml water (room temperature)

• 15 ml greek yoghurt

• 1 tsp olive oil

• ¾ tsp yeast 

• ½ tsp salt 

• ½ tsp sugar 

METHOD

1. Place all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Gently bring all of the ingredients together in the bowl until the dough comes together. Knead  the dough for 5 minutes, or until the dough becomes smooth and supple. 

2. Lightly oil a bowl with ½ tsp of oil, and place the dough inside, covered for 1 hour until it begins to rise and nearly doubles in size… 

3. Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Shape the dough into round balls, by grabbing the corners of the dough and tucking them underneath. Sprinkle a little flour on top of each piece of dough. Then, use a rolling pin to roll it into roughly 12cmx12cm disks.

4. Cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rest for 15-20 minutes. 

5. Preheat an oven to its maximum temperature. OR, heat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. The pan should be heated up to the point just before it starts smoking. 

6. To cook the pita bread, place the dough into the pan for 20-40 seconds or until it puffs up by about 1.5x its original size. Using a spatula, flip the dough over and cook for another 20-30 seconds until it starts to puff up a bit. Keep flipping the pita bread back and forth. 

7. If using an oven, place a baking sheet or pizza stone on the top rack of the oven, using the grill setting, cook the pita bread until it begins to bubble and puff up. This should take 30 seconds to a minute. If it takes longer than this, increase the heat. Flip the bread over when the puffing has reached a peak, and when the dough has browned a little bit. 

8. Cook the other side for another 1-2 minutes until it has browned a little bit. 

9. OR, place the pita bread in the skillet preheated to medium high heat, and cook the dough until it begins to puff up. Then flip it over and cook the other side until both sides begin to brown just a little.  

🧄Hummus - Chickpea and Tahini Dip 

Serves: 10

Prep Time: 15 minutes 

Execution Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

• 500g dried chickpeas, soaked in water overnight with 1 tbsp baking soda 

• 1 brown onion, cut in half 

• 2 cloves garlic 

• 2 tbsp salt 

• 4 litres water 

• 4 ice cubes 

Garlic Toum: 

• 75g hulled tahini paste 

• 15-10ml lemon juice (about 1/2) lemon)

• 2 cloves garlic

• 100 water 

• 1/2 tsp salt  

METHOD 

1. Prepare the garlic tahina by crushing the garlic in a mortar and pestle. Add in the tahina paste, salt and lemon juice and mix vigorously until light and fluffy.

2. Soak the chickpeas overnight in water and the baking soda. 

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the chickpeas for 45 minutes- 1 hour or until they easily crush when pinched between your pinky and thumb. 

4. Whip the chickpeas in a blender with the ice cubes until light and fluffy. 

5. Whisk the garlic tahini into the blended chickpeas and season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice if necessary. 

🥬  Riz Besheriye - Rice with Vermicelli 

Serves: 10

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Execution Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

• 1L water 

• 800g basmati rice

• 160g vermicelli noodles 

• 60ml butter 

• 1 small onion, cut in half 

• 2 cloves of garlic 

• 1 tsp salt 

METHOD 

1. Place the vermicelli noodles in a pot, and set the pot over medium-low heat. Stir the vermicelli noodles toasting them until they turn golden brown. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a simmer. Simmer the rice for 13 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

    

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🍆 Batinjan Bil Toum (Baked Eggplant with Toum - Tahini Sauce)

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Execution Time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 medium eggplant

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds

• 3 tbsp toum

METHOD 

1. To roast the eggplant: Preheat your oven to 180°C.

2. Slice the eggplants into halves. IScore the flesh in a criss-cross pattern with a knife to help the seasoning soak in.

3. Brush the eggplant slices with olive oil on both sides, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.

4. Lay the eggplant pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown and tender. Flip halfway through for even roasting.

1. To assemble the dish: Once the eggplant is roasted and tender, arrange the pieces on a serving platter.

2. Drizzle the toum (tahini sauce) generously over the eggplant.

3. Garnish with fresh mint and pomegranate seeds for a burst of color and freshness.

🍖Lamb Kawarma - Fried lamb with pinenuts and hummus 

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 1 hour  

Execution Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

• 200g lamb shoulder, diced 

• 30ml ghee 

• 1 cloves of garlic, minced 

• ⅓ green chilli, minced 

• 1 tsp 7-spice 

• 1 tbsp sumac 

• 1 sprig mint, chopped 

• 2 sprigs parsley, chopped 

• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar 

To serve:

• 200g hummus 

• 3 tbsp pine nuts, toasted  

• 1 tsp paprika 

Optional garnishes: 

• labneh  

• cucumber pickles 

• Pickled turnip

• olives  

METHOD 

1. Prepare the Lamb: Preheat the oven to 160C. Place the lamb in a baking tray with 5cm of water inside. Cover the lamb tightly with aluminium foil. Bake the lamb for 3-4 hours or until tender and falling apart. Allow the lamb to cool in the remaining water, and refrigerate overnight. Cut the lamb into cubes. 

2. In a large skillet or frying pan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the cubed lamb shoulder and sauté, turning occasionally, until the lamb is browned and seared on all sides, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the lamb and set it aside.

3. Sauté the Aromatics: In the same pan, add the minced garlic and green chili. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

4. Add the Sumac and Herbs: Return the lamb to the pan and sprinkle in the sumac. Stir well to coat the lamb with the spices and combine with the garlic and chili. Add the chopped mint and parsley, stirring again to evenly distribute the herbs throughout the lamb.

5. Cook the Lamb: Lower the heat to medium-low, add the lamb and cook for 1 minute, allowing the flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.

6. Toast the Pine Nuts: While the lamb is cooking, toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent burning until the pine nuts are golden brown, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

7. Assemble the Dish: To serve, spread the hummus on a large platter or individual plates. Spoon the cooked lamb kawarma on top of the hummus, allowing the lamb juices to mix with the creamy hummus.

8. Garnish: Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts over the lamb. Finish with a dusting of paprika for a hint of smoky flavor and vibrant color.

9. Serve: Serve the lamb kawarma immediately with warm pita or flatbread on the side to scoop up the hummus and lamb. 

🥬Sabanegh Beriz / Pkaila - Stewed beef with Spinach and White beans    

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 1 hour  

Execution Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS 

• 250g beef chuck, cubed 

• 2 tbsp of olive oil 

• 200g (1 bunch) English spinach

• 3 sprigs of coriander, minced finely  

• 2 sprigs of mint, minced finely

• 100g butter beans (½ can)

• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves 

• 1 medium onion 

• 2 cloves garlic 

• 1 tsp 7-spice (cumin, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, clove) 

• 1 stick cinnamon 

METHOD 

1. To prepare the beef: Preheat an oven to 160C. Place the beef in a large baking tray and wrap it tightly with aluminium foil. Cook the beef, covered for 3-4 hours or until very tender. Allow the beef to cool in the cooking liquids uncovered and then refrigerate overnight.

2. To prepare the spinach, steam the spinach for 2-3 minutes or until wilted. Place the spinach into a food processor, along with the coriander, mint and dried fennugreek leaves, and grind until the mixture becomes a puree. Place 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pressure cooker or pot, then add the spinach. Cook over low heat at pressure setting 2 for 25 minutes. 

3. Alternatively, place the spinach in a pot and simmer over very low heat for 2-3 hours until it becomes very soft, and turns a dark, dull green. 

4. To prepare the stew: In a pot, add a little olive oil and sauté the finely chopped onion until soft and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

5. Sprinkle in the 7-spice mix, stirring well to coat the onions and garlic with the fragrant spices. Let this cook for 1-2 minutes to release the spices' flavors.

6. Add the Beans: After the beef has cooked and softened, add the white beans to the pot. Continue simmering for another 20-30 minutes until the beans are tender and fully incorporated into the dish.

7. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or extra 7-spice, if desired.

8. Serve hot, ideally with flatbread or rice besheriye, to soak up the flavorful stew. Enjoy this hearty and fragrant dish!

🍗 Rez Wa Djaj - Stewed Chicken with Nuts and 7-Spice 

Serves: 2

Prep Time: 1 hour

Execution Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken thighs, skin-on (300g) 

• 200ml chicken stock

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 1 tsp 7-spice (a blend of cumin, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper, and clove)

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 50g baby spinach

• Salt, to taste

• Pepper, to taste

To Garnish: 

• 2 tbsp butter or ghee

• 50g almonds, slivered

• 30g pine nuts

• 2 sprigs of parsley, chopped 

METHOD 

1. To prepare the Chicken: Preheat an oven to 200 C. Place the chicken in a baking dish and cover with chicken stock until it is covered except for the skin. Bake the chicken for 25 minutes or until the skin begins to brown a bit. Turn down the heat to 160C, cover the baking dish and cook for another hour or until the flesh of the chicken is soft. Reserve both the chicken and the stock.

2. To toast the nuts: In a separate dry pan, toast the pine nuts and slivered almonds over medium heat until golden and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

1. To cook the stew: In the same skillet, add the remaining tablespoon of butter or ghee.

2. Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in the 7-spice and cook for an additional minute or so. 

3. Stir in the cinnamon stick and cook for another minute, allowing the cinnamon’s aroma to infuse the oil.

4. Add in the chicken and cook for 5-10 minutes until the chicken stock evaporates and thickens to sauce consistency. 

1. Add the baby spinach to the mixture and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. 

1. Plate the chicken and rice, topping with the toasted pine nuts and almonds for crunch.

2. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.