History of the Hookah in Lebanon

Hookah migrated from Turkey to Lebanon and Syria where it got the name “argile”. It then spread to Egypt and Morocco. There, it took on the name shisha. It is also known as the hubble bubble in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.

From there, the hookah made its way to southeast Asia and Europe.

Most hookah smoking nations serve Naklia shisha ( or sheesha ). This is a combination of foreign tobaccos, honey molasses and dried fruit. The smoke is filtered through ice cold water to make the smoke cool and soothing. Older generations smoked hashish and opium which assisted in creating a negative stigma for the hookahs used today.

My Buddy Amir on his Argile

Kibbe Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs finely ground beef or lamb, lean, divided
• 1/2 lb. bulghur cracked wheat, medium or #2
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 2 medium onions, 1 finely chopped, and 1 coarsely chopped, divided
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, soak wheat for 30 minutes in cold water. Remove and drain. Remove excess water by squeezing through thick paper towel or cheesecloth. Place into medium bowl and combine with 1 lb. meat, coarsely chopped onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.

Combine well and place small amount in food processor until doughlike consistency. You can slowly add an ice cube at a time during processing if needed. Place mixture aside, covered. Instead of using a food processor, you can use a mortar and pestle, however it will take you over an hour to achieve desired consistency.

Prepare Kibbeh Stuffing

In a medium frying pan, saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil. Add pine nuts if desired. Add ground lamb or beef and chop well with wooden spoon or spatula to ensure the meat is chopped. Add allspice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Once beef is light brown, remove from heat. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Assemble Kibbeh and Fry

Take an egg sized amount of shell mixture and form into a ball. With your finger, poke a hole in the ball, making a space for filling. Add filling and pinch the top to seal the ball. You can then shape it into a point, or football shape, or leave as a ball.

Fry in 350 degree oil on stove top or in deep fryer for about 10 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Makes 25 medium sized kibbeh.

 

 

Baba Ghanoush Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 eggplant
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.
3. Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.               

Kibbe Nayeh Recipe

Ingredients

• 600g mutton leg
• 1 big cup of bourghoul (cracked wheat)
• 1 onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste

Preparation


Wash the bourghoul well by rinsing it in a deep dish so that the scraps float and are evacuated with the water.

Cover the bourghoul with water and let it soak for half an hour. In the meanwhile, very finely chop the meat and onion together -- they must take the consistency of a dough. Add salt and pepper. Press the bourghoul between your hands to squeeze out the water and add it to the meat and onion. Knead at length with the palm of the hand, often dipping your fingers in cold water.

Spread in a dish, not too thickly. Decorate with fresh mint leaves and store about 15 minutes in the fridge before serving.

Serve with olive oil on the side for the guests to pour on their plate if they wish.

History of the Eats.

For most of its past, Lebanon has been ruled by foreign powers that have influenced the types of food the Lebanese ate. From 1516 to 1918, the Ottoman Turks controlled Lebanon and introduced a variety of foods that have become staples in the Lebanese diet, such as cooking with lamb.
After the Ottomans were defeated in World War I (1914–1918), France took control of Lebanon until 1943, when the country achieved its independence. During this time, the French introduced foods such as flan, a carmel custard dessert dating back to the 16th century, and buttery croissants.
The Lebanese themselves have also helped bring foods of other cultures into their diet. Ancient tribes journeyed throughout the Middle East, carrying with them food that would not spoil easily, such as rice and dates.

Can you show me how to roll grape leaves?

If you have trouble or have never rolled your own grape leaves before, here is how to roll them.

Emjoy and happy rolling.

Grape Leaves Recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. uncooked ground beef or ground lamb

16 oz. can of tomato sauce or 2 1/2 cups peeled, diced tomatoes

2 cups uncooked white rice

1/2 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon coriander

Preparation:

Remove grape leaves from jar and soak for a few hours in cold water. If not soaked properly, they have a very salty taste.

While grape leaves are soaking, mix together ground beef, tomato sauce, rice, parsley, coriander, salt, pepper and lemon juice. This is best done with your hands. Cover and place in refrigerator until ready to stuff leaves.

Preparing the Grape Leaves to Stuff

Drain grape leaves and dry with paper towels. Remove stems. Place leaves shiny side down and have yout meat mixture ready.

Stuffing and Wrapping

Put about a teaspoon of mixture towards the bottom of the leaf. Fold in sides and roll upwards firmly. Do not roll too tightly. The rice does expand during cooking and may tear the leaf.

Repeat with remaining leaves and mixture.

How to Properly Place Them in The Pot

In a large saucepan or dutch oven, place them side by side in circular layers. Place two lemon slices between the layers of grape leaves.

Put a weight on top of the last layer of stuffed grape leaves. I use a ceramic plate. This ensure that the leaves to do not move around during cooking. Fill pot with water, covering the leaves. Simmer and cook for 30 minutes on low until the rice is done.

When rice is tender, remove vine leaves from pot and serve.

Grape Leaves