Lebanese cuisine

An array of Lebanese cuisine.
Kibbet batata (potato kibbeh)

Lebanese cuisine (Arabic: المطبخ اللبناني‎‎) (French: cuisine libanaise) includes an abundance of whole grain, fruits, vegetables, starches, fresh fish and seafood; animal fats are consumed sparingly. Poultry is eaten more often than red meat. When red meat is eaten it is usually lamb on the coast, and goat meat in the mountain regions. It also includes copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, often seasoned by lemon juice.[1] Olive oil, herbs, garlic and lemon are typical flavors found in the Lebanese diet.

The traditional alcoholic Arak (عرق), an anise-flavored liqueur, is the Lebanese national drink and usually served with a traditional convivial Lebanese meal. Another historic and traditional drink in Lebanon is wine (نبيذ).

However, in Lebanon some desserts are specifically prepared on special occasions: the meghli, for instance, is served to celebrate a newborn baby in the family.

History

The Lebanese cuisine is an ancient one and part of the Levantine cuisine. Many dishes in the Lebanese cuisine can be traced back thousands of years to Roman times, and to the roots and origins of the Levant and Mesopotamia civilizations, that is the Phoenicians. For most of its recent 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. This time, the French introduced foods such as flan, a caramel custard dessert dating back to the 16th century AD, and buttery croissants.

Background

Ftayer be lefet (turnip turnovers)

Most often foods are grilled, baked or sautéed in olive oil; butter or cream is rarely used other than in a few desserts. Vegetables are often eaten raw, pickled or cooked. Herbs and spices are used and the freshness of ingredients is important. Like most Mediterranean countries, much of what the Lebanese eat is dictated by the seasons. Lebanese recipes are a rich mixture of a variety of ingredients that come from all the Lebanese regions, and each Lebanese area has its special dishes that reflects the culture of the area.

In Lebanon, very rarely are drinks served without being accompanied by food. Similar to the tapas of Spain, mezeluri of Romania and aperitivo of Italy, mezze is an array of small dishes placed before the guests creating an array of colors, flavors, textures and aromas. This style of serving food is less a part of family life than it is of entertaining and cafés. Mezze may be as simple as raw or pickled vegetables, hummus, baba ghanouj and bread, or it may become an entire meal consisting of grilled marinated seafood, skewered meats, a variety of cooked and raw salads and an arrangement of desserts.

Although simple fresh fruits are often served towards the end of a Lebanese meal, there is also dessert, such as baklava and coffee. Although baklava is the most internationally known dessert, there is a great variety of Lebanese desserts.

A typical mezze will consist of an elaborate variety of thirty hot and cold dishes and may include:

Family cuisine offers also a range of dishes, such as stews (or yakhneh), which can be cooked in many forms depending on the ingredients used and are usually served with meat and rice vermicelli.

Lebanese flat bread is a staple to every Lebanese meal and can be used in place of a fork.

Cuisine by Village

These recipes are attributed to these regions in Lebanon, although you find them now as main dishes at most Lebanese homes across the country with local variations.

Lebanese Dishes and Ingredients

Hummus and pita bread
Lebanese Fateh b'hummus
Kibbeh nayyeh
Sheikh Mahshi served with rice
Lebanese Tabbouleh
Batata harra

Lebanese Sweets

Lebanese Atayef Asafeeri

Lebanese Beverages

List of Lebanese wines

Lebanese Coffee

The coffee served in Lebanon is sometimes a variation of Turkish coffee, but a dark type of coffee is the main type served.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Middle western cuisines: gain ground".
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