It is an authentic Lebanese dish, quite suitable for the sharp chill of autumn. The burghul is added last thus allowing lamb meat, chickpeas, onions and spices to mingle together. This in fact is what gives it such a distinctive taste.

Serves 4

Ingredients.

• 120g / 4½ oz chick peas soaked overnight in water with ½ tsp of bicarbonate of soda. Alternatively, use tinned chickpeas.
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 550g / 1¼ lb lamb neck fillet (or any lean part) cut into large cubes
• 3 medium onions  quartered or the equivalent amount of shallots
• 2 cinnamon sticks 6.5cm /2½ inches long each
• 1.5 litres / 2½ pints water
• 275g /10 oz coarse bulgar wheat / burghul
• Salt &freshly milled black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp ground allspice
• 450g / 1lb plain yoghurt to serve

Method.

1. Rinse chickpeas with fresh water, transfer into a large saucepan (large enough to take at later stage the meat – onions mixture), cover with water (3 times their amount) and add 1 tsp of salt. Using a high heat setting, bring to the boil removing any scum, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for half an hour checking occasionally.
2. While chickpeas are cooking, heat up the oil in another non stick saucepan or deep frying pan and brown the meat to seal it, season with freshly milled black pepper, then stir in the onions and sauté for 1 minute. Now transfer the mixture onto a plate covered with kitchen paper to drain excess fat.
3. By that stage the chickpeas should have been boiling for half an hour or a little over, a time suitable to add the meat-onions mixture. Top up with some boiling water, increase the heat and boil for 5 minutes, check whether any scum needs removing, then reduce the heat. Give everything a good stir and simmer for 50 minutes or until both chickpeas and meat are done and the cooking liquid is reduced to about 650ml / 1 pint 2 fl oz.
4. Discard cinnamon sticks, season with allspice, taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add in the burghul, give it a good stir and let it simmer gently until the burghul is cooked and the liquid is absorbed. It takes roughly 15-20 minutes, the burghul should be swollen and tender.
5. Let it stand covered for 5 minutes before serving. Some cooks prefer to cover the pan with a kitchen towel to absorb the steam and achieve a perfect texture.
6. Serve hot topped with well chilled yoghurt, as the contrast of hot versus cold gives this dish an unusually succulent taste.

At home, mother used to serve this dish with an additional side one: Beetroot Salad (Salatit Shmandar: See Salads Section) which I think works well.    

Facts. Did you know?

• Bulgar wheat or burghul is high in fibres and carbohydrate and low in fat.
• It is rich in “B” vitamins, iron, phosphorous and manganese.

Find out more on: http://www.sunnylandmills.com/health.html

Lahem or lahmeh means meat as a generic term. However, when we say lahem meshwi, we refer to lamb meat because that is what it traditionally was. Having said that and although the recipe title indicates lamb, a beef steak cubed and barbecued tastes equally nice. I use a very simple marinade based on olive oil and a herb, as for the meat, I go for a neck fillet or diced leg of lamb or beef rump steak. The choice is yours but make sure you select a nice tender cut.

Serves 4

Ingredients

·         750 g / 1 ½ lb lamb meat like neck fillet or leg. Alternatively, you could use beef rump steak.

·         Freshly milled salt and black pepper

·         1 tbsp ground allspice

·         50 ml / 2 fl oz extra virgin olive oil

·         1 tbsp dried or 2 tbsp fresh rosemary. Alternatively you could use the same amount of fresh thyme

·         250 g / 9 oz  onions preferably shallots but big ones will do.

You also need a medium sized glass or Pyrex dish.

To serve

·         450 g / 1 lb plain yoghurt

·         Lebanese or Arabic bread. Alternatively use pitta bread.

Method

1. Cut the meat into suitable sizes for the skewers, trimming away excess fat. Transfer into the glass or Pyrex dish. Season with salt, pepper and allspice, add the rosemary (or fresh thyme) followed by the olive oil and mix well. Leave to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours. You can also prepare it the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight.
2. When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue or pre-heat the grill to a medium setting. Rinse and quarter the onions leaving the skin on, if using shallots, cut them into halves. Now, thread the lamb or beef pieces onto the skewers, inserting the onions in-between. The meat pieces should not be too closely compacted together or they will not cook evenly. Barbecue or grill for about 12 minutes turning the skewers to ensure even cooking. You should end up with a nicely browned meat that is cooked through but not dry nor burnt.
3. If you have to barbecue or grill in batches and at the same time keep the meat warm, here is the Lebanese way: Open up one or two warmed Lebanese bread and put inside the barbecued meat (leaving it on skewers). With its double layer, the bread will keep the meat warm, at the same time, it absorbs the excess unwanted fatty juices.   
4. Just before serving the Sheesh Kebabs, warm up the remaining bread. Next, open up the warmed bread, put the skewers inside it (roughly 2 skewers per 1 bread), pull out the skewers off the meat and pass round the bread filled with the barbecued or grilled meat.
5. We usually serve it with plain yoghurt. Some prefer it with Toomeh (see recipe in Sauces). Fattoush (Bread Salad: see recipe in Salads) makes also a nice accompaniment. So, for whatever you go for sahtein (a very Lebanese expression wishing doubly good health).

The term sheesh (means sword or skewer in modern usage) comes up very frequently in Lebanese cooking, in fact, it is originally Turkish. As history tells us, Lebanon was part of the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years, so this explains the usage of some Turkish words in our vocabulary.

Back to the recipe, you could use either deboned skinless chicken breasts or thighs. The basic ingredients of the marinade flavour the chicken with a succulent light taste that goes well with summer evenings. This is often served as part of a Lebanese Mixed Grill (Sheesh Taouk, Sheesh Kebab -lamb cubes- Kafta – see my recipe in Main Courses).

           Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 kg / 2 ¼ lb deboned and skinless chicken breasts or thighs.
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper
• 2 colourful peppers

     For the marinade

• 1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and crushed to a paste.
• 100 ml / 3 ½ fl oz lemon juice
• 200 ml / 7fl oz olive oil
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1½ tbsp strong mustard, (English mustard works well)

To serve:

• Toomeh (See recipe in Sauces)
• Lebanese or Arabic Bread (alternatively large Pitta bread)

Method

1.      Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with kitchen paper. Cut the breasts or thighs into the suitable sized pieces for the skewers and place in a glass or Pyrex dish. Season with salt and pepper.

2.      As for the marinade, mix thoroughly all the ingredients until well combined then tip over the chicken, making sure every bit of chicken pieces is smeared with the marinade. Cover and pop in the fridge for several hours or preferably overnight.

3.      When you are ready to cook, fire up the barbecue or pre-heat the grill to a medium setting. Wash and cut the peppers into cubes. Thread the chicken pieces into the skewers, inserting in between the cubed peppers. The chicken pieces should not be too closely compacted together or they will not cook evenly. Barbecue or grill for about 15 minutes turning the skewers to ensure an even cooking, baste if necessary with the remaining marinade. Make sure the chicken pieces are cooked all the way through. You should end up with a nicely browned meat that is cooked through but not dry nor burnt.

4.      If you have to barbecue or grill in batches while keeping at the same time the meat warm, here is the Lebanese way: Open up one or two warmed Lebanese bread (depending on the size and number of skewers) and put inside the barbecued meat, still on skewers. With its double layer, the bread will keep the meat warm, at the same time, it absorbs the excess fatty juices.  

5.      Just before serving the Sheesh Taouk, warm up the remaining bread. Next, open up the warmed bread, put the skewers inside it (roughly 2 skewers per 1 bread), pull out the skewers off the meat and pass round the bread filled with the barbecued or grilled chicken pieces.

6.      The essential accompaniment for this is Toomeh which is a delicious combination. Also, serve with Fattoush (Bread Salad: see recipe in Salads).  

Most books define Kibbeh as a mixture of fine bulgar wheat (burghul) and ground meat. This is true in one sense, but on the other hand, there are other types like Fish Kibbeh or Vegetarian Kibbeh. Therefore, we could say that kibbeh is a mixture of bulgar wheat and onions with either meat, fish or vegetable. The most commonly known by Westerners is the meat one that I will start with.  

Meat Kibbeh is basically a mixture of fine bulgar wheat (burghul), chopped onions and ground meat which is traditionally lamb. It is versatile because it can be served in a variety of ways: Raw, Baked and Kibbeh Balls (the ones that are deep fried and usually served as a starter). The latter is also used in soups or dishes made with sauces.

Kibbeh b’ Saniyeh (Baked Meat Kibbeh)

It is the easiest to make and actually, you could prepare it the day before, half baked and finish off the next day. You need lean lamb meat, that is why people go for the leg. However, I noticed recently that some brands of minced lamb are extremely good in terms of lean meat and have a low fat content. If you prefer the traditional way, then ask your butcher to prepare the meat for you including deboning, removing the fat and mincing. Kibbeh is also traditionally baked in a round baking dish, but a rectangular one is also fine.    One more basic rule to mention is that whatever amount of meat you have, use less than half bulgar wheat to make the kibbeh. 

Kibbeh

Serves 4 or more

Ingredients. 

For the filling

• 1 – 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 65g / 2½ oz pine nuts. If you are allergic to nuts, you can omit it
• 300g / 11oz  onions finely chopped
• 300g / 11oz minced lamb
• Salt to taste &freshly milled black pepper
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1tbsp pomegranate syrup (optional, see glossary) 

For Kibbeh

• 2 medium onions peeled and chopped
• 500g/1lb 2 oz minced lamb
• 225g/8 oz fine bulgar wheat (burghul), preferably brown (see glossary)  
• Salt to taste and freshly milled black pepper
• 2 generous tsp ground allspice & 1 tsp ground cinnamon. Alternatively, use Kibbeh spices that are available at Lebanese grocers 
• Vegetable oil to drizzle at the final stage
• A small bowl of iced water to dip your fingers in

You also need a non-stick baking dish measuring 23 x 18 and 5 cm deep,

(9 x 7 x 2 inch)

Method.

Filling

1. Heat up the oil in a medium-sized deep frying pan and sauté the chopped onions for 2 – 3 minutes then mix in the meat, stirring from time to time to break the lumps. If using pine nuts, add half way through and cook until meat is browned. Season with all the prepared spices, taste and adjust, give it a good stir and switch off the heat. If using pomegranate syrup, stir in last and mix well. Leave mixture on the side while preparing the kibbeh.

Kibbeh

1. It is better to prepare the bulgar wheat (burghul) first. Put the bulgar wheat in a sieve and rinse it with cold water a couple of times, then squeeze it with your hands to remove excess water. Transfer to a bowl and keep it aside.

1. Put chopped onions in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped. Keeping the food processor running, add the meat in batches, followed by the spices and blitz until everything is smoothly combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, and start mixing in the burghul,  this is when you need to  moisten your hands with the cold water so you could manipulate or knead the mixture with ease, keep on mixing and kneading, moistening your hands in between, until all the burghul is combined. Return the mixture to food processor and blend for one minute or two until you achieve a smooth malleable kibbeh that looks like a paste. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. At that stage I like to chill it for ½ an hour before assembling.

Assembling

1. Prepare again a small bowl of iced water to dip your hands if necessary
2. Lightly grease the baking dish with vegetable oil
3. Now, divide the kibbeh dough in halves. Take the first half and divide it into 4 balls. Spread them within an equal distance from each other in the baking dish. Flatten each ball to about ½ cm / ¼ inch thickness. When necessary, moisten your hands with water and smooth down the kibbeh so in the end you have one uniform piece that covers the bottom of the baking dish. Now spread the filling evenly all over.
4. For the top part, divide as before the remaining half. Now because you need to cover the filling it becomes a little trickier. Dampen your hands with the cold water, take each ball and flatten it between your palms to the same thickness as before and lay it on top of the filling. If it is a rectangular or square baking dish, start from one corner, repeat the same process with all of them until you cover the filling including edges. Again smooth it together so it is uniform.
5. Cover and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes so that it cuts better.
6. Pre-heat the oven to 190 °C/ 375 °F
7. With a table knife, mark 4 quarters on the kibbeh. Starting with the first quarter, draw deep geometrical lines to achieve lozenges or square shapes (about 5 cm / 2 inches). Do likewise with the rest, you may need from time to time to moisten the knife with either water or oil. Finally, make a hole in the middle of the baking dish and drizzle the top layer with vegetable oil.
8. Bake for 30 – 40 minutes until the kibbeh has shrunk from the sides and is golden brown.
9. Serve hot, warm or even cold with yoghurt or fresh tomato salad, delicious also with Hoummous Bi Tahini.

Chicken Shawarma is another popular dish that can be prepared at home and taste good, the main thing is to use the right spices, and Khoubis Arabic bread (the one you can actually wrap). Shawarma spices are ready prepared and available at all Lebanese grocers, otherwise, you can prepare them yourself.

Serves 4 people

Ingredients

• 1 kg / 2¼ lbs chicken thighs, preferably skinless & boneless.
• Arabic bread, medium sized, allow 1 bread per person which gives 2 wraps.
• Pickled cucumbers, allow 1 or 2 per person. Some people prefer pickled sweet peppers, that is why some restaurants often serve it on the side.
• Toumeh which should be prepared in advance (see below).  

For the marinade:

• 5 cloves of garlic peeled and smashed to a paste.
• 150 ml / 5fl oz   lemon juice or malt vinegar.
• 2 tbsp olive oil.
• 1 tbsp shawarma spices, (or mix together in the ratio 2 parts allspice, 1 part black pepper and ½ part of cinnamon).
• You also need a Pyrex or a glass dish to marinate the chicken.

Method

1.     Wash and pat dry the chicken thighs, then put them in a Pyrex or glass dish.

2.     Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade and pour over the chicken thighs, making sure that every single thigh is well coated. Cover the dish and leave it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, even better overnight.

3.     When you are ready to serve, pre-heat the oven to 180 ºC / 350 ºF.  Pop the chicken in its marinade, covered into the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, checking it once. After that, take the lid or cover off and bake for another 5-10 minutes, by which time the marinade liquid should have dried up but the thighs should still be moist.

4.     While the chicken is cooking, slice the pickled cucumbers into long strips and put them in a dish so people can help themselves if they like.

5.     When the chicken reaches its last stage, you could warm up the bread and pass it around, so each person can open it up, making it ready for the filling. Note that Arabic bread does not take long to warm and can quickly get hard if overheated.

6.     Slice each thigh into chunky pieces (debone if necessary) and fill the warmed bread, top it with Toumeh (garlic sauce), finishing off with the pickled cucumber slices (this is optional, for some people do not like it), roll it up and eat it straight. Use a paper napkin round the bread to catch any excess juices. 

The oven temperature we use is usually for a conventional oven. If you have a fan one, you need to reduce the temperature by about 20ºC.

Kafta is basically a mixture of minced lamb, chopped onion and parsley. You could use minced beef instead of lamb. It is very versatile, recipes can be varied to suit the weather. The following one is inspired by the winter season. Although it is quicker to prepare Kafta in a blender, I prefer to chop parsley and onion by hand and finish off the mixing in the blender to keep the traditional texture.

Traditionally, we tend to bake kafta and kibbeh in round trays, but if you haven’t got any, use whatever shape within the approximate dimensions mentioned.

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the kafta

• 500gms / 1lb 2oz of lean minced lamb or beef
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 75gms / 3oz parsley, discard the thick stalks, leaving the very fine ones on the leaves. Wash and dry parsley leaves then finely chop them.
• Salt & freshly milled black pepper
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 500gms / 1lb 2oz floury potatoes peeled washed and sliced in circles for about 1 ½ to 2cm / ¾ inch thickness
• 500gms / 1lb 2oz tomatoes, preferably vine-ripened, washed and sliced in similar way to potatoes

For the Tahini sauce, see recipe in Sauces

You also need a non-stick round tray measuring 21cm in diameter, depth 5cm. Alternatively, you could use any other shapes within these approximate measurements.

Method

• Tip minced meat into a bowl, season with salt, pepper, allspice and cinnamon (if using). Add the chopped onion and mix with your hands, then gradually add parsley and again mix everything. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, taste and if necessary adjust, blitz it once or twice to make sure you obtain a well combined mixture. Transfer it to a dish, cover with cling film and let it rest in fridge until you are ready to cook.

• Pre-heat the oven moderate to hot 190 ºC / 375 ºF.

• Par-boil the prepared potatoes for 3 minutes, drain and keep them on one side.

• Brush the base of the baking tray with a little vegetable oil. I find that the best way to spread the kafta is to divide it into 4 balls, dot them around the baking tray and flatten them with your knuckles to a thickness of about 2-3cm, and then smooth them together. Once you have finished, make a hole in the centre to create a vent space.

• Now, spread the potatoes over, season with pepper, top up with tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover with aluminium foil and pop it in the oven for 40 minutes, it will shrink away from the sides of the baking tray. Take the cover off, at that stage you will notice the juices that came out off the meat and tomatoes, bake for another 15 minutes to dry off juices. Just 5 minutes before the finishing time, add the tahini sauce.

• Serve hot while the sauce is bubbling

Variations.

1 You can substitute the Tahini sauce with tomato sauce:

Dissolve 3 tbsp of tomato paste in 150ml of hot water. Uncover the cooking kafta 15 minutes before the finishing time and add the tomato sauce.

2 Kafta mixture is very versatile and you can use it for many other dishes.