Saha: A Chef's Journey Through Lebanon and Syria
Syrian slow-roasted lamb with red pepper and pomegranate paste
This is a rather contemporary recipe from this ancient land. The recipe was conceptualised by the chef to mimic the famed dip, Muhammara from Aleppo. The mutton chops are delicious, the meat juicy. The pomegranate in the marinade helps tenderise the meat. The flavours are subtle, dominated by the pomegranate's tartness and a touch of sweetness from the sugars. These mutton chops are perfect as a snack or a dinner. Greg and Lucy Malouf have travelled extensively across the Middle East,...
Green beans slow-cooked with cumin and tomatoes (Loubia bi ziet)
Middle Eastern meze is a delight. The innumerable dishes arrive, almost unasked for, and the flavours and scents tantalize you into...
Syrian chopped leaf salad
Syrian cuisine is in love with salads, especially the chopped variety. The numerous vegetables come together in a variety of textures and...
Syrian egg and olive salad
Eggs and olives are a superb combination. The salt of the eggs is balanced by the plainness of the egg whites; they support each other beautifully. This is a traditional salad with a pop of flavour. I chose to serve it more like a deviled egg rather than the traditional tossed salad format, just for visual effect. The sumac adds sourness, the pine nuts add a nutty flavour, and the paprika adds smoky heat. They are all well-balanced, and these are small bites that are delicious. I love serving...
Honey caramel ice cream
Sometimes, recipes pop from great, simple ingredients. This is one of those recipes. This is decadent ice cream, but the flavours are...
Bedouin-style spinach, lentil, and lemon soup
Some recipes come from the dessert, and this is one of them. The recipe is about a few ingredients and is cooked slowly to extract flavour and nourishment. Lentils form the core of this soup, slow-cooked until they retain a lovely bite, and spinach is added for colour and nourishment. The magic in the soup is the topping of coriander and garlic (taklia), which adds a pop and wonderful flavour. The soup is filling, and the slow cooking allows the community ot travellers to come together and...
Arabic fish stew with lemon and saffron and hot pepper rouille (Yakhnit samak)
A rouille is a Provincial sauce made from red chillies and garlic. It usually forms the base for the classic French stew, Bouillabaisse,...