The recipes, ingredients, and cuisine of Lebanon and Lebanese Food!
Probably the most popular and well-known out of all the Middle Eastern cuisines, Lebanese food has a distinct flavor to it- thanks to a rich cultural history and a profound impact of the region on its flavor, Lebanese food is definitely one of the best one can find anywhere in the world. Encompassing a perfect mix of dairy products, meat, fish, fresh vegetables and fruits, food in Lebanon is one of the most colorful and well-garnished cuisines that one can come across. The recipes are not only healthy, but because of the vast variety Lebanese food consists of, these recipes are great to taste. Croissants, caramel custards and flan are three of the most renowned Lebanese recipes around the world. Croissants rich in butter and stuffed with mutton, fish or chicken have evolved in all sorts of manners over the last two decades or so.
One recipe (or rather, a group of recipes) that particularly stands out from all the other Lebanese foods is the Mezze. The Mezze is that one single dish which can be attributed to have made Lebanese cuisine world famous. Mezze is nothing but a mixture of about 30 (maybe more or less, but usually, it is thirty) dishes, hot and cold, served simultaneously. Now, the dishes in a particular Mezze can vary, but the general protocol is that every Mezze would typically have salads (Fattoush is an example), sauces or dips (such as Hummus and Matoubal) and pastries (such as Sambusacs and croissants) and finally the stuffed grape leaves, which are an integral part of the Mezze.
Lebanese bread, especially the flat Pita bread is an integral part of homemade Lebanese food. It is an essential part of any Lebanese meal and it is very seldom that you would find a Lebanese meal without the Pita bread. Besides, it is also a common practice to serve Stews and Yakhenis which are also an integral part of Lebanese cuisine, which makes it one of the most diversified cuisines in the world. Some dishes are specifically prepared for occasions. The Meghli dessert, for instance, is specifically prepared while celebrating the birth of a newborn baby.
Lebanese cuisine has a rich collection of foods and recipes that are local to the region. Ackwai (a local variety of cheese), Baba Ghanouj (a recipe made by charring eggplant and grilling it to the core- served with various sauces and purees as dips) and Kunafi (which is a local pastry stuffed with nuts, syrup and sweet white cheese) are some of the best recipes from Lebanese food. Our personal favorites are moutabal, balila, atayef and shish taouk marinade. Be sure to check our vast collection of Lebanese and Arabic food recipes!
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