Kitchens of the world - Lebanon

Even on a global scale, many rankings place it among the best cuisines. Throughout the past, various nations have settled in Lebanon, and each has left its mark on the local cuisine.

The indispensable trio: garlic, olive oil and lemon juice

Lebanese cuisine is Mediterranean cuisine with a lot of use of vegetables, fish, seafood, a little less meat and full of flavors. Indispensable in Lebanese cuisine are garlic, olive oil and lemon juice, and rarely a main meal does not contain these three ingredients. The three rules of Lebanese cuisine are: herbs, spices and freshness of ingredients. Among the spices, there is an indispensable spice mixture, which contains seven spices in equal parts: black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, fenugreek, allspice and cloves. This spice mixture is used in both meat and fish dishes. In addition to those mentioned, they also use a lot of mint, oregano and parsley. Of the meat, poultry is most often on the table, and other meat is less common, and if anything, then in the coastal areas, lamb dominates, and goat meat along the coast. Poultry and lamb are common ingredients in more popular dishes. One of these is Kibbeh - breads filled usually with ground beef, nuts and spices, then they can be fried, cooked or uncooked, often served with yogurt. For vegetarians, the Lebanese Kibbeh is adapted and stuffed with potatoes. Vegetables are also indispensable in Lebanese cuisine, beans, lentils and chickpeas are on the table almost every day. It is from the latter that humus, one of the most famous spreads or food supplements, which are supposed to come from Lebanon. Everywhere, however, the Lebanese flat bread - khoubiz - is indispensable, which in some places the locals also use instead of utensils.

Mezze - 30 cold or warm

Among the most famous dishes are Lebanese snacks called mezze. Mezze is a collection of different appetizers - hot and cold, similar to tapas in Spain or pasta in Italy. There are thirty different cold or warm starters made from salads, sauces, pickles or other pickled vegetables and with obligatory Arabic bread. Mezze can be quite simple, such as raw or pickled vegetables, hummus and Arabic bread, or it can be a full meal that includes grilled seafood, meat, salads and desserts. However, as a general rule, each Mezze contains salad, sauce and vine leaves stuffed with minced meat and rice, which form the basis of any appetizer of this type.  

There is no day without coffee

When a guest comes to visit a house in Lebanon, no matter how long he has, it is always customary to drink coffee. Coffee plays such an important role in Lebanese cuisine that they joke that a Lebanese who does not drink coffee can lose his citizenship. They drink coffee throughout the day, both at home and in cafes. Lebanese coffee is black, strong and thick, usually unsweetened, bitter. Among other drinks, the traditional Lebanese anise liqueur is famous, served with classic dishes. Of the desserts, baklava has the reputation of being the most popular. Some desserts in Lebanon are prepared especially for some event. At Christmas and the celebration of a new birth in the family, e.g. always prepares Meghli dessert from rice pudding, anise, cinnamon and cumin. Whether it's a special event or not, after every meal there is fruit on the table. If, of course, there is still some space left.

Typical ingredients of Lebanese cuisine:

• Meat - they mostly use poultry, lamb and goat meat.

 

• Vegetables - beans, lentils and chickpeas are often on the menu. The latter also produces hummus, a well-known spread that originates from Lebanon.

 

• Lemon juice - along with garlic and olive oil, it belongs to the "holy trinity" of indispensable Lebanese ingredients. It is used in several dishes.

 

• Olive oil- plays an important role in Lebanese cuisine and is used everywhere.

 

• Spices - a mixture of seven spices is particularly popular: black pepper, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, fenugreek, allspice and cloves. In addition, they use a lot of garlic, mint, oregano, parsley.

 

• Nuts - they mainly use roasted nuts, mostly peanuts. As a snack, desserts, addition to meals.

 

• Yogurt - Yogurt is an important ingredient, especially for sauces.

 

• Coffee- Lebanese drink black, strong and thick coffee, usually bitter, unsweetened.

 

• Lebanese Khoubiz bread is a flat bread, present in almost all dishes, which the locals also serve as a side dish.