RECIPES

1- TABOULEH

Yield: 4 Portions
Ingredients Amounts
Salt and pepper to taste
Green onion, finely diced 1/2 bu.
Fine burghol, washed, 5.3 oz.
drained
Parsley, flat leaf, leaves only, 2 bu.
chopped finely
Mint leaves, chopped finely 1/2 bu.
Tomato, finely diced 1 ea.
Olive oil 1/2 cup
Lemon juice 1 ea.
Romaine lettuce, white cabbage,
or fresh tender vine leaves, for serving

Method

1. Combine salt, pepper and green onion.

2. Mix the burghol with the parsley, mint, tomato, olive oil and lemon Juice, and combine with the onion.

3. Season well. Serve with romaine lettuce, white cabbage or tender vine leaves.

2- DEEP FRIED KEBBEH BALLS

Yield: 4 Portions
Ingredients Amounts
Onion, finely minced 2.6 oz.
Meat, finely minced 17.6 oz.
Marjoram as needed
Fine burghol, washed, drained 8.8 oz.
Salt and pepper to taste

Stuffing

Onion, sliced lengthwise 7 oz.
Vegetable oil 2 Tbsp.
Pine nuts 1.8 oz.
Pomegranate molasses 2 Tbsp.

Method

1. Mix the onion, meat, marjoram and burghol in the food processor until it forms a dough. Season with salt and pepper.

2. To prepare the stuffing, fry the onion in the vegetable oil until it becomes transparent. Add the pine nuts. When the nuts change color, remove them from the heat and add the pomegranate molasses.

3. To form the kebbeh balls, take a plum-sized piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Holding the dough in your left hand, dig a hole in the center of the ball with your right index finger to form a shell. Fill the hole with stuffing and close firmly
with a point. Fry the kebbeh balls in oil; serve hot or cold.

Note: Meat versions of Kebbeh can be eaten raw, baked, deep fried or filled
with different ingredients.

Recipe credit: Kamal Mouzawak as presented at the 2003 Worlds of Flavor
International Conference and Festival. Published with permission of the author. All rights reserved.

3-MEGHLI

Yield: 15 servings
Ingredients Amounts
Rice flour 1 cup
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Water 9 cups
Cinnamon 1 Tbsp.
Caraway 1 Tbsp.
Anise (powder) 1 Tbsp.
Cumin 1 tsp.
Almonds 5.3 oz.
Pistachio 5.3 oz.

Method

1. Bring 9 cups of water to a boil. Meanwhile, dilute the rice flour in some cold water, addthe spices and mix well.

2. Add the flour mixture to the boiling water, little by little, stirring constantly.

3. Add the sugar and let simmer for about 45 minutes or until the meghli thickens, but doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

4. Remove from the heat and immediately pour into individual dishes. Let cool without shaking or moving the dishes, and serve at room temperature or slightly chilled with a spoonful of soaked and peeled almonds or pistachios (you could also use pine nuts, raisins, walnuts, or grated coconut).

Note: In Arabic, meghli means "the boiled" and is typically prepared at Christmastime to celebrate the birth of Christ, or for the congratulatory friends and family of a newborn.