LEBANESE CUISINE SECRETS
HORECA Lebanon honored 11 of the most iconic eateries in town that have stood the test of time and five of them shared their secret cooking tips and recommendations
AL AJAMI
KIBBEH ARNABIYE
“Kebbeh Arnabiye is best enjoyed in winter, due to the seasonality of some of its citrus fruits – the key ingredient is ‘bousfeir’ (bitter orange). The Arnabiye is preferably eaten only with kibbeh, without the lamb and hummus.”
TIP
“Slowly simmer a mix of bouillon, onion and citrus fruits over a low heat. Add the tahini at the end of the mixture and keep mixing until the ‘serej’ starts coming out.”
AL HALABI
WARAK ENAB
“Warak enab is a staple of the lebanese cuisine and one of our favorite dishes. Their stuffing varies between local regions and cultures, however knowing how to choose the right leaves is the very first step.”
TIP
“When picking your leaves, make sure they are rounded, small, thin, silky and acidic. Leaves with these characteristics, cook faster and have the right amount of acidity without the addition of lemon juice.”
AL SULTAN BRAHIM
HUMMUS
“Hummus is an iconic Lebanese dish and has accompanied Al Sultan Brahim every step of the way since 1968. If you wish to try our hummus, come to our restaurants and taste why it’s our favorite dish.”
TIP
“Never trust a production sheet for any recipe, because it is for the restaurateur’s eyes only!”.
LE PHENICIEN
FISH KIBBEH
“Fish kibbeh was created in Tyre, a city known for its good quality and fresh fish. Habib Hadid, owner and founder of Le Phenicien, introduced the kibbeh to his menu, adding some secret ingredients to take it to a whole new level.”
TIP
“Balance is the key for preparing a good Lebanese dish – it’s about leveling the right amount of bitter, sour, acidity, spiciness and sweet.”
MOUNIR
KHAROUF MEHSHE
“Every dish is special but the one we really like is Kharouf Mehshe (leg of lamb with oriental rice). It comes with a special sauce topped with toasted nuts.”
TIP
“The secret is to always cook with fresh and good quality ingredients – stay away from everything frozen! At Mounir, we harvest all of our ingredients from our very own garden, so we always have fresh, and most importantly, organic ingredients.”
