Fattet Dajaj (Chicken, Rice, & Yogurt sauce)

Fattet is one of the most famous and distinctive Lebanese dishes. Toasted pita bread, rice and chicken soaked with yogurt sauce and garnished with nuts. It is eaten usually as an appetizer usually in the month of Ramadan.

Serves: 8
Prep. Time: 15 min
Cooking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless chicken breast, boiled and shredded 
• 1 medium loaf pita bread, toasted and cut in to small squares 
• 1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Rice

• 1 serving Cooked Ground Beef 
• 1 ½ cups long-grain rice, soaked in water for ½ hour 
• 3 cups chicken broth 
• 1 teaspoon salt teaspoon allspice 
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

 Chickpeas

• 4 cups water 
• 3 cups boiled chickpeas 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ½ teaspoon salt 

Yogurt Sauce

• 4 cups fat-free plain yogurt 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed  
• 1 teaspoon tahini 
• 1 teaspoon dried mint 
• 1 teaspoon salt 

Directions:

1. Put ground beef In a large pot over high heat. 
2. Drain rice and add to meat, stll fry for 2 minutes. 
3. Add chicken broth with seasonings and mix well. Bring to a boil. 
4. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes without stirring. 
5. To prepare the chickpeas, bring water to boil in another deep pot Add chickoeas, garlic, and salt and cook over low heat until tender. Set aside. 
6. In a separate bowl, mix yogurt sauce ingredients. Set aside. 
7. Put hot rice in serving plate. 
8. Garnish with hot chicken and chickpeas. 
9. Cover with bread and yogurt sauce. 
10. Spnnkle toasted pine nuts over all

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Shourabit Silq bi Laban (Chard and Yogurt Soup)

Serves: 4 to 8
Prep. time: 25 min
Cooking time: 2½ hours

Ingredients:

• 1 cup bulgur 
• 1 lb. fresh chard 
•  8 cups water 
•  1 15-oz. can chickpeas 
• 1 tsp. salt 
• 2½ cups (20 oz.) plain yogurt, at room temperature 
• 1 egg, at room temperature 
• fresh or dried mint to garnish

Directions:

1. Place bulgur in a colander. 
2. Rinse under cold water and drain. 
3. Remove tough stems from chard. 
4. Wash leaves well and drain.  
5. In a large kettle with a lid, bring 3 cups water to a boil over high heat. 
6. Add chard and return to a boil. 
7. Cover and cook about 3 minutes, or until leaves are thoroughly wilted. 
8. Remove chard with a slotted spoon, place in a bowl, and set aside to cool. 
9. Save cooking water and add bulgur, chickpeas, and 5 cups more water to kettle. 
10. Return to a boil. 
11. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 1½ hours. 
12. While soup is cooking, chop chard finely with a sharp knife. 
13. In a medium bowl, beat together salt, yogurt, and egg. 
14. Add chopped chard and about 1 cups of the soup to yogurt mixture. 
15. Stir well, always stirring in the same direction to prevent curdling. 
16. Remove soup from heat. Gradually add yogurt mixture, stirring constantly. 
17. Sprinkle each serving with int and serve immediately. 

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Banadoura Mahshi (Stuffed Tomatoes)

Mahshi  means stuffed vegetables so you can have many types of mahshi. Stuffed vegetables are very popular in Lebanon and are served as part of the mezze or as a main course.

Serves: 4
Prep. time: 45 min
Baking time: 30 min

Ingredients:

• 4 large, ripe tomatoes
• ½ lb. lean ground lamb or beef 
• ¼ cup pine nuts 
• 1 tsp. salt 
• ¼ tsp. pepper 
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. cinnamon 
• ¼ tsp. allspice 
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin 
• 1 14½-oz. can crushed tomatoes 
• 2/3 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Grease a 9x 9-inch baking dish. 
3. Cut tops off tomatoes. Using a spoon, carefully scoop out pulp, making sure not to tear the skins. Save tops and pulp. 
4. Place tomatoes in baking dish. 
5. In a large skillet, cook meat over medium-high meat until brown, stirring to break into small pieces.
6. Remove meat from skillet with a slotted spoon and place in a medium bowl. Save the grease. 
7. Add pine nuts to grease from the meat and sauté over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, or until lightly browned. 
8. Remove pine nuts from skillet with a slotted spoon and stir into browned meat. Add spices and mix well. 
9. Place pulp from tomatoes in a fine sieve and place sieve over the bowl containing the meat mixture. 
10. With the back of a spoon, force pulp through sieve into the bowl. 
11. Spoon meat mixture into hollowed-out tomatoes. 
12. Replace tops on tomatoes. 
13. Pour crushed tomatoes over tops of stuffed tomatoes. 
14. Add 2/3 cup water to bottom of baking dish. 
15. Bake uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes. 
16. Serve hot.

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Tabouli Salad

Tabouli is best made as close to serving time as possible. You will need 2 large bunches parsley and 1 bunch mint. You can find burghul in the health food section of the supermarket.

Serves: 8
Prep. Time: 50 min
Cooking Time: none

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup burghul (cracked wheat)
• 2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 4 cups chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (see note)
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• ¼ cup olive oil

Method:

1. Place burghul, tomato and lemon juice in a bowl. 
2. Stand, covered, for 30 minutes or until burghul has softened. 
3. Add parsley, mint, onion and oil to burghul mixture. 
4. Stir to combine. Serve.

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