Lebanese Cuisine Recipes
Lebanese cooking is valued worldwide for its rich taste, sophistication and health benefits. Since the country is located at the crossroads of trade routes from Europe to Asia, the local cuisine has incorporated all the best from the menu of neighboring regions.
Since the 16th century, Lebanon has been under Turkish control, and with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations transferred control of Lebanon into the hands of the French. Only in 1941, the country gained independence, but until now two languages are considered state languages: Arabic and French. However, calm and recovery in the country were short-lived. In 1975, a civil war broke out in Lebanon between right-wing Christians and Muslim groups, which lasted until 1991. Lebanon became associated only with devastation and violence, although before the mere mention of the name of this country conjured up pictures of magnificent sunlit beaches, mountains with snowy peaks and smiling hospitable residents. Beirut, with its museums, delicious shops and restaurants, was called the "pearl of the East." But the wave of refugees that poured into other countries during these years brought with it, including culinary traditions. So the world became acquainted with Lebanese cuisine, and now it is valued on a par with French or Italian.
Now Beirut is reviving past traditions again, and since the Lebanese people like to eat well, there is no shortage of restaurants, cafes and pastry shops on the streets of the city. Lunch break for Lebanese employees can last 2-3 hours. It starts with plentiful snacks - meze, both cold and hot, which can be from 10 to 50! Yes, it takes time to deal with such abundance. Salads, hummus (pea paste), kibby (meat balls), salted and pickled vegetables - you will not list all. However, this is not all. The main dish will also be brought to you - meat, fish, chicken, which are most often cooked on charcoal. Since the Lebanese are mainly Christians, here there are pork and wine on the menu. But there are practically no soups in Lebanese cuisine. No meal in Lebanon is complete without bread, and not only because it is highly respected, just a piece of bread is usually used instead of a spoon and a fork.
But what is Arabic cuisine without sweets? The most famous, of course, is baklava and its various options. Semolina desserts are also good. Due to the high sugar content, oriental sweets can be stored for months without losing their quality. During religious fasting, these nutritious foods devoid of animal ingredients support the strengths of both Muslims and Christians.
At the end of the meal, you will be offered fruit, coffee or tea. They drink coffee all day long. Lebanese coffee is strong enough with the addition of cardamom.
But, despite such a gastronomic abundance, you will not meet a single fat person in Lebanon, because the food is healthy, low-fat, a lot of vegetables, and all dishes are prepared only from fresh products.
They say that Lebanese eat to work, but work to eat. And this is not surprising with such an abundance of recipes for amazing dishes.
Lebanese cooking is valued worldwide for its rich taste, sophistication and health benefits. Since the country is located at the crossroads of trade routes from Europe to Asia, the local cuisine has incorporated all the best from the menu of neighboring regions.
Since the 16th century, Lebanon has been under Turkish control, and with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the League of Nations transferred control of Lebanon into the hands of the French. Only in 1941, the country gained independence, but until now two languages are considered state languages: Arabic and French. However, calm and recovery in the country were short-lived. In 1975, a civil war broke out in Lebanon between right-wing Christians and Muslim groups, which lasted until 1991. Lebanon became associated only with devastation and violence, although before the mere mention of the name of this country conjured up pictures of magnificent sunlit beaches, mountains with snowy peaks and smiling hospitable residents. Beirut, with its museums, delicious shops and restaurants, was called the "pearl of the East." But the wave of refugees that poured into other countries during these years brought with it, including culinary traditions. So the world became acquainted with Lebanese cuisine, and now it is valued on a par with French or Italian.
Now Beirut is reviving past traditions again, and since the Lebanese people like to eat well, there is no shortage of restaurants, cafes and pastry shops on the streets of the city. Lunch break for Lebanese employees can last 2-3 hours. It starts with plentiful snacks - meze, both cold and hot, which can be from 10 to 50! Yes, it takes time to deal with such abundance. Salads, hummus (pea paste), kibby (meat balls), salted and pickled vegetables - you will not list all. However, this is not all. The main dish will also be brought to you - meat, fish, chicken, which are most often cooked on charcoal. Since the Lebanese are mainly Christians, here there are pork and wine on the menu. But there are practically no soups in Lebanese cuisine. No meal in Lebanon is complete without bread, and not only because it is highly respected, just a piece of bread is usually used instead of a spoon and a fork.
But what is Arabic cuisine without sweets? The most famous, of course, is baklava and its various options. Semolina desserts are also good. Due to the high sugar content, oriental sweets can be stored for months without losing their quality. During religious fasting, these nutritious foods devoid of animal ingredients support the strengths of both Muslims and Christians.
At the end of the meal, you will be offered fruit, coffee or tea. They drink coffee all day long. Lebanese coffee is strong enough with the addition of cardamom.
But, despite such a gastronomic abundance, you will not meet a single fat person in Lebanon, because the food is healthy, low-fat, a lot of vegetables, and all dishes are prepared only from fresh products.
They say that Lebanese eat to work, but work to eat. And this is not surprising with such an abundance of recipes for amazing dishes.
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