Lebanese Recipes from Wafaa

Last night we met the fabulous Wafaa whose passion for all things Lebanese was infectious. She managed to sell us Beirut as a holiday destination, so that's saying something! I was badgered for the recipes before the evening was over, so without further ado... here they are:

Fattouch:

Serve 4 people

Ingredients

2 peppers,

5 medium tomatoes,

half cucumber,

half lettuce,

1 onion,

2 lemons,

Small bunch of fresh mint and parsley,

Salt,

Olive oil

2 tortillas bread grilled.

Grill the tortillas in the oven, when cool crack into small pieces and set aside.

Wash and dice peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and onion.

Then chop lettuce, mint and parsley.

Mix all ingredients in a salad bawl. Add salt and lemon juice to your taste. Just before you serve add the olive oil and grilled tortillas

Chicken with bulgur wheat   (Dfeen)

For 4 people

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts cut into small cubes, or 3 chicken legs

250g bulgur wheat

1 tin chickpeas

50g butter

Salt and pepper

Recipe:

Put chicken pieces, pepper and butter in a pot and brown turning few times for few minutes, cover with water and bring to the boil till the chicken is cooked, approximately 10 minutes.

If using chicken legs: put chicken in pot and boil for 5 minutes then discard the water and replace with clean fresh water. Add a small peeled onion cut in half, few cardamom pods and 1cinnamon stick. Boil till the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Get the chicken out of pot and when cool separate the meat from the rest. Strain the water from the pot to use is the cooking.

In a pot add the rinsed content of chickpeas tin to 2 cups of the water saved from cooking the chicken and the chicken meat. Let boil for 5 minutes.

Add the bulgur wheat with 2 cups of water and season to your liking. Add butter. Boil on medium heat for 10 minutes or until the bulgur wheat is cooked (keep checking for water, add water or stock if necessary). When all ingredients are cooked take the lid off and simmer till the water evaporate.

Serve with yogurt salad

Yogurt salad

1 tub greek yogurt

Half cucumber chopped into small pieces

Small bunch of fresh mint, chopped finely

1 big garlic clove, crushed

Pinch of

salt

Add bit of water

Mix all ingredients and enjoy as a side dish or as a refreshing snack

Enjoy!