Lebanese food has a tremendous variety, and an exceptional flavor for any type of diet. From whole grains, fruits, vegetables, meats, and unique spices and sauces, this vibrant cuisine has gained popularity all the world in the past few years. Today’s woman dreamer, Hind Merheb Khodr, shares her favorite Lebanese traditional recipes for you to try at home this weekend.

Recipe 1: Vegetarian Grape Leaves

We say, “It takes a village”. This is what crosses my mind when I make this dish. More in the past than it is now, women used to get together to make grape leaves dish. It is a delicacy that you don’t eat every day because of the time it takes to make it. The neighbors or family members got together to roll the grape leaves. Below is the recipe for the vegetarian version of this dish. 

Ingredients

• 1 16oz. Jar of pickled Grape Leaves

• 3 Cups of Rinsed Jasmine Rice (Drain Well)

• 5 Fresh Tomatoes (Chopped)

• 2 Medium Sized Onions (Chopped)

• 1 Bunch of Parsley (Flat Leaf Preferred) (Chopped)

• 1 Cut of Fresh Mint Leaves (Chopped)

• 1 Lemon (Juiced)

• ½ a Cup of Olive Oil

• 1 Tsp of Salt

• ½ Tsp of Lebanese 7 Spice Mix (Or Black Pepper)

Directions

1. Rinse the pickled grape leaves very well. You can soak them in cold water for 30 minutes too in order to get rid of the pickling flavor. Then remove the stem on the top, as this is tough and will not cook well.

2. To prepare the filling, add the chopped tomatoes, onions, parsley, and mint to the well-drained rice. Then add the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix the filling very well.

3. Lay the grape leaf on a plate with the shiny side down. The shiny side is the side that you want to see when you serve the dish. If the grape leaves are big, add about 1 tsp of the filling close to the stem, roll once, fold both sides, and then continue rolling tightly. Continue until you finish the jar.

4. To prepare the pot, poor some olive oil to cover the bottom. I recommend a stainless steel pot with a thick bottom. Add some slices of potatoes (about 2 potatoes) and tomatoes (in addition to the number of tomatoes mentioned in the ingredients. You will need 1-2).  Start laying the stuffed grape leaves on top of the potatoes and tomatoes where all the rolls are pointing towards the center of the pot. Layer them on top of each other and they are all in the pot. Then put a heatproof plate on them and then something heavy on top of the plate. I use a flat stone that I got from the beach. It is important that what you are using will not release anything in the food and will take the long hours in the heat. This will prevent them from unrolling while cooking. Add water to cover all of them. Cover with a lid. Let cook for about 1.5 hours on low heat. Once the time has passed, turn off the stove and let sit for another hour uncovered.

It is best when they are served at room temperate or cold. They can be served as an appetizer or a main dish.

Recipe 2: Grilled Kafta Platter (non-veg)

This savory, spicy dish is an authentic Lebanese classic, and is a family favorite in Lebanon.

Kafta is one of those dishes that can be cooked in many ways. In the Summer, Kafta is great grilled as in this recipe. In the winter, the mix can be shaped into balls and cooked as a stew in a tomato sauce and potatoes. For a quick lunch, Kafta can be thinly spread on pita bread and grilled. Great food for kids!

Ingredients

• 4 lbs of Ground Meat

• Mix 2 lbs of ground lamb and 2lbs of ground beef

• 1 bunch

• Parsley

• 1 Medium size onion

• 1 1/2 tsp

• Salt

• 1 1/2 tsp

• Kafta Spice Mix (Lebanese) or 7 Spice Mix from Ethnic Middle Eastern Store

• Rice : 2 Cups of Jasmine Rice

• 1 Cup of Vermicelli (Broken into small pieces)

• 1 Tsp Salt

• 4 Tbl of vegetable oil

Directions

1. Run the parsley and onion in the food processor until they are finely chopped.

2. Add the parsley onion mix to the ground meat and add the salt and spices. Mix the meat with everything else very well without over mixing.

3. Shape the Kafta mix into fingers. Grill the fingers on both sides until cooked through but not overcooked.

4. For the rice, toast the vermicelli  in the oil until golden brown. Then, add the rinsed rice and toast for a minute.  Add water (follow instructions on your rice package) and salt. Cook on medium heat until water evaporates. Turn off the heat, cover with a towel and cover tightly for another 5 minutes. The towel will absorb the extra moisture and will make a fluffy rice.

Serve the Kafta with rice, grilled tomatoes, hummus, and simple salad with vinegrette dressing.

 Bio: Born and raised in Lebanon. Hind has a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture from the American University of Beirut and a Masters Degree in Science from Tufts University. Hind currently works at Simmons University. She has 3 kids and enjoys being with family and friends. She enjoys cooking, baking, and gardening. 

Thank you so much Hind for these delicious and unique recipes, and sharing the beauty of Lebanese food and culture with us!

We are excited to have you in our empowered women’s network.