Lebanese villages | Food Heritage Foundation

Mtashtash (متشتش) is a satiating salad with an abundance of bulgur, commonly prepared in the Akkar region of Northern Lebanon. It is also known as blileh or even “fake tabbouleh” (tabbouleh kezzebeh – تبولة كذّابة). The word mtashtash means soaked and refers to the bulgur that is mixed with the other ingredients. This traditional recipe is typically prepared during Lent and is served with cooked or fresh cabbage leaves, or it can be scooped with fresh lettuce leaves.

Mtashtash Recipe:
(Recipe courtesy of Rose Bitar from Fneidik, Akkar)

Serves: 5 people
Calories: 650 calories per serving
Preparation Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

2 cups of coarse bulgur
5 tbsp. of chickpeas (cooked)
1 tbsp. of tomato paste
1 tsp. of chili paste
2 garlic cloves (crushed)
1 cup of olive oil
2 medium sized tomatoes
2 bunches of parsley
1 bunch of mint
4 green onions
Juice of 1 squeezed lemon
Salt to taste

Preparation Steps:

Wash the bulgur thoroughly.
In a bowl, rub the bulgur with the garlic, olive oil, tomato paste and chili paste; mix the ingredients well and leave them aside.
Finely chop the parsley, mint and green onions and add them to the bulgur mix.
Dice the tomatoes and add them to the bulgur mix.
Finally, add the chickpeas, lemon juice and salt and mix well.
Serve cold with boiled or fresh cabbages or with fresh lettuce leaves.

darb el karam, an absolute food tourism experience in winter like in summer, as explored by a group of journalists

*On the winter menu at Noha’s guesthouse in Ein Zebde*

darb el karam never ceases impressing its visitors in all seasons, in winter like in summer; impressing them with his hosts and their warm hearts and true smiles, the generosity and quality of the food, and the one-of-a-kind experience weaved around culinary activities and food heritage.

breakfast at sonia1 — *Homemade goat labneh and cheese, but also heart-capturing makdous at Sonia’s in Saghbine*

*Lovely Sonia surrounded by the beautiful ladies*

A group of journalists with their families were invited to spend a day on darb el karam in West Bekaa. They started their day early in the morning with a traditional breakfast at Botrous and Sonia’s modest house in Saghbine. For this special occasion, Sonia has prepared, among other traditional foods, fresh baladi cheese and labneh from the milk of the family’s goats.

[quote]It has been a long time since I enjoyed a delicious baladi breakfast[/quote] said Reema while sipping her cup of tea.

Posing with "3ammo" Botrous and his goats! — *Posing with “3ammo” Botrous and his goats!*

After having coffee on the balcony overviewing the Qaraoun Lake, the group challenged the cold weather and went on a soft hike with “3ammo” Botrous from the mountains of Saghbine towards Ein Zebde where they met with Nabila who has set for a coffee break in the village plaza.

*Coffee break with Nabila in Ein Zebde plaza*

Before heading to lunch, the group joined Nabila to collect the season’s wild edible plants, enough to make fatayer (pastries), salads and other appetizers!

[quote]We need to do this more often![/quote] shouted Katia as she filled her lungs with fresh air, on top of the mountain.

*Do you remember the name of this plant Rita? 🙂*

Our visitors did not only have scrumptious meals highlighting each village they visited, but they also learned how to make the famous potato kebbe of Noha and the mouthwatering kaak of Lina!