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Recipes

Makloubet Batenjen – Upside-down eggplants

Makloubet batenjen ©DedosFoodTruck

Makloubet Batenjen which literally translates into “upside-down eggplants”, is an old traditional dish that originated in the Levant region. It is mainly cooked in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine. Makloubeh is cooked in various ways using different kinds of vegetables such as eggplants, cauliflower, carrots or potatoes, and can be prepared either with beef or with chicken.

Total Servings: 6

Preparation time: 1 hour

 Ingredients:

1 kg of rice

1 kg of eggplants

1 kg of ground beef

280 ml of vegetable oil

1 tbsp. of salt

6 cups of water

1 tsp. of seven spices (black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, dry coriander, cardamom, cloves, saffron)

1/2 kg of raw cashew nuts for decoration

Preparation steps:

  1. Wash the rice thoroughly and then soak it in water for half an hour
  2. Cut the eggplant into 1cm thick circles
  3. Add salt to the eggplant slices and deep fry in 250 ml of vegetable oil.
  4. Leave the fried eggplant aside on a sieve to allow the oil to drain
  5. In a pot, fry the ground beef in 30 ml of vegetable oil
  6. On top of the fried ground beef, add a layer of eggplant then a layer of uncooked rice. Keep forming layers of eggplants and rice until you use all the quantity that you have
  7. Add the water and heat on a medium heat
  8. When the water starts boiling, lower the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes until all water is evaporated and the rice is well cooked
  9. Turn off the heat and leave the pot for 2-3 minutes closed
  10. After that, open the lid and turn the cooker upside down over a large plate
  11. In a saucepan, fry the cashews and add them over the cooked dish
  12. Serve with yogurt or a seasonal vegetable salad

For a healthier version, you can roast the eggplant slices in the oven.

Categories
Recipes

Green beans stew – Loubyeh w rez

Loubyeh w rez

Green beans or “loubyeh” are highly consumed in Lebanon and cooked in different recipes either with meat or vegetarian. Spring season announces pulses harvest such as green beans, broad beans, chickpeas and others, which may be consumed raw but also cooked.

Green bean stew can be prepared with or without meat, usually chopped in cubes. We bring you here the vegetarian version of it, served with rice on the side.

Number of servings: 4

Green beans chopped, washed and drained 

Ingredients:

1 Kg of fresh green beans, washed and chopped (frozen beans can also be used)

1 onions, diced

4 garlic gloves, diced

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

½ Tsp. all spices

½ Tsp. salt

½ cinnamon stick

Juice of a lemon

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Liter of water

Preparation steps:

  1. In a cooking pot, stir-fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil until wilted
  2. Add the green beans and water
  3. Season with salt and spices including cinnamon and add the tomato paste
  4. Bring to a boil
  5. Add the lemon juice
  6. Simmer for an hour on low fire until the beans are well cooked
  7. Serve hot with rice on the side