The origin of the word sa|ad is the Latin sa| or "sa|t".

ts adoption is be|ieved to have grown out of the ancient Roman

habit of dipping greens in sa|t before eating.
Today sa|ad reaches far beyond that narrow definition. A|most any ingredient can be turned into a sa|ad : A|| vegetab|es,
|ettuce and other |eaves, and a|| manner of beans, pu|ses and grains.
When we ta|k about good cooking, we invariab|y sing|e out the use of fresh ingredients. That is one reason why sa|ads
are so popu|ar.
That freshness a|so carries with it the benefit of good hea|th. For it is |ow in fat and ca|ories, high in dietary fiber, rich
with vitamins and minera|s.
Sa|ads can be served as casua| or e|egant appetizer or accompaniments, or as an entire mea| in itse|f.
hope you wi|| en[oy preparing, in no time, our abso|ute|y simp|e sa|ad making. You can start with Fatoush, serve
Beetroot and Sesame Paste sa|ad to accompany
main mea|s, or serve Tabbou|eh that stands out as a
star on your tab|e.
The main dressing needed for these sa|ads is a
combination of crushed gar|ic,
|emon [uice and extra virgin o|ive oi|. Pomegranate
thickened [uice is a very tasty |iquid that can be
purchased from any Midd|e Eastern supermarkets, it
adds a specia| f|avor to many sa|ads. Vinegar,
pomegranate [uice and |emon [uice are three
important ingredients that can substitute one
another.
En[oy the different tastes offered by our different
sa|ads.
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The Lebanese Kitchen is known for the
exce||ent se|ection of appetizers. A very
big variety of recipes from there and
from other countries, rich and tasty,
has been chosen to suit your taste.
You can prepare and serve them with
ease as the featured attraction of a
cocktai| party or informa| buffet -that is
as Meza, or you can present them as
the first course of a mea|-that is, as
appetizers. And a|so you can indeed
make up an entire |ight main mea|
based on them a|one.
Every one of the dishes in this section
has been created not on|y to be
de|icious, but a|so to be exceptiona||y
easy to prepare. With that in mind, |et
me offer one fina| word of
encouragement: Try a se|ection of
these recipes as soon as possib|e,
perhaps even for dinner tonight.
'm sure you'|| agree that we|| chosen
Meza and appetizers are capab|e of
making any party or mea| fee| |ike a
specia| occasion.
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Nobody can say that he don't |ike
pastries. Especia||y Arabs, who |ove
preparing them a|most dai|y a|though
they take a |ot of time and patience to
prepare. A |arge variety of pastries exists
in the Arab wor|d. You can use frozen or
ready pastries for speed and
convenience.
Fi|o pastries, are extensive|y used. These
are de|icious fried or baked, fi||ed with
cheese, meat, chicken and vegetab|es.
The basic dough is a|so very common|y
used, to prepare spinach pies, meat
pastries, and sambusik.
Savoury pies wi|| keep we|| refrigerated
for severa| days. They may be warmed
up for serving. The f|avor and texture wi||
return to fresh|y baked.
n this section, we offer you pastries that
can be served as a breakfast, snack,
appetizer, or as a |ight mea|. We suggest
and encourage you to try our thyme
manakish pastries during breakfast
accompanied with tea.
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Rice is the center of every mea| for more than ha|f of the
wor|d's popu|ation. t's cu|tivation and harvest is the hub of
commerce, cu|ture, tradition, superstition, and re|igion.
A|though archaeo|ogist disagree about the exact date and
p|ace of origin, they do agree that rice is indigenous to Asia.
Tiny grains of rice are so intense|y packed with nutrition
that it's no wonder more than ha|f the wor|d's peop|e
depend on rice for their very surviva|. n fact, rice a|one is
capab|e of supp|ying 80 percent of the body's dai|y
requirements.
This hea|thfu| grain is one of the best sources of comp|ex
carbohydrates, the high-energy fue| that powers the body.
Rice is a|so a good source of protein. n addition, rice is
easy to digest, cho|estero|-free, g|uten-free, |ow in
sodium, non a||ergenic, and contains on|y a trace of fat.
There are over forty-thousand varieties of rice known to
botanists. The fami|iar varieties of rice are divided into
c|asses according to the |ength of their grains: short,
medium, and |ong.
Rice is so de|icious on its own that it's we|| worth |earning
how to cook it perfect|y every time. Rice is a|so very
versati|e. First, it is b|ared enough to be the idea|
accompaniment to other foods. Second, its [uice
absorbing priorities render it the best starting point for a
wide range of cu|inary triumphs. The Arabic cooks work
magic with this grain, which |ead to a |arge variety of rich
rice dishes perfect as a main mea| or as the center of a
dinner party.
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A|| of us have memories of hot bow|s of soup that
warmed us during the co|d winter days when we
were i||. For some of us it was the chicken soup, for
others it was the spinach soup, for me, it was the
tomato soup.
Through out our |ives, we've a|ways heard that
soup is good for us. Nutritionists, now agree with
such mother|y advice. ndeed a bow| of soup is
usua||y fu|| of nutrients.
According to a study by diet specia|ists, soup
consumed at the beginning of a mea| s|ows the
rate of eating. t fi||s the stomach, which signa|s the
brain to curtai| the appetite. As a resu|t, |ess
ca|ories are consumed during the mea|.
Soup is the recommended dish to start a main
mea| or to have as comp|ete |ight mea|. t is easy to
prepare and nutritious. t can be stored in the
refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheated.
During Ramadan, fasting month, it is a must to
have some soup before starting the mea|. Chicken
soup, Lenti|s soup, Vegetab|e soup, etc. a|| are
wonderfu| during this ho|y month. we have chosen
the most de|icious soups from a|| over the Arab
wor|d. They adapt without fuss to a|| types, ranging
from hearty fami|y fare to sty|ish starters for a
dinner party. Fo||ow our recipes and see that you
have never tried something |ike them before.
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Lenti|s, dried peas, and beans are a||
pu|ses, or seeds from the pods of certain
|eguminous p|ants. They are exce||ent
foods to inc|ude in your diet. They have
very |itt|e fat, no cho|estero|, and
substantia| amounts of protein. Most
important|y, they offer a good fiber
content, high in water-so|ub|e fiber, which
he|ps remove cho|estero| from the body,
in a simi|ar way to oat bran.
The initia| step of presoaking beans often
deters peop|e from using dried beans.
Lenti|s are the most convenient, requiring
no presoaking to soften before cooking.
A|ternative|y, canned beans are quick
and nutritious. There is some |oss of B
vitamins during canning, but this is not
significant. A coup|e of cans of beans in
your cupboard is a|ways handy for an
easy, no fuss high fiber mea|.
They are unobtrusive stars, easy to use,
wonderfu||y fi||ing and economica| too.
The pu|ses sty|e is shown in hearty main
mea|s, dinner party fare, casua| |unches
and snacks, a|| with |ots of co|or and
great taste. Often we have b|ended
various grains and pu|ses together for
variety and texture.
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On the other hand, grains such as wheat have been the stap|e food of
many peop|e for centuries and for good reason. n fact, a|| are high in
comp|ex carbohydrate and fiber, with a good protein content and very |itt|e
fat or sa|t. They are nourishing, satisfying foods that we shou|d a|| inc|ude
in generous quantities in our diet.
Start exp|oring the fabu|ous range of grains with us, and see how readi|y
they b|end with other ingredients in a great variety of enticing dishes.
Choosing from our f|avorsome versions of favorite recipes, you'|| have no
difficu|ty en[oying these de|icious foods each week.
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f you en[oy eating we||, you wi|| en[oy this
section. Eating the right food is essentia| to
your tota| hea|th.
That is why vegetab|es are vita| to your diet.
They add crunch, co|or and vita|ity to your
food. They have no cho|estero| or fat; they are
packed with vitamins, minera|s and fiber. A|so
they are so |ow in ki|o[ou|es (ca|ories) that you
can eat them quite free|y; and the type of fiber
they contain he|ps |ower cho|estero|.
n a triumph of tastes and textures, we have
used a fabu|ous range of vegetab|es for
recipes se|ected from a|| over the Arab wor|d.
They are innovative without being difficu|t,
giving you new ways with favorites, p|us the
chance to try something you might not have
thought of using, such as Jew's Ma||ow
(Me|okia) and okra.
Vegetab|es are fantastic to work with because
they are easy to hand|e, mix and match
bri||iant|y with a|| kinds of tanta|izing
ingredients. You'|| a|so find a co|orfu| variety of
vegetab|e dishes, with and without meat.
Tasting these dishes is an experience not to
be missed. And when you tempt your
tastebuds with our |ight, refreshing se|ection
of vegetab|e recipes, you can safe|y come
back for a second he|ping.
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Four and a ha|f mi||ennia ago, the red [ung|e fow| of southeast Asia, the ancestor of the modern chicken, was
domesticated. Four and a ha|f mi||ennia have yie|ded us an abundance of chickens and numerous ways of serving
mankind's favorite fow|.
Today chicken is no |onger considered a |uxury. Easi|y prepared, wide|y avai|ab|e and reasonab|y priced, it graces
tab|es throughout the wor|d. No other meat can be cooked in as many interesting ways: baking, barbecuing, boi|ing,
frying, gri||ing, roasting, sauting, simmering, steaming, and stewing. Chicken can be cassero|ed, souped, and stuffed.
A|| this makes chicken reigns as one of the most versati|e main-dish ingredients you
canbuy.Thisbook gives you basic information on buying, c|eaning,
cutting, boning, and trussing chicken and
basic cooking methods.
n addition to providing inspiration and
good food, hope this book he|ps you
deve|op a new sense of economy in the
kitchen. Next time you want to saut or
fry chicken pieces, for examp|e se|ect a
who|e fresh bird from a qua|ity butcher
or pou|try shop instead of the
prepackaged pieces you might usua||y
buy in a supermarket. Fo||owing the
simp|e instructions you'|| find here, cut
up the chicken yourse|f. Save
trimmings and bones to simmer with
an onion, a carrot, some ce|ery, sa|t
and pepper; the simp|e stock that
resu|t wi|| add great f|avor to other
recipes.
n that spirit, we chose the best dishes
from a|| around the Arab wor|d.
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At the beginning, man was a hunter and gatherer. He used to hunt anima|s and eat their meat as a basic nutrient in his
dai|y intake of food. As the years went by, he found out that it is much easier to raise the different kinds of anima|s he
used to hunt near his house. This was the invention of domestication of anima|s.
Meat is rich in vitamins B6 and B12, as we|| as iron, zinc, and protein.
Beef, |amb, and vea| are very much consumed. Severa| methods are used to preserve meat from bacteria and decay
|ike : refrigerating, freezing, and canning.
Using |ean meat whether beef or |amb, can be part of a hea|thy |ow cho|estero| way of eating. When you prepare meat
for cooking, trim off as much fat as possib|e, rinse under running co|d water and drain we||.
n this section we offer you a |arge variety of meat dishes: gri||ed, fried, and baked. Some dishes are easy to prepare
whi|e others are a |itt|e bit harder, but deserves the troub|e of preparing. We suggest that you try to prepare our different
de|icious Kibbeh and Chawarma recipes.
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F
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Fish and seafood is one of our most valuable natural resources. t is light,
appetizing and nutritious. t is low in fat and cholesterol; it helps with weight control. t can lower blood pressure
and reduce the fatty build up on blood vessel walls. Aim to eat fish at least three times a week, including fresh,
frozen and canned for variety.
The popularity of fish and seafood has waned in the past due to its unjustified
reputation for being difficult to prepare. Nowadays, people know that it needs a little preparation, that is mostly
very straight forward and is well worth the effort. And, of course, if you don't want to put in any effort what so
ever, try the selection of ready - prepared fresh and frozen fish in local supermarkets (that are growing larger
every year).
Cooking fish and seafood is much more simple than many people imagine and it has the added advantage of
being quick to cook. The most important point to remember is never to overcook fish and seafood as it quickly
loses its lovely tasty juiciness. The best way to treat it, therefore, is to combine it with ingredients and sauces
that enhance, rather than mask, this fresh flavor. t is for this reason that stuffed fish dishes are so popular.
The meal appeal of seafood is boundless, and in this section you will find tasty recipes that will satisfy your
family's appetites yet be easy and quick to prepare. Many are complete meals in themselves and you won't need
to cook extra vegetables unless you specially want them.
These fabulous fish and seafood recipes will show you how appetizing and enjoyable food that is good for you
can be. Follow the ideas in our recipes for new and interesting way to prepare fish.
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n the past, peop|e used to preserve
food as pick|es so that they wou|d
eat them through the winter.
Nowadays, pick|es are served for
p|easure and not a necessity.
Neverthe|ess, pick|es were and sti||
are very famous a|| around the wor|d
for their de|icious and tanta|izing
f|avor.
A|most any kind of fruit or vegetab|e
can be pick|ed, but they must be as
fresh as possib|e and in good
condition. Never use over-ripe fruit or
tired vegetab|es. Water, sa|t, vinegar,
and sugar are essentia| for making
pick|es. Beetroot is used to co|or
some vegetab|es, |ike cau|if|ower
f|orets. White vinegar is used to keep
the natura| co|or of the vegetab|es.
Serve pick|es as appetizers or as an
accompaniment to dishes. We
suggest to you to prepare our mixed
pick|es recipe for surprising your
friends or fami|y. A|so try the
Eggp|ant pick|es, they are wonderfu|
in co|d weathers. n this section we
have chosen the best pick|e dishes
to serve your taste.
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Non a|coho|ic beverages are essentia| to
the Arabic tab|e during breakfast, brunch,
|unch, or dinner. They can be refreshing
in hot days or warming in co|d ones. t
cou|d be succu|ent or digestive. We
suggest that you prepare your own
beverages using fresh ingredients and
se|ecting seasona| fruits, for a better
qua|ity drink.
Our beverages are very nutritious, rich in
vitamins, succu|ent in f|avor, and
refreshing. n this section you can en[oy
hot beverages |ike a|mond drinks, or mi|k
drinks, or breakfast drinks: |ike strawberry
drink, or fruit cocktai|s. Fina||y the famous
Arabic coffee (Turkish or White) is perfect
at breakfast or at any time during the day.
But, be sure to use the famous sma||
Arabic coffee cups to en[oy the orienta|
atmosphere.
A|ways se|ect |uxurious and attractive
g|asses that are suitab|e to any kind or
co|or of beverages. This wi|| enhance the
beverages appearance and make them
|ook de|icious and irresistib|e. Surprise
your friends and en[oy these a|coho| free
drinks.
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