Category: Lebanese recipes

Bamieh BiZeit – Okra with Olive Oil (Lebanese Recipe)

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by MAJIDA MEHANA

The following family recipe is a delicious and easy method to prepare the vegetarian dish of Okra with Olive Oil (Bamieh BiZeit).

Ingredients:

Okra: Half a Kilogram.

Onion: 1 large size onion diced into small pieces.

Pepper: One sweet pepper diced into small pieces.

Tomatoes: 5 diced medium sized tomatoes.

Garlic: Four to five ground cloves.

Salt: Half a teaspoon, add to taste.

Water: 150 to 200 ml.

Olive oil: Two spoons, add to taste.

Vegetable oil.

Spices: A pinch of cinnamon and 7 spices (see note below). If not available, add black pepper and paprika to taste. A quarter to half a teaspoon.

Serving: Add to taste:

  • Pita bread.
  • Green onions, continental mint, olives, radish, and yogurt at the side.
  • Seven spice mix, black pepper, and/or cumin. The “seven spice mix” is common in stores that sell Lebanese food or Middle Eastern products. The Lebanese seven spice mix can change from a store to another. In general, it is a mix of black pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Preparing the okra:
The okra should be soft and small. Remove a part of the head by cutting in a circular motion leaving a small tip. Do not cut into the pod. Wash quickly and dry well in a strainer.

Steps:   

  • Fry the okra in vegetable oil.
  • In a second pan, fry the diced onion on medium heat using a mix of olive oil and another vegetable oil. Have enough oil to just cover the onions.
  • After couple minutes, add the pepper, garlic, salt, and spices. If the 7 spices mix is not available, add paprika and black pepper.
  • Stir the mix until the onions start to become yellow and cooked.
  • Add the diced tomatoes to the mix, taste and add more salt and spices as needed.
  • Heat 150 to 200 ml of water separately.
  • Add the okra and water to the mix.
  • Cover and simmer on low to medium heat for around 15 minutes.

Serving:

  • The dish is served cold with pita bread, green onions, continental mint, olives, and/or radish.
  • Yogurt can also be added at the side.

The dish is served at lunch with bread. Often, Okra is cooked with meat when served with rice. People who are vegetarian might like to have it with rice as well.

Enjoy!

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Foul Akhdar BiZeit – Green Fava Beans (Lebanese Recipe)

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by MAJIDA MEHANA

Green Fava Beans

The following family recipe is a delicious and easy method to prepare the vegetarian dish of Green Fava Beans (Foul Akhdar BiZeit).

Ingredients:

Green Fava Bean pods: 1 Kilogram.

Onions: 2 Medium onions diced into small pieces.

Green onions: 6 green onions washed and cut into small pieces.

Vegetable Oil.

Olive oil: Three to four spoons, add to taste.

Garlic: One ground clove. Could add more or not use at all.

Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves: Half a bunch washed and chopped in fine pieces. Discard the stems.

Salt: Half a teaspoon. Add to taste.

Serving: Add to taste:

  • Lemon Juice.
  • Pita bread.
  • Green onions, continental mint, olives, radish, and yogurt at the side.
  • Seven spice mix, black pepper, and/or cumin. The “seven spice mix” is common in stores that sell Lebanese food or Middle Eastern products. The Lebanese seven spice mix can change from a store to another. In general, it is a mix of black pepper, cumin, paprika, coriander, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. If not available, it is fine.

Preparing the fava bean pods:
The bean pods should be fresh and soft. They should have been harvested when they were young in order for the pod to be eaten. If the strings at the sides are thick, they can be removed by pulling the top point of the bean pod down the bean. Both end points need to be trimmed. In general, they are clean and only need a quick wash. Too much soaking in water will darken the color. Once washed and strained, they are cut in small pieces.

Steps:

  • Fry the onions on medium heat using vegetable oil. Have enough oil to just cover the onions.
  • When the onions start to become yellow, add the green onions.
  • Stir the onions from time to time while frying them to make sure that all the pieces are frying at the same rate.
  • Once the green onions start to get soft in about 5 minutes, add the green fava beans.
  • Fry the mix together for 4 to 5 minutes. Stir them so the onions and the fava beans mix together.  
  • Add a cup of water (200 ml) and switch to low heat until the fava beans get cooked. The amount of time will change depending on the type of beans. However, start checking after 20 minutes.
  • Five to ten minutes before the beans getting cooked, add to taste olive oil, salt, one clove of ground garlic, and coriander. The coriander adds a very distinct taste.
  • Let them cook until the fava beans are soft. If preferred very soft, they can be left for more time.

Serving:

  • Lemon juice is added to taste just prior to serving.
  • The dish is served with pita bread, green onions, continental mint, olives, and/or radish.
  • Yogurt can also be added at the side.
  • Spices to add are 7 Lebanese mix spices, black pepper, and/or cumin.

The dish is served at lunch. However, some like it as a heavy breakfast. It can also be made in a sandwich using pita bread and vegetables.

Enjoy!

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