Recipes By Reem Kassis
31 recipes found
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This Beloved Levantine Vegetable Dish Is Creamy, Crunchy, and Comforting
The beauty of this dish lies in both its adaptability and forgiving nature: There's almost nothing you can do that will mess up the timeless, delicious combination of silky smooth fried eggplant with creamy, tangy yogurt, crunchy fried pita, and toasted pine nuts.
Chickpea Fatteh (Crispy Pita, Chickpeas and Yogurt)
Every family has its own way of making chickpea fatteh, but the layers of toasted pita, chickpeas and yogurt sauce always deliver a contrast of creamy and crunchy, warm and cool, sharp and earthy. This version, adapted from Sawsan Daana, the Palestinian chef of Matbakhi restaurant in Kuwait City, includes a layer of hummus in addition to the whole chickpeas, as is typical in Amman as well as Jerusalem, where she was born. Lebanese and Syrian versions skip the hummus and lean more heavily on tahini in the yogurt sauce (see Tip). Whichever route you take, this impressive dish is far easier to pull off than it looks, since the steps are straightforward and many ingredients repeat. If you like, you can prep everything but the toppings one or two days in advance and assemble when ready to serve.
Eggplant Fatteh (Crispy Pita, Eggplant and Yogurt)
There’s no single way to make eggplant fatteh, a layered dish of crispy pita, tender eggplant and yogurt-tahini sauce that is beloved across the Levant. In this version, adapted from Salam Dakkak, the chef of Bait Maryam restaurant in Dubai, the eggplant is roasted instead of deep fried, a perfectly tasty compromise that requires less cleanup. The contrast of temperatures and textures — crunchy, creamy, hot and cool — makes the dish unforgettable. Fatteh is best served immediately, so the pita chips stay crisp. To make this easier, all components can be prepared ahead, with the eggplant roasted last (or simply reheated) and the dish assembled just before serving.
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Hummus Fatteh (Hummus With Crisp Pita, Fried Meat, and Pine Nuts)
Transform humble ingredients like chickpeas and pita into a satisfying meal by combining them with tahini, toasted pine nuts, and tender pieces of fried meat.
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Qudsiyeh (Hummus Topped With Fava Beans)
Served with a boiled egg and pita, qudsiyeh—hummus topped with fava beans—is a common breakfast throughout the Levant.
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Makhloota (Chickpeas and Fava Beans With Tahini)
Brighten up chickpeas and fava beans with a punchy lemon, garlic, and chile sauce, then drizzle it all with olive oil and a creamy tahini dressing.
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Baleela (Creamy Chickpeas With Cumin and Pine Nuts)
Transform humble chickpeas into a spectacular snack with a topping of crunchy, buttery pine nuts and a dusting of earthy cumin.
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Fattoush (Chopped Vegetable and Pita Salad)
Crunchy, refreshing vegetables, crisp pita, and a tangy pomegranate dressing make this a satisfying salad you’ll want to eat every day.
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Hummus B'Tahini (Hummus With Tahini)
Through trial and error, I’ve come up with a foolproof recipe for easy, delicious hummus that’s ready in 10 minutes and requires no food processor.
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Ka'ak al Quds (Jerusalem Sesame Bread)
A sesame seed crusted exterior gives way to a sweet fluffy interior in these hallmark ka’ak breads synonymous with Jerusalem.
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Mansaf (Palestinian Spiced Lamb With Rice and Yogurt Sauce)
The quintessential dish of Bedouins, featuring lightly spiced lamb, fluffy rice, and a tangy jameed-based yogurt sauce, all piled on top of torn flatbread.
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Maftool (Palestinian Wheat Pearls in a Vegetable, Chickpea, and Chicken Stew)
Caviar-sized pearls made of whole wheat served in a brothy stew with onions, chickpeas, butternut squash, and tender chicken.
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Qidreh (Palestinian Bone-In Lamb With Spiced Rice)
The hallmark dish of the Palestinian city of Hebron, qidreh is brimming with tender bone-in lamb and fragrant spiced rice.
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Kafta bi Bandora (Palestinian Ground Meat Patties in Tomato Sauce)
Lamb with herbs, onions, and spices make the juiciest version of this ancient dish.
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Dawali (Palestinian Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Warak dawali (literally: grape leaves) is a complete one-pot meal of stuffed grape leaves, often lined at the bottom with lamb chops or beef short ribs.
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Hashweh (Palestinian Spiced Rice and Meat)
Spices bloomed in ghee add complexity to this celebratory Palestinian dish.
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Za'atar (Middle Eastern Herb Blend)
Fragrant herbs dried at home create a blend that pairs perfectly with countless dishes (and is perfect even on its own).
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Maqlubeh (Palestinian "Upside Down" Meat, Vegetables, and Rice)
Layers of meat, fried vegetables, and spiced rice flipped over to reveal a complete and festive meal.
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Salata Falahiyeh (Palestinian or Farmers Salad)
If all you have at home are tomatoes, onion, and mint, you can enjoy a very delicious salad.
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Msakhan (Palestinian Flatbreads With Onion, Sumac, and Spiced Roast Chicken)
Taboon bread spread with sweet onions cooked in a generous amount of olive oil and flavored with tangy sumac before being topped with crispy roast chicken and pine nuts.
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Taboon (Palestinian Flatbread)
Tender yeast-raised taboon bread is easy to replicate baked on pebbles in a cast-iron pan. An essential component of msakhan, it is also perfect for many toppings or simply ripped apart to scoop your favorite dip.
Narjissiya With Asparagus, Halloumi and Sumac
Narjissiya refers to any of several dishes found in medieval Arab cookery books made with sunny-side-up eggs. The word itself means “like narcissus,” a name likely chosen for the dish’s vibrant white and yellow colors, just like the narcissus (daffodil) flower. The ancient variations and ingredients were endless, from meat and broad beans to chickpeas and yogurt, but the choice of ingredients here — and bright flavors — are inspired by spring, and asparagus, which grows wild in the fields of the Levant. The citrusy sumac and olive oil complement asparagus and eggs, but their flavors do stand out, so use the best you can find.
Bulgur Mujadara
Mujadara is one of the most popular dishes across the Levant, with a complex taste that belies its simple ingredients. The mix of contrasting tastes — sweet onions with savory hearty lentils, tender bulgur with crunchy fried onions — is a feast for the tastebuds. The dish is quite forgiving as there is no right or wrong texture. Some people prefer it fluffy like a pilaf while others prefer it more dense, like sticky rice. This version falls somewhere in the middle. Since lentils and bulgur absorb different amounts of liquid depending on variety, check on them periodically, taste and add water as necessary while cooking. The finished dish is equally delicious warm or at room temperature. It is wholesome on its own, but combined with yogurt and served with a chopped salad, bread and olives, it becomes a most satisfying meal.
Hashweh (Spiced Rice and Meat With Yogurt)
Hashweh means stuffing in Arabic, hence the name of this dish that is used to fill chicken, lamb, pigeon and almost any other poultry or meat that can be stuffed. The combination of warm spices, fluffy rice and tender meat with the crispy, fried nuts is so delicious, it has become a meal in its own right. For a more elaborate presentation, you can top it with shredded chicken or lamb. Whichever way you serve it, you’re in for a real treat, with a recipe so simple it can easily make its way into your weekly dinner rotation. Hashweh pairs perfectly with a salad of finely chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and onions dressed with lemon, olive oil, salt and some dried mint.