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Blog Lebanese Food Traditional Ingredients

5 Examples of Lebanese Street Food That You Want Right Now

Street food has been part of Lebanese cuisine for thousands of years and is particularly popular during summer when the streets of every city and town in Lebanon are filled with the aroma of fresh, healthy food and the sounds of families, friends and travellers enjoying it together. While our cuisine has evolved considerably over the past few decades, the following can all be considered genuine Lebanese street food classics.

Whether you need a healthy meal in a hurry or you are just looking for something tasty for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it is hard to beat Lebanese street food.

Shish kebabs

These highly portable meals are easily among our most delicious and famous foods. The most traditional Lebanese version is made using lamb that is marinated in a mix of garlic, salt, pepper and your choice of spices, before being skewered along with vegetables such as capsicum, onions, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, then grilled. Not only are shish kebabs the perfect food to eat on the go, but they make a fantastic addition to any summer barbecue.

best lebanese street food in sydney
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Shawarma

These classic Lebanese wraps can be found everywhere from Beirut to Brisbane to Bangkok. Shawarma is essentially a type of pita-based sandwich that contains strips of thinly sliced marinated meat that has been slow roasted for hours on a vertical skewer. Lamb is the most common meat of choice in Lebanon though chicken, beef or even goat are sometimes used. These delicious strips of meat are paired with ingredients such as lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles and a drizzling of tahini in a fresh baked pita.

awesome lebanese street food
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Falafel

Whether you are vegan, vegetarian of just a fan on delicious food, a freshly made falafel wrap will hit the spot every time. The star of the show is obviously the falafel balls themselves, which consist of soaked and ground chick peas that are mixed with spices such as coriander, cumin, garlic and chili, before being formed into balls and fried. A handful of these delicious morsels are then wrapped in a fresh pita with lettuce, onions, pickles, peppers and, of course, a drizzle of tahini, creating a healthy, tasty and filling meal that is perfect for any time of day.

lebanese street food inner west

Kebbeh

Not only is kebbeh considered Lebanon’s national dish, but it has been eaten in this part of the world for thousands of years. Kebbeh is made from burghul (a type of cracked wheat), diced onion, ground meat (usually lamb), chopped pine nuts and an array of spices that range from salt and pepper to cumin, cayenne and cinnamon. These ingredients are thoroughly combined and sometimes eaten raw, though it is more commonly formed into small cylinders, fried and eaten with a side of hommus.

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Kafta

Meat lovers looking for a delicious street food will fall head over heels for kafta, which scholars believe was introduced to Lebanon thousands of years ago by the ancient Persians. While there are countless different versions, kafta most commonly features ground lamb, beef or chicken that is seasoned to perfection, then formed into cigar shaped cylinders, skewered, and cooked over an open flame. You can eat your kafta straight off the skewer or remove it and wrap it in a pita with your favourite salad ingredients.

examples of lebanese street food

Whether you need a healthy meal in a hurry or you are just looking for something tasty for breakfast, lunch or dinner, it is hard to beat traditional Lebanese food. To get a taste of Sydney’s best Lebanese cuisine, drop by Manoosh or order from us online – you will not be disappointed.

Categories
Blog Lebanese Food Traditional Ingredients

What makes a great Kafta?

Kofta

Described as everything from a type of meatball to meatloaf on a stick, kafta is perfect as a snack, ideal for summer grilling and has been part of Lebanese cuisine for centuries. However, we aren’t the only ones to fall in love with this delicious dish, as there are literally hundreds of different versions spanning countless cultures, known as everything from kufta to kofta to qofte. Here is a brief look at the greatest of them all; the mouth-watering, delectable and unforgettable Lebanese kafta.

what makes great kafta
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Making kafta is easy, but creating a truly delicious kafta is a whole other matter. In fact, almost every Lebanese family has their own secret recipe that has been handed down through the generations.

What is kafta?

In its most traditional form, kafta is essentially a mixture of seasoned ground meat that is shaped into balls or cylinders, skewered and cooked over a fire. It can be made from lamb, beef, chicken, seafood and there are even vegetarian varieties, but the traditional Lebanese version is always lamb. While some eat their kafta directly from the stick (as is the case on the streets of the Middle East) it is more commonly added to a pita with vegetables and condiments.

An ancient Persian dish

No one knows for certain when and where kafta was first made and eaten; however, it is safe to assume that cooking meat on a stick over an open fire is a rather ancient practice. Most scholars believe that it was the Persians who created the first kafta several thousand years ago, with the word itself coming from the Persian koftah, meaning ground meat. The Persians are thought to have introduced kafta to the Arab world many hundreds of years ago and from here it spread throughout the Mediterranean, North Africa, Asia, India, and beyond.

best kafta in inner west
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A kafta to suit everyone

As kafta spread it evolved and adapted to suit the many different cultures it encountered, resulting in the myriad of kaftas made and enjoyed throughout the world today. For example; in Albania it is called kofta and is made from beef, pork or veal, while in Romania it is called chiftea, a mix of minced pork, mashed potatoes and spices, which are then deep fried. Many Indian versions are vegetarian, served in spiced gravy, and in Turkey kafta creativity knows no bounds as there are almost 300 different varieties!

How to make Kafta

Making kafta is easy, but creating a truly delicious kafta is a whole other matter. In fact, almost every Lebanese family has their own secret recipe that has been handed down through the generations. If you’d like to try making your own kafta, here is a brief look at what is involved;

  • In a food processor, combine freshly ground lamb, onion, garlic, parsley and your favourite spices (hint: cumin, coriander, cinnamon and baharat are popular choices).
  • Add an egg to the mixture, combine thoroughly and remove from the food processor.
  • Form your mixture into cigar shapes, thread onto flat metal skewers and lightly brush with oil.
  • Grill over low heat on the barbeque or in the oven, turning regularly.
  • Once cooked, remove your kafta from the skewers and serve with fresh pita, hummus, garlic yoghurt and your favourite condiments.

If all this talk about kafta has awakened your appetite, we can help, simply drop by Manoosh or order from us online. We have the best traditional Lebanese food in Sydney and we would be happy to prepare one of our many tasty dishes fresh for you.

Categories
Blog Lebanese Food Traditional Ingredients

The Secrets of Shawarma

Shawarma

If you like juicy, tender, well-seasoned meat you are in for a real treat, because whether you are looking for a tasty lunch, a delicious dinner or a late night snack, you can’t go wrong with a shawarma.

While there are many different styles of this popular dish, from the Greek gyros to the Turkish döner kebab and the Armenian tarna, none can compare with the classic Lebanese wraps. Here we will take a closer look at this world famous food; what is shawarma, where it came from and why it has become so popular.

what is shawarma
CC image courtesy of Basher Tome on flickr http://bit.ly/1L9FKzE

Today you can find shawarma just about everywhere, from Lebanon and England to Egypt and Australia, with every culture boasting their own style and flavour.

What is Shawarma?

Shawarma is made from marinated meat that has been slow roasted on a vertical spit for many hours – the meat can be anything from lamb, beef or chicken to goat, turkey or a combination of any of these. Once cooked, the meat is carved off in thin, wide strips and stuffed inside a flatbread along with a variety of vegetables, such as lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, onion, pickles and parsley. Condiments can range from garlic yoghurt to hummus to chilli and pickled mango sauce, and while the type of bread used will vary depending upon where you are, pita, lavash and taboon are most popular.

best shawarma in sydney
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An ancient observation

Most will agree that the secret to shawarma’s taste lies in the way the meat is cooked and much credit must go to the chefs of the Ottoman Empire (1299 – 1923) who were among the first to see the benefit of roasting meat vertically. They noticed that horizontal roasting robbed the meat of all of its delicious fat as it simply dripped into the fire; worse still, as it did so it caused the flames to rise, scorching the outside of the meat as a result. Vertical roasting means that the meat is bathed in its own fat as it cooks, making it soft, tender and delicious, and keeping the flames under control allows the meat to be roasted nice and slowly, cooking it to perfection.

Born in Bursa

While the Ottomans certainly got the ball rolling with their vertical roasting system, it seems that the shawarma we all know and love today didn’t come into being until the late 1800’s thanks to a man by the name of Iskender Efendi. It is believed that Efendi made the first shawarma around 1870 in the Turkish city of Bursa, a creation he called the kebab. Kebabs quickly became popular throughout Turkey and before long this delicious dish had spread to cultural cuisines across the Middle East, the Mediterranean and beyond, adapting and evolving as it went.

shawarma delivery inner west
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The expat effect

Prior to World War 2 the many versions of shawarma were for the most part a well-kept secret, unknown to the Western world; however, this would soon change. Following the war, many Turkish people relocated to countries all over the world, with a particularly large group moving to Germany; the impact on the local cuisine was profound to say the least. By the early 1970’s Germans had fallen head over heels for the Turkish shawarma, with thousands of kebab shops opening all over the country. This explosion of kebab love would play a vital role in spreading shawarma throughout the Western world.

What is the difference between shawarma and gyros?

You may be thinking that shawarma sounds awfully similar to its Greek counterpart, gyros. If you are you are not wrong. Both both contain slivers of meat wrapped up in pita bread alongside fresh veggies. Traditionally, the meats are cooked in much the same way: vertically, and both have a reputation for being classic street food, revered within their respective cultures for ages. So, what sets shawarma apart?

The answer lies in the garnish. Shawarma is all about the delicious sauces that accompany the meat – typically garlic yoghurt or tahini and hommus – and the secret ingredient: pickles. Pickled vegetables are what take shawarma to a whole new plane: pickled cucumbers, turnips, and even carrots or mangoes are common. Take your pick, they’re all delicious.

what is shawarma

How do you make Shawarma?

Shawarma can be made quite easily at home with a number of ingredient combinations.

Firstly, select your meat of choice. Prepare it the way you like: we suggest marinating thinly sliced beef, chicken or lamb overnight to ensure maximum flavour (shawarma spices include cumin, all spice, sweet paprika, oregano, cinnamon, cardamom and pepper). Then, cook your meat in a frying pan along with the marinate until juices have evaporated and the meat is cooked.

Place your meat fillets on warm, lightly toasted Lebanese flatbread, top with lettuce, tomato, pickles, pickled turnips and red onion. Drizzle generously with sauce. Our condiment of choice is a delicious garlic yoghurt sauce, however, tahini is also is great choice.

Wrap up tightly and serve.

Today you can find shawarma just about everywhere, from Lebanon and England to Egypt and Australia, with every culture boasting their own style and flavour. If you’d like to try the most delicious of them all, drop by Manoosh or order from us online, because nothing can compare to our freshly-made shawarma wraps.