Za'atar Pizza/Man'oosheh/Lebanese Manooshe

Lebanon is a country in Western Asia with Syria, Isreal,Cyrpus as boundaries. A unique cultural history has helped to make Lebanese food the most popular of all Middle Eastern cuisines. Lebanon has been ruled by foreign powers that have influenced the types of food the Lebanese ate.The Ottoman Turks controlled Lebanon and introduced a variety of foods that have become staples in the Lebanese diet, including olive oil, fresh bread, baklava a sweet pastry dessert, laban (homemade yogurt), stuffed vegetables, and a variety of nuts. France took control of Lebanon and introduced the flan, a caramel custard dessert and buttery croissants. I have been running a month of blogging marathon with A to Z International flatbreads and today is my last post of this month's mega marathon. And for the alphabetic letter 'Z', i couldnt think more than Zaatar spice mix, hence i opted for Zaatar pizza for this last post. The manoosheh recipe is often compared to  Italian pizza, hence it is called “Lebanese pizza”.Zaatar manooshe aka Zaatar pizza is the most popular version. Each flatbread is topped with a mixture of za’atar and olive oil before being cooked and are most often consumed at breakfast with tea, but also after dinner accompanied by soft drinks.

Ka'ak/Lebanese Flatbread/Beirut Street Food Bread

Lebanon which is offically known as Lebanese Republic is a country situated in Western Asia. With Syria, Isreal,Cyprus as its borders, this country is very rich in history and ethnic diversity. Lebanese cuisine is a Levantine style of cooking which includes grains, fruits, vegetables seafoods and meats. Lebanese well known dishes are Baba Ghanouj, Hummus, Baklava etc.Here in Paris, we have decent numbers of Lebanese restaurants and even my kids have so many Lebanese friends, obviously this cuisine is not that much unknown for me. However am yet to prepare some authentic Lebanese dishes at home. My today's post goes for Kaak, its a Beirut street food bread, which is also quite known in Palestine, Syria and Jordan. Lebanese Street vendors leaves this bread to swing from rods in the rolling street carts. This breads looks like hand bag or a large ring shape which is coated with sesame seeds.  Obviously Ka'ak, is a Middle Eastern flatbread, popular in Lebanon, often eaten as breakfast or for a snack.   From those street vendors, you can get ka’ak filled with zaatar or smeared with cheese or hummus.

Za'atar Manakish/Manakish Zaatar/Lebanese Spiced Pita Bread

Zaatar Manakish or Manakish Zaatar is a traditional Lebanese spiced flatbread which is pronounced as Manaqish, manaeesh or manakeesh. This popular Levantine bread is also prepared with several toppings from cheese to meat. The most known topping is Zaatar, this spice mixture contains sesame seeds, salt, dried thyme and sumac. Sumac is a spice made from red berries which is grounded into powder. This gives a subtle flavor and its very much used in middle eastern cooking. I love this Zaatar spice powder, i tasted this spice powder mixed with olive oil for first time at one of Moroccan friend, she served this spice mix with her bread and i loved it to the core. But personally i never used this spice mixture in my cooking. Finally i got a packet of this Zaatar few days back and the first recipe came to my mind is this Manakish. Back home, i couldnt resist to prepare this super aromatic flatbread.

Vegan Zaatar Pull Apart Bread

Zaatar is a mix of herbs prepared along with salt and sesame seeds. This spice mix is quite popular in Middle Eastern foods. Zaatar is easily available commercially though its quite easy to make yourself at home. Thyme leaves and Sumac plays an important role for making this aromatic spice mix. Sumac is characterized by deep red berries and sold usually dried and grounded into a coarse powder with a tart, cranberry like flavor. Zaatar is the Arabic name of this spice blend, which is usually used for flavoring else in baking. Zaatar was my favourite and i love this spice mix in anything. Recently i tried out this pull apart bread with this spice mix and completely fell in love with this flavourful bread.

Awamat - Lebanese Potato Donuts

Awamat are tiny deep fried potato donuts balls which tastes absolutely fabulous. A yeasted potato dough when rolled as small balls are fried to browned crisp, then coated with a simple sugar syrup makes this cute balls. This deepfried donuts balls are Lebanese potato donuts which suits prefectly for any occasions. Since these cuties are dangerously addictive, you cant just stop with one. Make sure to make enough of this crispy beauties if you are planning to make for a get together or else for a kid's party. Trust me kids will devour this deep fried cuties without any fuss, though they are dropped in sugar syrup after frying, these Awamat have a super soft inner and bit crispy outer. However i simply enjoyed thoroughly making these potato donuts at home with simple cooking process.

Lebanese Eggless Sesame Cookies~~ Lebanese Cuisine

 Lebanese cuisine is more than just a collection of dishes - it is a festival of delicious appetizers, rich appealing tastes, enticing colours and warm hospitality. From the evergreen mountains to fields of Lebanon, each region brings its own unique flavours been carried across the world. So it doesn’t matter how big the table is, a Lebanese mezze can pack a lot within a little. Famous Lebanese dishes  tabouleh, fattoush with olive oil, hummus with tahini, eggplant paste, green beans, okra with tomato and garlic sauce, kidney beans, foul modama are well known around the world and the list goes on and on. A typical spread would also include kebbeh, shish tawook, kaftah, freekeh of all kinds with chicken, beef or vegetables, shish barak, mojadara, sayadiyah, a combination of lip-smacking taste and health-friendly dishes. But this is not finished, wait till sweets are served,every bite inspires another.Besides being delightfully delicious and absolutely healthy, presentation plays a prominent part in Lebanese cuisine. From fantastic mezzes to appetizing dishes, every spread brings out the essence of the incredible cuisine. So, if you sit to a Lebanese table and take the first bite, am sure you will completely fallen in love with this cuisine.

Lebanese Potatoes Saute in Garlic & Coriander

Whenever i get bored of usual dishes, i'll  search for something different from other cuisines.Recently while going through Mama's Lebanese Kitchen i got hooked to this super flavourful,quick and simple potato appetizier.I simply loved the simplicity of this dish, the author of this space shared that this appetizier is quite famous at her place and potatoes seems to be their staple food.In this dish,she fried her potatoes as shallow fry at the same time shealso suggested to bake them in case if we are health conscious, obviously i went for this healthy suggestion and baked my potatoes.This potatoes saute in garlic and coriander leaves tastes awesome with a fabulous flavour and we couldnt stop having them. Thanks to Mama's Lebanese Kitchen for sharing this yummy appetizier.Sending this super flavourful appetiziers to Flavours Of Lebanon guest hosted by Sara,event by Nayna.

3nos Potatoes (cubed)
1/2cup Coriander leaves (chopped)
7nos Garlic cloves (chopped finely)
Salt
1tsp Lemon juice
Oil

Preheat the oven to 350F,take a baking tray lined with oil brushed baking sheet, spread the potato cubes,brush them generously with enough oil and bake for 20 minutes until they turns crispy. Toss them gently with salt and keep aside.

Now heat enough oil in a pan, fry the finely chopped garlic cloves until they turns bit crispy, add immediately the potato cubes,chopped coriander leaves and saute for few minutes, finally add the lemon juice and put off the stove.

Serve hot or cold as appetizier.

Lebanese Thyme Bread

We received loads of goodies from a Spanish gal yesterday,yep my daughter had a chance to invite a spanish gal for a week to our home as my daughter is learning spanish as her second language,we couldnt stop having their famous candies she brought specially for us from Madrid.We have to say big thanks to Language exchange programmes,obviously we guys are trying to learn spanish for her and teaching her french on the same time, its really funny to learn a new language.

I love to try different cuisines since ever i started blogging, its been a while i tried Middle Eastern flat breads.Flat breads suits prefectly to make sandwichs or you can simply serve them along with a bowl of soup.This Lebanese thyme bread is a super tasty flat bread flavoured with thyme leaves and sesame seeds. An incredible flat bread to enjoy anytime of the day with your favourite spread or butter..Sending to Flavours Of Lebanon guest hosted by Sara,event by Nayna.

2cups All purpose flour
1tbsp Dry yeast
1tsp Salt
1tsp Sugar
1/4cup Olive oil
1/2cup Luke warm water
2tbsp Sesame seeds
1tbsp Dry thyme leaves

Take the luke warm water with salt,sugar and dry yeast,mix everything well and keep aside for few minutes until the yeast turns foamy..

In a large vessel,take the all purpose flour, add gradually the foamy yeast and olive oil (keep aside 2tbsp of oil)and knead everything as a smooth dough.Arrange the dough in a warm place for two hour until they doubled their volume.

Punch down the dough and knead again for few more minutes, make three large balls and roll them as round discs,meanwhile take the olive oil,sesame seeds and dry thyme leaves in a bowl,mix and keep aside..

Preheat the oven to 350F, line a baking sheet in a baking tray,tranfer the rolled disc gently to the baking sheer.Brush dry thyme leaves and sesame seeds oil on the top of the rollled disc.

Bake for 20-25minutes until the crust turns golden brown.Serve with any spread of simply with butter..