Tahineh - Chia Kougianos
In Lebanon these dips are regularly presented as mezze so why not indulge in a tasty selection of appetisers and khoubiz served as a welcoming gesture in th
Baba Ghanoush
Makes 3 Cups
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggplants
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, quartered
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Directions:
- Pierce eggplants all over with fork and place on oiled oven tray
- Bake uncovered in oven for 1 hour
- Let it stand for 15 mins
- Peel eggplants and discard skins
- Chop flesh coarsely
- Blend eggplant with tahini, juice, garlic and salt until combined
- Spoon into serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley
Serve with fresh or toasted pita bread and enjoy
Hummus
Makes 2 Cups
Ingredients:
- 2 x 300g cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 1/3 cup water
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Directions:
- Blend chickpeas, salt, garlic, tahini, juice and the water until almost smoothe
- Spoon into serving bowl and sprinkle with pepper and parsley
- Drizzle with 2 teaspoons olive oil if desired
Tahini Dip
Makes 1 ½ Cups
Ingredients:
- 2 cloves crushed garlic
- ¾ cup tahini
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Directions:
- Combine tahini and garlic in small bowl
- Beat in juice, the water, cumin and parsley until mixture thickens
Khoubiz
Serves 8 people
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons dried yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 ¾ cup of warm water
- 5 cups of flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup olive oil
Za’atar Variation
- 2/3 cups of za’atar seasoning
- 2/3 cup of olive oil
Directions:
- Combine yeast, sugar and water in large bowl
- Stir in half of flour
- Cover and let it stand for 25mins
- Stir in remaining flour, salt, cumin and oil
- Mix to a firm dough
- Knead dough on flour surface until smooth and elastic
- Place dough in large oiled bowl
- Cover and stand in warm place for an hour until dough has doubled in size
- Turn dough onto flour surface and knead until smooth
- Divide dough into 8 pieces, shaping each piece into a ball
- Roll each ball into a 20cm round circle
- Brush base of heated frying pan lightly with some of the oil
- Cook rounds of dough one at a time
- Cook until browned lightly underneath
- Turn bread over and cook covered until browned lightly on other side
- Repeat with remaining dough rounds
Za’atar Variation
Directions:
- Make khoubiz as directed up until cooking
- Spread rounds of dough with combined seasoning and oil
- Cook seasoning side down as directed above
Serve and enjoy!
Copyright Eftihia Maria Kougianos. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Eftihia Maria Kougianos - Eftihia Maria is a South African based lifestyle writer and photographer living in Durban. With her penchant for high heels and love of ...
