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As a cook and writer,
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I've long been intrigued by
the flavours and fragrances
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of Middle Eastern cooking,
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one of the oldest and most
influential cuisines in the world.
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Now I want to find out more.
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You know, there really is
only one true way
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to get to know a region's food,
and that's to go there,
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to eat the food amongst the people
who cook it and eat it every day.
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That way it's seasoned
with a sense of place -
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the landscape, the culture
and the traditions.
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That's incredible.
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So join me on my journey...
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Can I have a look in your cupboard?
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..to discover ingredients and
recipes that define three countries
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with truly exciting food stories.
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Cheese and roses. It shouldn't work.
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Places considered to be the key
pillars of Middle Eastern cuisine.
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My adventure takes me
across northern Iran
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to taste Persian dishes
with a rich heritage,
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to Lebanon with its Arab-influenced
flavours of the Levant,
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and to Turkey, where the recipes,
born of a diverse landscape,
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have travelled the world.
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Did the date pattern.
Should've done the walnut pattern.
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My appetite for new flavours
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takes me through ancient
and beguiling lands
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but, more importantly,
into people's homes.
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I absolutely loved it,
and I can't thank you enough.
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This is my chance to learn
new techniques and recipes
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that aren't in books but have been
handed down through generations...
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How long does it take you?
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Five minutes. Five minutes? Yeah.
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Yeah, well, I'd better get
a move on, then.
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..and I'll share the secrets
I discover
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by cooking recipes
inspired by my journey.
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An adventure that starts with both
the modern and ancient expression
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of Arab cuisine, in the fertile,
spirited lands of Lebanon.
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HORNS BEEP
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I've wanted to come
to Lebanon for so long.
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I mean, yes, it is the Middle East
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but it's also very much
the Mediterranean.
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For someone who likes
to eat and cook...
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..this is a very exciting
place to be.
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I can't wait
to discover its secrets.
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The cuisine of Lebanon is as rich
and varied as its landscapes.
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It's counted as the healthiest
in the Middle East.
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Pulses, grains and vegetables
form its nourishing heart,
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and meat used sparingly
to great effect.
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I'll be celebrating
the flamboyance of festival food...
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I've never seen so much
on one table.
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It's the generosity,
it's just never-ending.
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..the simplicity of
rustic staples...
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I'd love it,
I'd love this for breakfast.
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I'd love this for breakfast
every day.
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..and the joys of preserves
infused with floral fragrance.
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CALL TO PRAYER
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Just half the size of Wales,
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this is a small country
with a big reputation.
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It's been ravaged by decades of war,
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yet remains one of the most relaxed
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and liberal corners
of the Arab world...
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..and my journey starts here,
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in the eternally resilient
capital, Beirut.
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Beiruti native Nour Matraji will be
my guide and translator in Lebanon.
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I'm very excited about this trip.
You're going to love it.
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The city was known as
the Paris of the East,
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not least for its vibrant
nightlife and party vibe...
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..but tonight, the streets are busy
for a different reason.
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Just over half the country's
population is Muslim.
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And I've arrived during Ramadan,
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a month of daylight fasting
for the devout.
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I'm getting the feeling that there
are certain foods that you only see
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during Ramadan. Yes, exactly.
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And, like, for example, this stand
over here that we're going to pass,
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they have kallaj Ramadan -
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kallaj of Ramadan, so
it's basically like a dough.
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It's like kind of a pastry, wrapped,
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then stuffed in cream
and then fried
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and then dipped in sugar syrup.
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Then splash pistachio over it,
and it's heaven.
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You're making me very happy.
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And this is just a Ramadan thing.
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Sure. So, in, like,
a few days this is gone.
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The kallaj dough
is filled with ashta,
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made from skimming the thick skin
from simmered milk.
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Unlike clotted cream,
it doesn't melt when warmed.
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The deep-fried pastry parcels
are trickled with rose water
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or orange blossom syrup and then
showered with chopped pistachios.
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Wow.
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You want to try some?
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I... I'd love to. Yes. I'd love to.
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SHE SPEAKS ARABIC
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Thank you. Shukran. Thank you.
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Here goes.
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So good.
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It's really crisp on the outside...
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..and you get that little hint
of rose water.
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I can't believe
I'm eating fried cream.
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This is so good.
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We're going to a place now
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that is usually very well known for
its breakfast, but during Ramadan
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they switch their hours,
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so instead of opening from 7am till
2pm, they open from 10pm till 3am.
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So for part of the year
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their day is just
turned completely on its head.
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The hours are just
completely different. Exactly.
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Sohur is eaten as close to dawn
as possible.
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It needs to sustain those who fast
right through the day until sunset.
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Cafe Al-Soussi is reputed to serve
the best breakfast in town
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and is hugely popular
during Ramadan.
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Muhammad and his cousin Ahmed
serve the same simple menu
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as their grandfather, who started
the business 125 years ago.
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Unbelievably, they serve
up to 300 people a night
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using this one simple stove.
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I just love the fact he doesn't even
turn his flame down.
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No, no. It's like... And this is...
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It's all or nothing, isn't it?
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Exactly.
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They say Beirutis live every day
as if it's their last -
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and Muhammad's rather adventurous
take on health and safety
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appears to back this up.
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The menu's designed as
a selection of sharing plates.
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Starting with
the all-familiar hummus.
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Extra smooth here as the skins
are removed from the chickpeas
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before pounding.
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Tahini, lemon juice,
garlic and olive oil are added.
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Look at that. Just look at that.
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The Arab classic, sawda djej,
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chicken livers cooked with
sweet-sour pomegranate molasses,
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garlic and cumin,
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served for breakfast,
or as an appetiser.
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People come from miles for this.
Yeah.
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And the dish
I'm looking forward to most, fatteh.
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There are many types of fatteh
and in this one,
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Muhammad tops pieces of toasted pita
with steaming chickpeas.
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He then smothers it with labneh,
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the Arab staple of soft cream cheese
made from strained yoghurt...
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..and the best is yet to come.
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The dish is finished off
with toasted pine nuts
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fried with awarma, a star of
the Lebanese store cupboard,
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lamb morsels preserved in dripping
and used throughout the year
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to flavour dishes.
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Smell that. Exactly, it's amazing.
It's incredible. Amazing.
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The dripping-laden fatteh
cannot arrive quickly enough.
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Mmm!
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Gorgeous. It's really good.
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This is very gentle food.
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It is. There's no what I call...
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..big flavours. There's nothing
shouty. It's very, very mild.
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It's a very gentle flavour.
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So this has got to last,
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would actually have to last me
the whole day. Exactly...
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Because you can't drink, either.
Exactly.
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This is what I can't
get my head around. Exactly.
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So, you know sometimes you have
something, like at night,
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and then the next day
it just makes you super thirsty.
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Yes. This is a no-no.
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This is something everybody
who fasts tries to avoid.
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So you're trying to eat foods
that have a bit of, like...
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..water kind of content in them.
Yeah. Yeah. Hence all the salad
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and the tomatoes and things
like that? Yes, exactly. Exactly.
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You know, I love this place.
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The fact that it's midnight
and it's only really just opened.
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They'll be going till
three o'clock in the morning -
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and they're basically eating
something very sustaining
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and yet quite gentle
to see them through.
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The really special thing for me
was finding something here
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that is, hand on heart,
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one of the most delicious
things I have ever eaten.
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That fatteh with the yoghurts
and the pine nuts...
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..and with what was basically
roast juices and dripping on top
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and little bits of lamb...
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It is, it's home cooking.
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It's comfort cooking, it's about
making yourself feel good
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and keeping yourself going -
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and I love it.
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It's a beautiful morning
on the Corniche,
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Beirut's iconic seaside promenade.
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The country's shoreline
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stretches almost 200 kilometres
along the Mediterranean.
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My culinary adventure will take me
south to the arid hills of Nabatieh
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by the Israeli border,
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before heading east to
the country's rural heartland,
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the Bekaa Valley -
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but first I'm travelling to the
bountiful slopes of Mount Sannine,
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just 40 kilometres from Beirut...
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..but before leaving Beirut there's
just enough time for a pit stop
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at a very unassuming local landmark,
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the ice cream shop, Hanna Mitri,
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in the historically Christian
area of Achrafieh.
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Hello. Hello.
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Can I have a little, a little taster
of some of the...?
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You may, you may have
whatever you like.
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The sorbet, you have strawberry,
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you have apricot,
rose water and lemon.
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So, gentle early summer flavours?
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Yeah. Could I have some rose water?
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I'd love to taste the rose water.
Some rose water? Yes.
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OK, I'll give you some rose.
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Yes. And all the roses are out,
so it feels...
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The rose water here
in the shop is white.
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Thank you. We don't add the colour,
we don't add anything.
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It's natural. Everything is natural.
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Amazing.
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It's so fragrant. It tastes...
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It's refreshing. It tastes of
the smell of a rose. Of course.
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So, how long have you been here?
Not for long.
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Since 1949.
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My father had, 20 years old.
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Really? And we didn't close,
even in the war.
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In the war, maybe two or three days
when they hit the area here...
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It was a big hit.
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And you stayed open...?
We stayed here.
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And we have this to remember -
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it was a big shell who hit here.
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We keep it. We didn't change it,
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to let us remember,
a little bit, these times.
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You want to taste another thing?
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Oh... The lemon.
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Please. Lemon, fantastic.
You'll like the lemon. Yes. OK.
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Thank you.
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We bring the lemon, we wash it,
squeeze it, handmade,
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we put everything in it.
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I love it because
it's not at all sweet.
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No. It's so refreshing.
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It's good with some vodka.
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To digest at the end.
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It's a little early.
I'm telling you about me.
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I love it.
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I'm a very happy man.
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Well, that was one of
the most difficult decisions ever,
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and I've ended up with rose,
because it feels right.
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Rose water is of this place.
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What is so extraordinary is
learning that this place stayed open
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right the way through the war.
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People came here for ice cream.
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It says so much about this place.
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I'm off to find out more about
the source of these flavours.
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Lebanon's fertile land produces
a rich harvest of fruits,
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vegetables and flowers, many of
which are bottled and preserved.
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A long-standing tradition
called mouneh,
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00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,120
one of the cornerstones of
Lebanese cuisine.
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I'm meeting Amine, who quit
his job as a banker in London
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00:14:10,320 --> 00:14:14,040
to help run his family's
preserves and pickling business
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00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,000
in the village of Ain el Kabou.
245
00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:19,200
I can't imagine why.
246
00:14:20,560 --> 00:14:23,560
We start in February with the citrus
247
00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:30,120
and our little workshop
is fully focused on producing
248
00:14:30,120 --> 00:14:33,200
all the citrus products.
So orange, lemon...
249
00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,800
And bitter orange. Bitter orange.
250
00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:38,360
And then, we follow the seasons.
251
00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:43,000
After the citrus, we start with
the roses. Yes, the early roses.
252
00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,160
And then, the strawberries,
253
00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:48,640
the apricots,
the mulberries, then the figs,
254
00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:50,880
and we cover the whole year
this way.
255
00:14:50,880 --> 00:14:55,840
I'm just thinking, everything
that I love about this cuisine -
256
00:14:55,840 --> 00:15:01,560
the fragrance of it, the fruits,
the sourness - it's all here,
257
00:15:01,560 --> 00:15:04,280
in these slopes,
in these landscapes.
258
00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,600
I feel, this must be like the job...
259
00:15:07,600 --> 00:15:09,600
It's like a gift from the gods,
working here.
260
00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:11,160
AMINE LAUGHS
261
00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:14,200
A fact I'm sure
Amine appreciates every day.
262
00:15:17,320 --> 00:15:20,520
This time of year,
the family makes rose preserves
263
00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:25,160
using an exceptionally
fragrant variety, the centifolia.
264
00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:27,800
We usually pick it
early in the morning,
265
00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:31,280
before the sun hits it
and takes the flavour out.
266
00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:34,440
So, usually, by 9am,
we're done with the picking.
267
00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,680
I know roses smell differently,
according to what variety they are.
268
00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:50,600
But this is... It is sweet,
but it's also refreshing.
269
00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:55,520
It is. It's a clean smell, because
sometimes rose can be very rich,
270
00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,480
very sweet and almost
a little bit cloying and soapy -
271
00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,000
but this has a freshness to it.
272
00:16:02,000 --> 00:16:03,520
It has other virtues.
273
00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:06,120
The colour -
274
00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,240
when you cook it,
it doesn't turn into black...
275
00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:11,320
Yeah. ..like other varieties.
276
00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:15,680
And the nicest thing
about this variety of rose
277
00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:18,640
is the texture of the petals.
278
00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:22,120
Because depending on which variety
you use for preserves...
279
00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:24,680
Yes. ..some of them are very chewy.
280
00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:26,280
Right. Very chewy. Yeah.
281
00:16:26,280 --> 00:16:28,160
This one will just
melt in your mouth.
282
00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:34,480
The petals are cooked
with sugar and lemon.
283
00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,960
The lemon not only
counteracts the sweetness,
284
00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,800
but also preserves naturally
for up to two years.
285
00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,200
Good colours. Yeah. Yeah.
286
00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:46,080
This is like a table
of sort of jewels.
287
00:16:46,080 --> 00:16:47,360
I mean, just shining.
288
00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:52,760
This is my every morning breakfast.
289
00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,880
Amine's mother, Youmna,
and her sister, Leila,
290
00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:57,600
are the founders of the business.
291
00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,040
I'm intrigued as to why
we've got cheese on the table.
292
00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:05,200
Yeah, this is the local version
of ricotta.
293
00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:06,840
And in the tradition,
294
00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:12,520
they used to have this
with this fruits-in-syrup over.
295
00:17:13,520 --> 00:17:14,960
Just try them together.
296
00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:20,400
Mmm...
297
00:17:22,360 --> 00:17:24,360
It shouldn't work.
298
00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:26,640
It shouldn't work, should it?
299
00:17:26,640 --> 00:17:28,360
Cheese and roses, it shouldn't work.
300
00:17:28,360 --> 00:17:29,880
THEY LAUGH
301
00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:31,080
But it so does.
302
00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:34,760
Everything I'm eating,
303
00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:38,520
of course, it's about the flavour,
but it's also about the fragrance,
304
00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:41,240
it's about the smell. It's just...
305
00:17:41,240 --> 00:17:45,080
..hovering over the landscape and
over the table and over my plate.
306
00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,520
It's just here. It's just engulfing.
307
00:17:47,520 --> 00:17:48,760
Yeah, absolutely.
308
00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:57,320
The family's boutique set-up has won
numerous awards for its preserves
309
00:17:57,320 --> 00:18:00,400
that lock up the sense
of season in a jar.
310
00:18:01,920 --> 00:18:06,080
It may now export to
high-end delis all over the world,
311
00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,280
but its roots were humble
and born of necessity.
312
00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,240
It started in '89, 1989.
313
00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:17,080
We still had war in Lebanon.
314
00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,880
Yeah - and my sister,
Leila, and myself,
315
00:18:19,880 --> 00:18:22,440
we began with an idea
316
00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:26,840
to do something for
the people in this area... Yeah.
317
00:18:26,840 --> 00:18:30,520
..who couldn't work because they
couldn't reach their place of work
318
00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:32,280
because of the war.
319
00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:36,800
They had the idea of tapping into
an already-established skill base.
320
00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:42,200
Preserving seasonal ingredients,
both savoury and sweet,
321
00:18:42,200 --> 00:18:46,520
had, after all, been key to
the way of life here for centuries.
322
00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:49,840
They all do this in their homes
for generations
323
00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:52,240
because in summertime,
324
00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:54,680
in the mountains here,
325
00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:56,320
the nature is very generous.
326
00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:58,840
It gives you so many fruits
327
00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,040
and so many vegetables...
328
00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:03,440
Herbs. ..and in wintertime,
329
00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:06,640
it's all full of snow and
they don't have anything any more.
330
00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:08,480
Of course, you have snow, yeah.
331
00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:14,920
So, they learnt how to preserve
all what nature gives us in summer
332
00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,640
and keep it in their homes,
in their pantry rooms.
333
00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,760
If you haven't got it here,
in your larder...
334
00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:23,240
..you don't eat. Yeah.
335
00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,920
I can't think of another cuisine
336
00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,440
that has so much in
the way of preserves in it.
337
00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:35,040
It's absolutely part of the essence
of Lebanese food. Absolutely.
338
00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:42,440
Youmna and Leila's preserves
became so popular that the army
339
00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:44,800
opened up snowbound mountain roads
340
00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,400
to allow the products
to reach Beirut.
341
00:19:48,760 --> 00:19:53,600
Hard to imagine the same reverence
being accorded to jams back home.
342
00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,040
Sitting here, it's really difficult
343
00:19:57,040 --> 00:20:01,520
to think of what this terrain
is like in the winter.
344
00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:04,400
There's thick snow.
The roads become impassable.
345
00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:08,480
So you have to have
a good store cupboard.
346
00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:11,480
You've got to have
an efficient way of providing food.
347
00:20:12,680 --> 00:20:14,800
So, the long tradition...
348
00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:19,320
..of packing stuff away
in its season for later on...
349
00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:22,320
..it's not just...
350
00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:29,360
..a fanciful bit of joyful cooking,
it's a necessity.
351
00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:33,480
It's not just about making
rows of jams and jellies
352
00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:36,240
that look pretty on the shelf,
353
00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,760
it is utterly crucial,
and has been for centuries.
354
00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,120
In peace times, in war times,
it doesn't matter,
355
00:20:44,120 --> 00:20:46,400
you need to have
something in your cupboard.
356
00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:52,480
Fragrances of Mount Sannine
have inspired me
357
00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,000
to make a richly aromatic dessert.
358
00:21:00,120 --> 00:21:02,800
Creamed rice with apricots,
359
00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:05,120
pistachios and rose petals.
360
00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:12,000
Add 150g of pudding rice,
361
00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,400
two tablespoonfuls
of golden caster sugar,
362
00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,320
250ml of milk,
and the same of double cream,
363
00:21:19,320 --> 00:21:20,360
to a pan.
364
00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:25,120
Split a vanilla pod and add,
before bringing to the boil.
365
00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:30,600
Turn down to a simmer
until the rice softens.
366
00:21:30,600 --> 00:21:33,560
In a separate pan,
boil dried apricots
367
00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:37,560
with half a lemon
and a cinnamon stick.
368
00:21:37,560 --> 00:21:40,120
Chop a generous
handful of pistachios.
369
00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:46,000
Trickle in a dash of
rose and orange blossom waters.
370
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,680
Top with the apricots and pistachios
371
00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:53,640
and finish with a sprinkle
of dried rose petals.
372
00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:57,520
A delightful, creamy
and fragrant dessert.
373
00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:02,640
The end of Ramadan is approaching
374
00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:06,080
and Nour has invited me to
her parents' home in Beirut
375
00:22:06,080 --> 00:22:07,520
for Eid al-Fitr,
376
00:22:07,520 --> 00:22:10,000
the celebration
that marks the end of fasting.
377
00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,400
Anticipating a deluge of generosity,
378
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:16,920
I'm keen not to
turn up empty-handed,
379
00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,760
so I'm visiting
a kitchen-table enterprise
380
00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:21,720
on the outskirts of Beirut,
381
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:23,920
which I'm hoping will
provide a solution.
382
00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,200
Salut. Hi.
383
00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,560
Arabic is the national
tongue of Lebanon,
384
00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,960
but most people also speak
either French or English
385
00:22:35,960 --> 00:22:39,560
and it's not uncommon to greet
people in all three languages.
386
00:22:44,120 --> 00:22:49,360
Mona Hashemi's delicately flavoured,
exquisitely crafted ma'amoul
387
00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:51,360
are traditionally eaten at Eid
388
00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:54,960
and she's agreed to offer me
a pastry-making masterclass.
389
00:22:57,320 --> 00:22:58,360
Hello.
390
00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:02,840
So, these are the little treasures
I've been hearing about.
391
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:10,440
Her delicate semolina-based dough
is enriched with butter
392
00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:14,680
and given a slightly chewy texture
with the addition of mastic,
393
00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:16,400
a naturally-occurring resin.
394
00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:21,560
Hidden away in there
is a small pinch of mahlab,
395
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:24,520
the ground kernel
of the sour cherry tree,
396
00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,560
which adds a pleasingly bitter note
397
00:23:26,560 --> 00:23:30,400
and works well with aromatic
orange blossom and rose waters.
398
00:23:31,720 --> 00:23:35,880
A sweet stuffing of either
pistachio, walnuts or dates
399
00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:37,640
is carefully encased in the
centre...
400
00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,400
..but it is the handmade,
intricate designs
401
00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:45,160
that make these delicacies
so charming.
402
00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:47,600
How cute is that?!
403
00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:49,720
So, the pattern
that you're putting on...
404
00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:53,080
..it tells us what's inside -
405
00:23:53,080 --> 00:23:55,000
or is it just the shape
that tells us?
406
00:23:55,000 --> 00:23:56,680
The dates are like daisies,
407
00:23:56,680 --> 00:23:59,120
the pattern,
the design's like a daisy.
408
00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:03,360
Yeah. The walnuts is like a rose.
409
00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:07,560
And then the pistachios
are like a leaf, you know.
410
00:24:07,560 --> 00:24:10,280
Oh, yes, of course.
Yeah. There it is.
411
00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:13,560
It's obvious now! Yeah,
makes it easier now to do them.
412
00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,600
And that little tool that
you're holding, this one...
413
00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:19,600
..is that just for these?
414
00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,600
Do you do anything else with it?
415
00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:23,720
THEY SPEAK ARABIC
416
00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:25,920
Only for these? Only for ma'amoul.
417
00:24:27,240 --> 00:24:31,840
You know, I would
love to have a little go.
418
00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:33,920
Would that be all right?
419
00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:35,520
This is easier. OK.
420
00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:37,640
You're getting the beginner's tools.
421
00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:41,280
Oh, I'm...
OK, I'm on the nursery slopes.
422
00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:43,520
OK. You and me.
423
00:24:43,520 --> 00:24:45,320
OK.
424
00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:47,520
Oh, you have to be quite careful,
don't you?
425
00:24:48,920 --> 00:24:51,160
Cos the nuts are actually
only just below the surface.
426
00:24:51,160 --> 00:24:52,480
Exactly.
427
00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,640
Look at the speed
you're doing it at!
428
00:24:55,640 --> 00:24:58,080
It's not brilliant, is it?
429
00:24:58,080 --> 00:24:59,680
SHE SPEAKS FRENCH
430
00:24:59,680 --> 00:25:01,200
Ah, so...
431
00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:02,720
SHE SPEAKS FRENCH
432
00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,480
So you did the date pattern,
433
00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:07,800
you should have done
the walnut pattern.
434
00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,360
Did the date pattern!
435
00:25:10,600 --> 00:25:12,560
Should have done the walnut pattern.
436
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:22,760
Ah!
437
00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:26,880
So it doesn't fall off... Yes.
438
00:25:26,880 --> 00:25:30,280
It lies in the ridges and
the furrows and the folds.
439
00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,320
Yes. Exactly. We make it like this.
440
00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:36,520
It's a work of art.
441
00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,120
So beautiful.
442
00:25:38,120 --> 00:25:39,160
Better.
443
00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:40,200
THEY LAUGH
444
00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:43,880
Perfect.
445
00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:45,760
I wouldn't say "perfect".
446
00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:47,760
It's better than my first one.
447
00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:53,040
It's the sort of thing
I just love doing.
448
00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:57,280
You could sit all afternoon,
quite happily,
449
00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,640
with this amazing little tool,
450
00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:01,040
just decorating cookies.
451
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:06,560
The ma'amoul go into the oven
at 180 degrees.
452
00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:14,480
20 minutes later, the coffee is on,
the ma'amoul are ready, and so am I.
453
00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,200
This is lovely.
454
00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:25,880
I just can't get over these.
They're so fragile,
455
00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:27,720
they are so fragrant.
456
00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:44,160
So, the... Oh, it's going to become
tougher. Yes. So is it only Eid?
457
00:26:44,160 --> 00:26:46,240
Are they made at
any other time of year?
458
00:26:46,240 --> 00:26:51,720
So, Easter for Christians, and Eid,
during Ramadan, for Muslims.
459
00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:53,080
Now.
460
00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:54,840
I'm surprised about
the Christian thing.
461
00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:57,640
I didn't realise that it
was something for everyone.
462
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,680
Ma'amoul are enjoyed
throughout the Arab world,
463
00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,320
and most countries have their twist
on these delicate pastries.
464
00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:13,640
Here, they are a beautiful example
of a shared culinary heritage.
465
00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:28,000
Back in Beirut,
and the big day has come.
466
00:27:29,160 --> 00:27:32,120
For some, it's the end
of 30 days' fasting.
467
00:27:32,120 --> 00:27:35,560
For those of a more liberal
persuasion, including Nour's family,
468
00:27:35,560 --> 00:27:38,080
an excuse to bring
everyone together.
469
00:27:39,800 --> 00:27:43,240
Amazing. You had no idea
about the food? No...!
470
00:27:43,240 --> 00:27:46,520
Lebanon is known for
its relaxed attitudes.
471
00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,720
Many Muslims here, particularly
in urban areas, drink alcohol,
472
00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,480
including the Levantine tipple arak,
473
00:27:53,480 --> 00:27:57,000
made from fermented
grapes and aniseed.
474
00:27:57,000 --> 00:27:58,600
Nour's mother, Maya,
475
00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:02,320
has been preparing dishes
for the past four days.
476
00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:03,800
So, this is dough,
477
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:08,800
fried dough stuffed with meat
and then soaked in yoghurt.
478
00:28:08,800 --> 00:28:11,880
Fried dough, stuffed with meat...
479
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:13,680
..soaked in yoghurt.
480
00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:15,480
I'm liking the sound of this.
481
00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:18,360
There's all this, as well! Yes.
482
00:28:18,360 --> 00:28:20,560
Oh, look at those.
483
00:28:21,960 --> 00:28:23,800
There is...
484
00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,640
..aubergine, stuffed with meat...
485
00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:28,280
MAYA SPEAKS ARABIC
486
00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:30,920
..and onions. And tomato, OK.
487
00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:32,680
So much food!
488
00:28:32,680 --> 00:28:34,720
And there's still work to be done.
489
00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:43,240
Freekeh, a roasted green wheat
with a distinct nutty flavour,
490
00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:45,040
is widely used in Arab cuisine.
491
00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:51,360
Here, it is topped with ground lamb,
roasted almonds, pistachios,
492
00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:54,520
pine nuts and finally chicken.
493
00:28:54,520 --> 00:28:56,680
This is magnificent!
494
00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,120
It's utterly magnificent.
495
00:28:59,600 --> 00:29:03,160
Maya has also made Nour's
childhood favourite,
496
00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:07,800
a distinctly Arab dish called
mulukhiyah, made of chicken,
497
00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,880
cinnamon spiced onions,
bay leaves, and mallow,
498
00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:15,760
an astringent, leafy vegetable
often compared to cooked okra
499
00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:19,160
and made popular by
the ancient Egyptians.
500
00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,360
This is a completely
new smell to me.
501
00:29:21,360 --> 00:29:23,960
I don't know this smell. Really?
And I know most cooking smells.
502
00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:26,040
Yes. But I don't know this one.
503
00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:29,040
I've noticed that some people who
are not from the Middle East
504
00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:31,680
either love it, or hate it.
So we're going to see.
505
00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:33,720
I think it's a mark of
the best food, actually.
506
00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:37,080
The food that polarises people...
Yeah. ..tends to be the best.
507
00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:38,760
Exactly!
508
00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:42,040
But Maya has left her
speciality until last -
509
00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:44,360
and with very good reason.
510
00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:48,360
Kibbeh, which uses a base of
bulgur wheat and ground meat,
511
00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:51,560
is hailed as one of Lebanon's
national dishes,
512
00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:54,840
and there are literally dozens of
regional variations.
513
00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,280
Maya, who is from south Lebanon,
514
00:29:57,280 --> 00:30:00,760
is cooking her local version,
kibbeh nayyeh,
515
00:30:00,760 --> 00:30:03,960
where the ground meat
is actually served raw.
516
00:30:03,960 --> 00:30:05,720
Ah!
517
00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:09,240
Maya adds water to
tenderise the bulgur wheat,
518
00:30:09,240 --> 00:30:11,840
another widely used cereal here.
519
00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:15,000
The bulgur will lend
the dish a lovely, nutty hue.
520
00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:20,360
Ice is also added,
to keep the bulgur cool.
521
00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:33,720
This makes total sense!
522
00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:43,760
The raw minced meat, in this case
lamb, is added to the chilled wheat.
523
00:30:43,760 --> 00:30:47,000
Time for Maya's
special southern flourish.
524
00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:49,920
This is the magic, basically.
525
00:30:49,920 --> 00:30:54,040
And what is the magic?
OK. The magic is...
526
00:30:54,040 --> 00:30:58,120
..cumin, and dried wild flowers.
527
00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,000
Yes. Red pepper.
528
00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:03,440
Basil, onions, mint, and that's it.
529
00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:05,920
I want to know what
those wild flowers are.
530
00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:08,200
It's spring flowers
that are, like, harvested,
531
00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:11,520
and just dried and made
specially for this.
532
00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:13,280
For just this one recipe?
533
00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:15,880
Yes. And everything...
The wild flowers are here.
534
00:31:15,880 --> 00:31:20,120
You know, meat always has
a certain smell sometimes,
535
00:31:20,120 --> 00:31:21,360
that is not really pleasant.
536
00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,600
Particularly lamb,
particularly lamb. Exactly.
537
00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:24,960
And when you have, like...
538
00:31:24,960 --> 00:31:28,880
..and sometimes when you cook it, it
goes away, but you're eating raw...
539
00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:30,280
Yes. ..mince.
540
00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:32,880
Not mince, like, raw pureed meat.
541
00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,680
You know? So...
542
00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:36,880
To just give it
that beautiful smell.
543
00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:39,120
These wild flowers are there
to do that.
544
00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:40,360
Yes, take a little bite.
545
00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:44,280
You taste hers,
and she's going to taste yours.
546
00:31:44,280 --> 00:31:45,600
Oh! OK.
547
00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:49,720
OK, so, just a little bit?
No, eat it all.
548
00:31:49,720 --> 00:31:51,840
Really? Yeah. Mm.
549
00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,480
Raw meat's kind of a slightly odd
thing for us to eat, but...
550
00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:57,360
Mm-hm.
551
00:31:58,440 --> 00:32:00,560
Mmm! How delicious.
552
00:32:01,920 --> 00:32:03,280
So good.
553
00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:04,680
It's smooth, isn't it?
554
00:32:04,680 --> 00:32:06,200
It just goes down easily -
555
00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:09,760
and it's these spices and this mix
that just brings that...
556
00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:11,920
I'm not even sure I knew it was raw,
557
00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:15,080
if you know what I mean.
Exactly, that's the thing.
558
00:32:15,080 --> 00:32:18,080
When you're not sure that it's raw,
and you don't know,
559
00:32:18,080 --> 00:32:19,840
this means the kibbeh
was done right.
560
00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:22,840
Great!
561
00:32:22,840 --> 00:32:25,360
Eating raw meat can be harmful,
562
00:32:25,360 --> 00:32:29,280
but Maya follows a family recipe,
sources her meat carefully,
563
00:32:29,280 --> 00:32:33,680
and keeps it chilled as near
to the point of serving as possible.
564
00:32:33,680 --> 00:32:35,800
And now...
565
00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:37,160
OK. Begin.
566
00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:41,640
You can do whatever shape you want.
567
00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:44,840
Finally, the kibbeh is shaped...
568
00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:50,600
..and lavishly doused
with olive oil.
569
00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:00,560
You have a lot of food!
570
00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:01,600
Mm-hm.
571
00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:09,200
From stuffed vine leaves to an
array of lamb and vegetable dishes,
572
00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:10,600
it just keeps coming.
573
00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:15,600
I've never seen so much food
on one table.
574
00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:19,880
It's this generosity,
it's just never-ending.
575
00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:34,080
This is such a delight, to see
so many people eating at once.
576
00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:38,040
Yes. It's really important,
the sound of people...
577
00:33:38,040 --> 00:33:40,920
"Yes, I want to socialise,
I want to talk, but actually..."
578
00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:43,080
Everybody's focused
on the sound of food, yes.
579
00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,080
I know. It's lovely, isn't it?
Yes. Yes.
580
00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:47,680
Family gathers, and food.
581
00:33:47,680 --> 00:33:50,760
You think all of them would
be here if there wasn't food?
582
00:33:57,960 --> 00:34:00,200
It's such an honour to be here.
583
00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:02,640
Such a privilege to be invited,
584
00:34:02,640 --> 00:34:06,440
to cook, and to be with
the family to eat with them.
585
00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:09,160
It's wonderful,
it's a big, social occasion,
586
00:34:09,160 --> 00:34:11,920
and being part of it
is very, very special.
587
00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:18,680
It's when that food
goes on the table.
588
00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:21,840
It's like the catalyst that
just starts everything off.
589
00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:24,960
All the conversation,
all the movement, all the fun,
590
00:34:24,960 --> 00:34:27,760
all the life that
is around that table.
591
00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:29,320
It starts with the food.
592
00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:46,240
One dish on Maya's table that
particularly caught my imagination,
593
00:34:46,240 --> 00:34:49,520
was the classic
Middle Eastern salad fattoush.
594
00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:57,720
For my version, peel,
halve and seed two cucumbers.
595
00:34:57,720 --> 00:35:01,280
Cut into half moons
and add to a bowl.
596
00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:06,040
Quarter a handful of tomatoes
and radishes.
597
00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:09,360
Chop a small lettuce
598
00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:11,280
and a bunch of spring onions.
599
00:35:12,360 --> 00:35:13,840
Tear in parsley
600
00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:17,320
and a few of the
smallest mint leaves.
601
00:35:17,320 --> 00:35:21,200
Shallow-fry a whole pita bread
in olive oil.
602
00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:24,320
Blend olives and parsley
with olive oil and lemon.
603
00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:29,000
Spread the paste on the
toasted bread.
604
00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:33,360
Dress the salad with a mixture
of pomegranate molasses,
605
00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:35,920
olive oil, and sumac.
606
00:35:35,920 --> 00:35:38,040
It's a fresh and exciting salad
607
00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:40,960
that will always take me back
to Lebanon.
608
00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:49,600
My journey through Lebanese cuisine
now takes me inland and southwards,
609
00:35:49,600 --> 00:35:52,120
from the shores of the Mediterranean
610
00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:54,320
to the dusty slopes of Nabatieh,
611
00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:57,400
just ten miles from the
Israeli border.
612
00:35:57,400 --> 00:35:59,920
It's here I plan to unravel
a mystery
613
00:35:59,920 --> 00:36:03,120
that has stumped me since
long before I arrived.
614
00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:09,040
I'm on a bit of a personal mission
for something that's puzzled me,
615
00:36:09,040 --> 00:36:10,600
a mystery, for a long time.
616
00:36:12,600 --> 00:36:15,160
I love the herb mix, za'atar,
617
00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:18,080
and I buy it from my local
Lebanese grocer's -
618
00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:22,280
and I know that it's a mixture
of thyme, of sesame seed,
619
00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:25,440
salt and very often sumac -
620
00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:27,000
and yet it's always puzzled me,
621
00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:29,440
because it doesn't seem to
actually smell of thyme.
622
00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:33,520
So I've come here
623
00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:36,040
to unravel this little puzzle.
624
00:36:37,320 --> 00:36:40,680
What exactly is za'atar?
625
00:36:43,000 --> 00:36:47,000
The herbal mix known as za'atar
is a storeroom staple
626
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:48,960
throughout the Arab world -
627
00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:51,560
but it's also a herb
in its own right.
628
00:36:53,000 --> 00:36:56,920
Abu Kasim is a local
farmer here in Nabatieh.
629
00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:01,160
He was one of the first farmers
in the country to grow za'atar
630
00:37:01,160 --> 00:37:05,360
commercially, and I'm hoping he
can solve my culinary conundrum.
631
00:37:09,840 --> 00:37:12,480
So what do you call this herb
that you are growing?
632
00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:29,800
Yeah. This is oregano,
it's got that beautiful sea-green...
633
00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:33,520
..colour, it's very soft
and velvety to touch.
634
00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:55,760
Mystery solved.
635
00:37:55,760 --> 00:38:00,720
It seems like the herb mix I buy
uses oregano rather than thyme -
636
00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:02,560
but both herbs are related,
637
00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:05,120
and different varieties of both
may be used.
638
00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:11,280
This personal quest has led to
an unexpected revelation for me.
639
00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:15,160
Maybe it takes the right...
640
00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:19,640
..plant in the right place,
to make you rethink it,
641
00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:23,560
but oregano, to me, has always been
slightly dusty, a little bit old.
642
00:38:23,560 --> 00:38:28,520
It's something I reserve,
I suppose, to use dried, on pizza...
643
00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:33,560
..and suddenly, holding a
freshly-picked plant,
644
00:38:33,560 --> 00:38:38,880
something that I can feel, and it's
velvety, it's soft and it's earthy,
645
00:38:38,880 --> 00:38:43,000
it's aromatic - but it's also got
a very slight fruitiness to it.
646
00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:46,600
It's a completely different herb
from the one that I know,
647
00:38:46,600 --> 00:38:48,960
and have been barely using -
648
00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:52,240
and I want to know more,
and I want to use it differently.
649
00:38:52,240 --> 00:38:54,760
Standing in these fields,
650
00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:58,800
I'm interested to know how
Abu Kasim's business came about.
651
00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:02,000
So, I'm intrigued why you decided
to grow it,
652
00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:03,760
why you decided to farm it,
653
00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:06,480
when it actually grows
quite naturally.
654
00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:41,240
With the potential for injury
from unexploded cluster bombs,
655
00:39:41,240 --> 00:39:45,080
and the desire to protect the
environment from excessive foraging,
656
00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:48,320
Abu Kasim was provided
with the impetus
657
00:39:48,320 --> 00:39:50,240
for his now-successful business.
658
00:39:51,560 --> 00:39:54,640
I'm keen to find out how this
plant is transformed
659
00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:57,200
into the herb mix I know and love.
660
00:40:00,080 --> 00:40:03,520
The plant is thrashed by farm hand
Abu Ali,
661
00:40:03,520 --> 00:40:08,200
and any woody stems are removed
by Abu Kasim's wife Fatima.
662
00:40:08,200 --> 00:40:11,360
It's not surprising that
this is such a happy scene,
663
00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:15,560
because with the warmth from
the earth and the heat of the sun,
664
00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:19,200
and all of the oregano dust
that's flying around the air,
665
00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:22,520
this whole scene is just
totally intoxicating.
666
00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:35,240
There is magic in this process.
667
00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:42,200
From how the leaves are sieved...
668
00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:50,520
..to how Abu Kasim prepares
the herb mix
669
00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:52,360
by toasting the sesame...
670
00:40:56,640 --> 00:40:59,920
..and mixing with the tangy,
lemony sumac...
671
00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:06,880
..right through to how his
sister-in-law makes saj,
672
00:41:06,880 --> 00:41:08,680
a Lebanese flatbread...
673
00:41:16,200 --> 00:41:19,480
..and coats it with an olive oil
and za'atar mix...
674
00:41:21,320 --> 00:41:23,960
..to make the much-loved man'oushe.
675
00:41:28,520 --> 00:41:31,920
The trick is to cook the bread
until it's crisp,
676
00:41:31,920 --> 00:41:34,200
but also soft enough to roll.
677
00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:37,760
Often served with cheese,
labneh or ground meat,
678
00:41:37,760 --> 00:41:42,360
here, it is filled
with tomatoes and cucumber.
679
00:41:42,360 --> 00:41:43,880
So good!
680
00:41:43,880 --> 00:41:45,280
Simplicity itself.
681
00:42:16,520 --> 00:42:18,800
And I'm not surprised -
682
00:42:18,800 --> 00:42:21,680
and it's just,
the bread is so crisp,
683
00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:23,520
and so sort of crunchy,
684
00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:26,720
and then all the lovely,
refreshing tomatoes and cucumber.
685
00:42:26,720 --> 00:42:29,080
I'd love this for breakfast.
686
00:42:29,080 --> 00:42:30,960
I'd love this for breakfast
every day.
687
00:42:32,600 --> 00:42:33,920
SHE LAUGHS
688
00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:35,080
I would!
689
00:42:36,200 --> 00:42:38,200
I would be happy to eat this
every morning.
690
00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:44,000
No wonder za'atar is a cornerstone
of Lebanese cuisine.
691
00:42:45,640 --> 00:42:48,520
Its earthiness really
elevates everyday dishes.
692
00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:53,880
My trip to the farm has inspired
me to use it even more.
693
00:42:58,920 --> 00:43:01,560
Za'atar chicken and chickpeas.
694
00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:11,680
Mix three tablespoonfuls of za'atar
695
00:43:11,680 --> 00:43:13,600
with a glug of olive oil.
696
00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:19,080
Add chickpeas and
six peeled garlic cloves
697
00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:20,400
to a large roasting tin.
698
00:43:21,960 --> 00:43:24,920
Brush four chicken thighs
with the za'atar mix
699
00:43:24,920 --> 00:43:27,960
and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
700
00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:31,840
Bake in a preheated 200-degree oven
for 40 minutes.
701
00:43:33,480 --> 00:43:36,840
Remove the garlic,
brush the chicken again,
702
00:43:36,840 --> 00:43:40,600
and return to the oven for
a further 15 to 20 minutes.
703
00:43:42,960 --> 00:43:47,280
Pound the soft, roasted garlic,
before adding thick yoghurt.
704
00:43:49,080 --> 00:43:52,360
Serve the chicken
on a bed of chickpeas
705
00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:53,920
with the yoghurt
706
00:43:53,920 --> 00:43:55,880
and a few small mint leaves.
707
00:44:04,080 --> 00:44:08,400
The final leg of my journey takes
me further inland and eastwards,
708
00:44:08,400 --> 00:44:11,800
to the Bekaa Valley, the
rural heartland of Lebanon.
709
00:44:14,240 --> 00:44:17,600
It's the country's most important
agricultural region,
710
00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:19,680
and, I'm hoping, the ideal place
711
00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:22,680
to learn more about
traditional home cooking.
712
00:44:23,720 --> 00:44:25,640
So I'm out into the Bekaa Valley,
713
00:44:25,640 --> 00:44:30,120
which is, I guess, about ten
miles from the Syrian border -
714
00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:33,800
and, immediately,
you can see it's incredibly lush.
715
00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:39,560
This is very different,
it feels very different,
716
00:44:39,560 --> 00:44:42,600
and I suspect that the cooking
will be different here, too.
717
00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:48,280
Situated between two parallel
mountain ranges,
718
00:44:48,280 --> 00:44:50,240
this fertile plateau is home
719
00:44:50,240 --> 00:44:53,400
to almost half of
Lebanon's cultivated land.
720
00:44:56,200 --> 00:45:00,200
First, I'm off to discover a
simple but essential routine
721
00:45:00,200 --> 00:45:03,560
that has been part of domestic life,
not only here,
722
00:45:03,560 --> 00:45:06,600
but across most of the Middle East,
for centuries.
723
00:45:11,920 --> 00:45:16,240
Ibrahim Abu Eid
lives in Haouch Snaid
724
00:45:16,240 --> 00:45:21,480
with his wife Aziza and their three
children, Hamoud, Maria and Zara.
725
00:45:23,160 --> 00:45:26,040
Ibrahim is showing me
how to make labneh,
726
00:45:26,040 --> 00:45:28,720
the soft, white cheese
that to this day
727
00:45:28,720 --> 00:45:31,520
forms a staple part of
the Arab diet.
728
00:45:33,240 --> 00:45:35,480
This is a world away from Beirut...
729
00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:38,280
..but before we start,
730
00:45:38,280 --> 00:45:41,120
I must meet another very special
member of the family.
731
00:45:41,120 --> 00:45:42,720
COW LOWS
732
00:45:57,640 --> 00:45:59,960
That's a good yield. Yes.
733
00:45:59,960 --> 00:46:02,960
Whilst many rural people
buy their labneh
734
00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:05,520
from small-scale local producers,
735
00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:08,920
this single cow provides
Ibrahim and his family
736
00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:10,960
with all the dairy they need.
737
00:46:12,360 --> 00:46:17,600
Made into balls and placed in oil,
labneh can last two to three months.
738
00:46:19,200 --> 00:46:21,760
And now we have the milk -
on with the cooking.
739
00:46:24,600 --> 00:46:27,200
Ten litres of milk we've collected
740
00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:31,600
will be reduced to about
two kilos of labneh.
741
00:46:31,600 --> 00:46:34,560
The first step is to heat the milk.
742
00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:40,280
Yes, you get that...
It's like a skin.
743
00:46:40,280 --> 00:46:42,720
Yes. It forms at the bottom.
Yes. Yes, I know.
744
00:46:42,720 --> 00:46:44,960
Made using only yoghurt and milk,
745
00:46:44,960 --> 00:46:48,760
labneh is healthier than
similar foods like cream cheese,
746
00:46:48,760 --> 00:46:51,320
and can be served with meats
and meze,
747
00:46:51,320 --> 00:46:53,680
but is most popular at breakfast.
748
00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:56,480
But it is just the best breakfast,
749
00:46:56,480 --> 00:46:59,480
because it's a real kick
to start the day,
750
00:46:59,480 --> 00:47:01,520
cos it's got that hit of acidity,
751
00:47:01,520 --> 00:47:02,960
that little bit of sharpness,
752
00:47:02,960 --> 00:47:04,800
that little bite first thing
in the morning.
753
00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:06,080
So it really wakes you up -
754
00:47:06,080 --> 00:47:09,000
but at the same time, it's quite
gentle because of its creaminess.
755
00:47:10,800 --> 00:47:15,160
Once cooled to the right
temperature, the yoghurt is added.
756
00:47:15,160 --> 00:47:17,560
Not so much cooking, as alchemy.
757
00:47:23,000 --> 00:47:25,200
45 degrees.
OK, so it comes up... Yes.
758
00:47:25,200 --> 00:47:26,880
..to boil, then down to 45.
759
00:47:31,040 --> 00:47:33,800
At 45? Yeah.
760
00:47:41,480 --> 00:47:43,360
It is this thing where simple things
761
00:47:43,360 --> 00:47:45,600
are often not as simple
as they look.
762
00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:48,240
This is one of those things.
763
00:47:49,360 --> 00:47:51,520
Something tells me that Ibrahim
764
00:47:51,520 --> 00:47:54,600
has never needed a
written recipe for labneh...
765
00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:57,440
..and I suspect neither
will his children.
766
00:47:59,200 --> 00:48:01,640
Who taught you to make labneh?
767
00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:21,640
Once strained, salt is added,
768
00:48:21,640 --> 00:48:24,440
and then it is left to ripen
for 24 hours.
769
00:48:37,320 --> 00:48:39,440
Mmm!
770
00:48:39,440 --> 00:48:42,920
So, good? It's so good. Thanks.
771
00:48:42,920 --> 00:48:46,600
It does coat your mouth,
but deliciously so.
772
00:48:46,600 --> 00:48:51,160
Not in a horrible, sweet, cloying
way, in a very refreshing way.
773
00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:54,600
That was great! Fantastic.
Thank you.
774
00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:58,280
Labneh is widely believed to have
originated with nomads,
775
00:48:58,280 --> 00:49:00,400
as a way to preserve milk -
776
00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:03,600
but it clearly has a permanent home
in modern Lebanese life.
777
00:49:09,520 --> 00:49:13,080
As well as dairy, ingredients such
as grains and pulses
778
00:49:13,080 --> 00:49:15,640
are a mainstay of daily meals.
779
00:49:15,640 --> 00:49:19,680
Whether combined with fresh produce
or judicious amounts of meat.
780
00:49:22,280 --> 00:49:24,360
I'm curious to find out more about
781
00:49:24,360 --> 00:49:28,280
this affordable and healthy
food culture.
782
00:49:28,280 --> 00:49:30,920
So I'm travelling to the village
of Ammiq,
783
00:49:30,920 --> 00:49:35,080
on the western edge of the
Bekaa Valley, to meet Rima Jabbour,
784
00:49:35,080 --> 00:49:38,160
a cook whose vegetable and
grain-laden dishes
785
00:49:38,160 --> 00:49:39,920
are stuff of local legend.
786
00:49:44,080 --> 00:49:46,520
I was just thinking
these look fabulous tomatoes...
787
00:49:48,360 --> 00:49:51,360
Where do you...? Where do you get
most of your fruit and veg from?
788
00:49:54,840 --> 00:49:56,640
You grow your own.
789
00:49:56,640 --> 00:49:58,520
Ah! It's always the best.
790
00:49:58,520 --> 00:50:00,040
SHE REPLIES IN ARABIC
791
00:50:00,040 --> 00:50:01,200
It's always the best.
792
00:50:02,640 --> 00:50:04,840
Traditionally, meat was expensive,
793
00:50:04,840 --> 00:50:08,000
so people relied heavily on what
they had at their fingertips -
794
00:50:08,000 --> 00:50:11,360
fresh vegetables in the summer,
and grains throughout the year.
795
00:50:14,560 --> 00:50:17,440
Would you say that what you are
cooking now,
796
00:50:17,440 --> 00:50:22,240
is this very much what most families
would cook for dinner?
797
00:50:48,520 --> 00:50:53,600
Today, Rima is cooking a
vegetarian dish, burghul banadoura.
798
00:50:53,600 --> 00:50:55,520
Its main ingredient, bulgur wheat,
799
00:50:55,520 --> 00:50:58,400
is a healthy source
of plant-based protein.
800
00:50:58,400 --> 00:50:59,440
Oh, look at that!
801
00:51:00,600 --> 00:51:01,640
Velvety.
802
00:51:02,760 --> 00:51:06,160
Once soaked, it's added to the pan
of chopped tomatoes,
803
00:51:06,160 --> 00:51:08,080
onions and sweet peppers,
804
00:51:08,080 --> 00:51:12,400
and just a sparing touch of Rima's
very special secret ingredient.
805
00:51:13,360 --> 00:51:15,760
So this is home-made tomato puree?
806
00:51:15,760 --> 00:51:18,120
Ah, that's a good load.
807
00:51:18,120 --> 00:51:20,200
You make it with your own tomatoes -
808
00:51:20,200 --> 00:51:23,600
and do you do a lot at once,
do you do a big store?
809
00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:38,480
50 kilos?!
810
00:51:38,480 --> 00:51:42,200
Industrial quantities of tomato
puree are not the only thing
811
00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:44,280
Rima stores in her larder.
812
00:51:44,280 --> 00:51:47,720
Thrifty housekeeping means
dried grains and pulses
813
00:51:47,720 --> 00:51:49,360
are also bought in bulk.
814
00:51:59,480 --> 00:52:01,400
That's a lot of lentils!
815
00:52:01,400 --> 00:52:03,160
THEY LAUGH
816
00:52:03,160 --> 00:52:07,760
So with all your ingredients
that are dry and they're stored,
817
00:52:07,760 --> 00:52:10,080
I wonder how long you could go
without going to the shops.
818
00:52:10,080 --> 00:52:11,480
Just cooking every day.
819
00:52:14,240 --> 00:52:15,560
Really?
820
00:52:16,560 --> 00:52:18,760
I can barely go a week.
821
00:52:18,760 --> 00:52:20,200
Can I have a look in your cupboard?
822
00:52:21,400 --> 00:52:22,760
It's this fascination
823
00:52:22,760 --> 00:52:25,760
with what other people make their
daily meal with.
824
00:52:25,760 --> 00:52:27,040
Not nosy or anything...
825
00:52:32,000 --> 00:52:33,080
Ooh!
826
00:52:40,120 --> 00:52:42,160
Ah, so cassia bark...
827
00:52:43,240 --> 00:52:45,320
It has very much the same effect
as cinnamon,
828
00:52:45,320 --> 00:52:47,640
but it is a slightly cheaper
version.
829
00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:50,880
What's this?
830
00:52:53,360 --> 00:52:54,840
Oh, my word!
831
00:53:02,480 --> 00:53:06,800
A mixture of exotic flavours such
as fenugreek, cloves and nutmeg,
832
00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:10,440
seven spice is an incredibly useful
spice blend,
833
00:53:10,440 --> 00:53:13,840
and found throughout
the Arab world, and beyond -
834
00:53:13,840 --> 00:53:16,440
and no two jars
are exactly the same.
835
00:53:16,440 --> 00:53:19,880
This is a little magical mystery
tour of spice mixtures.
836
00:53:19,880 --> 00:53:21,240
I mean, I'm getting the hint,
837
00:53:21,240 --> 00:53:24,640
some of them are clearly very soft
and gentle.
838
00:53:24,640 --> 00:53:28,240
These mixtures seem very warm
and earthy.
839
00:53:28,240 --> 00:53:31,600
They are not hot, I'm not getting
any notes of chilli.
840
00:53:31,600 --> 00:53:35,120
They are just very fragrant, and...
841
00:53:35,120 --> 00:53:37,360
..I mean, quite peppery.
842
00:53:37,360 --> 00:53:39,200
Do you make your own spices?
843
00:53:39,200 --> 00:53:42,400
So, do you buy that,
or do you mix it?
844
00:53:52,800 --> 00:53:54,640
Ah, you see,
I love that way of shopping.
845
00:54:01,320 --> 00:54:05,360
These dishes of cheap and filling
ingredients may be simple,
846
00:54:05,360 --> 00:54:07,880
but such considered use of
flavourings mean
847
00:54:07,880 --> 00:54:09,040
they're never boring.
848
00:54:14,320 --> 00:54:16,000
It's absolutely delicious.
849
00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:18,000
It's delicious.
850
00:54:18,000 --> 00:54:21,400
I think the secret
is your home-made tomato puree.
851
00:54:21,400 --> 00:54:25,000
That's what the secret is.
It's completely natural -
852
00:54:25,000 --> 00:54:27,320
and I think it makes such a
difference, I really do.
853
00:54:28,720 --> 00:54:30,680
It's delicious.
854
00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:33,040
You know, it always feels
a privilege
855
00:54:33,040 --> 00:54:35,400
to cook and eat
someone's home food -
856
00:54:35,400 --> 00:54:37,440
but, fortunately, in this case,
857
00:54:37,440 --> 00:54:41,320
I'm not the only one who gets to
taste Rima's incredible cooking.
858
00:54:52,400 --> 00:54:55,320
Rima works at a rather special
restaurant,
859
00:54:55,320 --> 00:54:59,200
hidden away above the fields and
pastures of the Bekaa Valley.
860
00:55:01,160 --> 00:55:04,120
Tawlet Ammiq is a restaurant
with a difference...
861
00:55:05,520 --> 00:55:07,560
..and I'm not just talking
about the view.
862
00:55:12,240 --> 00:55:15,840
You feel as if you could reach out
and touch Syria, you are so close...
863
00:55:17,640 --> 00:55:20,920
..but actually, what you come here
for is what's happening inside.
864
00:55:21,960 --> 00:55:24,200
This is a very, very special
restaurant.
865
00:55:26,800 --> 00:55:30,040
The menu celebrates local food
traditions
866
00:55:30,040 --> 00:55:33,160
by employing a small army
of home cooks
867
00:55:33,160 --> 00:55:36,960
to showcase their age-old recipes
and techniques.
868
00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:38,640
People from all over Lebanon
869
00:55:38,640 --> 00:55:41,200
think nothing of driving hours
to get here.
870
00:55:44,080 --> 00:55:47,800
The buffet is an A-Z of Lebanese
home cooking.
871
00:55:49,520 --> 00:55:52,640
Fattoush, in all its fresh glory -
872
00:55:52,640 --> 00:55:56,120
and, of course, all the ingredients
are grown locally...
873
00:56:03,680 --> 00:56:05,160
..and, there's tabbouleh -
874
00:56:05,160 --> 00:56:09,760
heavy on the parsley, and lighter
on the wheat, around here.
875
00:56:09,760 --> 00:56:12,360
Got feta and olives.
876
00:56:12,360 --> 00:56:14,040
Got a cucumber sweetcorn salad.
877
00:56:15,120 --> 00:56:16,680
Stuffed courgette.
878
00:56:16,680 --> 00:56:18,440
Yoghurt dips.
879
00:56:18,440 --> 00:56:21,080
Kibbeh, kibbeh nayyeh,
880
00:56:21,080 --> 00:56:24,240
and numerous one-pot,
home-style stews,
881
00:56:24,240 --> 00:56:26,800
known collectively as tabkhat.
882
00:56:28,760 --> 00:56:30,680
SHE SPEAKS ARABIC
883
00:56:30,680 --> 00:56:32,560
OK...
884
00:56:34,680 --> 00:56:38,920
I've never seen nuts used this way,
just handfuls of them.
885
00:56:41,240 --> 00:56:42,440
Look at these kebabs.
886
00:56:45,200 --> 00:56:46,600
Vegetable kebabs.
887
00:56:46,600 --> 00:56:48,400
Got cauliflower, got tomato...
888
00:56:49,800 --> 00:56:54,840
Everything cooked here by local
cooks, people who live in this area.
889
00:56:54,840 --> 00:56:57,320
People come for miles to eat this.
890
00:56:59,320 --> 00:57:01,760
There's not one single thing here
891
00:57:01,760 --> 00:57:03,840
that I don't want to sit down
and eat.
892
00:57:03,840 --> 00:57:06,720
It's just...dazzling!
893
00:57:10,960 --> 00:57:13,080
Oh, garlic, basil!
894
00:57:14,360 --> 00:57:16,320
Roast potatoes. Mm.
895
00:57:16,320 --> 00:57:17,520
Perfect.
896
00:57:24,320 --> 00:57:28,560
Beiruti socialites,
tourists and expats
897
00:57:28,560 --> 00:57:31,000
sit beside local families here,
898
00:57:31,000 --> 00:57:33,960
all drawn to quality ingredients,
899
00:57:33,960 --> 00:57:36,240
prepared with passion and love.
900
00:57:37,960 --> 00:57:42,480
This, to me, captures what
Lebanese cuisine is all about -
901
00:57:42,480 --> 00:57:47,120
shared tables, shared heritage
and shared food...
902
00:57:48,200 --> 00:57:51,240
..and I leave with a sense
that there is a bright future
903
00:57:51,240 --> 00:57:54,840
for that most precious element,
home cooking.
904
00:57:54,840 --> 00:57:57,680
I'm so glad that I came here
to the Bekaa Valley.
905
00:57:57,680 --> 00:58:02,520
Coming here has allowed me
to do something very special,
906
00:58:02,520 --> 00:58:06,680
and really is the essence
of why I came here,
907
00:58:06,680 --> 00:58:10,280
which is to see what people are
actually doing in their own home -
908
00:58:10,280 --> 00:58:13,560
how they're eating,
how they're cooking,
909
00:58:13,560 --> 00:58:15,560
what they're doing with their food.
910
00:58:15,560 --> 00:58:18,600
It's not just a peep
in somebody's larder,
911
00:58:18,600 --> 00:58:20,560
it's a peep inside their life.
912
00:58:21,600 --> 00:58:22,760
That's what it is.