Mouneh: Preserving Foods for the Lebanese Pantry by Barbara Abdeni Massaad

  • Basic pickling solution (Al mkhallal) (page 20)

    from Mouneh: Preserving Foods for the Lebanese Pantry Mouneh by Barbara Abdeni Massaad

    • Categories: Lebanese
    • Ingredients: vinegar; coarse sea salt
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Strained goat yogurt cheese balls in oil (Labneh mkaazaleh bil zeit)

    • mjes on July 08, 2018

      Can substitute fresh cow milk for goat milk, and your favorite spices or herbs for dried mint.

  • Orange blossom water (Ma zahr)

    • mjes on July 08, 2018

      This recipe includes a hidden recipe for "white coffee" - orange blossom water in boiling water with optional sugar. White coffee is traditionally served after a "copious meal" or before going to bed.

  • Strawberry jam (Mrabba el farawla)

    • mjes on July 08, 2018

      Can substitute grape molasses for the sugar; half apricots and half strawberries for strawberries.

  • Green unripe walnuts in sugar syrup (Joz akhdar bil atr)

    • mjes on July 08, 2018

      Can substitute a cinnamon stick or whole cloves for geranium leaves.

  • Blend of dried herbs, roots and flowers (Khaltet el zhoorat)

    • mjes on July 08, 2018

      This blend fascinated me because of its use of cherry stems and corn silk, an obvious ultra-version of waste nothing. On the other hand, the blend frustrated me as I knew I'd be hard pressed to ever get all the ingredients together. My version used purchased hyssop, rose petals (not Damascus but culinary). The cherry stems, corn silk, chamomile, and lemon balm were fresh. Hollyhocks and aleaster were omitted. Kaffir lime leaves substituted for lime-flower. This made a tea that is worth exploring further, adjusting the proportions and ingredients. i.e. this is a great recipe if you are interested in spending weeks (or is it years?) getting the precise blend you'll most enjoy. My purchased versions: Lebanon Valley brand contains only rose buds, chamomile, anise, fennel and iwisa; Hashem's contains rose buds, chamomile, anise, iwisa, ginger, cinnamon, fenugreek, hibiscus, cloves, rock sugar, star anise and mahlab.

  • Dried tomatoes (Banadoora mjaffafeh)

    • Ganga108 on April 07, 2023

      I dried a lot of tomatoes from the garden this year, using a dehydrator. I do love the way that this recipe salts the tomatoes on the trays.

  • Lima beans in oil (Fasoolia bil zeit)

    • Ganga108 on September 06, 2022

      I made this as a salad, without preserving it, using dried lima beans, a combo of fresh and pickled capsicums, and fresh chillies. Simple and delicious.

  • Clarified butter (Samneh)

    • Ganga108 on April 08, 2023

      I started making ghee in the early 2000's and it is very easy (but requires attention). These days there are some great quality products available in good stores and Indian groceries, so make it less often.

  • Dried eggplant (Batenjen mjaffaf)

    • Ganga108 on April 08, 2023

      I use the dehydrator to preserve eggplant for winter use.

  • Drying wild thyme (Tijfeef el zaatar)

    • Ganga108 on October 23, 2023

      I pruned my thyme bush yesterday, and dried the leaves in a dehydrator. Although this recipe is for wild thyme or za'atar, I used the same method of removing and sieving out the leaves from the stalks. It makes easy work of the process, and from a dehydrator full of thyme branches, I have a medium jar of leaves to add to my "Mouneh" of dried leaves and powders from the garden, for the kitchen.

  • Drying rosemary (Tijfeef iklil el jabal)

    • Ganga108 on April 07, 2023

      I dry rosemary and other herbs each year to make "dried mixed herbs" to use in cooking for the rest of the year.

  • Basic pickling solution (Al mkhallal)

    • Ganga108 on October 23, 2023

      A basic pickling solution with an option to add bay leaves and/or chillies. (I dehydrated a ton of thyme today after pruning the bush. Now I want to make the Pickled Green Thyme recipe in this book.)

  • Pickled green unripe almonds (Kabees loz akhdar)

    • Ganga108 on October 23, 2023

      Honestly, how fortunate am I to find some green almonds at the local Afghan green grocery with the gorgeous staff. He gave me all they had left, so I promptly made this pickle. It looks so gorgeous - the green almonds all lined like little soldiers.

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Reviews about this book

  • Eat Your Books

    Barbara is a gifted story-teller and her passion for all things Lebanese is palpable and appreciated in Mouneh.

    Full review
  • ISBN 10 1566560365
  • ISBN 13 9781566560368
  • Published May 31 2018
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 592
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Interlink Books

Publishers Text

Preserving food and culture the Lebanese way. The very best memories connecting us to time and place are often stimulated by the tastes and smells of our childhood. Freshly-baked bread, hot from the oven, sweet homemade jam dribbling down our chins, or the burst of flavor in each dried grapethese memories bring a smile to our faces even as they call to mind the people who made them possible. Do you remember working alongside your grandmother as she lovingly preserved garden fresh foods to set back for the winter? You watched Jiddo (grandfather) patiently prepare his arak, but could you reproduce his efforts from memory? Are you lucky enough that they kept written records of recipes gleaned from family history and years of experience? If so, count yourself among the very fortunate minority. The reality for many of us is that we no longer enjoy such a strong connection to our culinary roots. As much as we might wish the contrary, the beauty and simplicity of home-preserved pantry items, the mouneh, taken for granted during our childhood, often seems a lifetime away. In Barbara Abdeni Massaads book, Mouneh: Preserving Foods for the Lebanese Pantry, weve been thrown a lifeline to a piece of our cultural and culinary identity. So many things we would love to recreate for our own families become possible within these pages, thanks to the authors diligent research, stunning photography, simply presented instructions and delightful stories.

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