0:00:03 > 0:00:05As a cook and writer,
0:00:05 > 0:00:09I've long been intrigued by the flavours and fragrances
0:00:09 > 0:00:12of Middle Eastern cooking,
0:00:12 > 0:00:16one of the oldest and most influential cuisines in the world.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Now I want to find out more.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23You know, there really is only one true way
0:00:23 > 0:00:26to get to know a region's food, and that's to go there,
0:00:26 > 0:00:31to eat the food amongst the people who cook it and eat it every day.
0:00:31 > 0:00:34That way it's seasoned with a sense of place -
0:00:34 > 0:00:37the landscape, the culture and the traditions.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40That's incredible.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42So join me on my journey...
0:00:42 > 0:00:44Can I have a look in your cupboard?
0:00:44 > 0:00:49..to discover ingredients and recipes that define three countries
0:00:49 > 0:00:51with truly exciting food stories.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Cheese and roses. It shouldn't work.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Places considered to be the key pillars of Middle Eastern cuisine.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02My adventure takes me across northern Iran
0:01:02 > 0:01:06to taste Persian dishes with a rich heritage,
0:01:06 > 0:01:10to Lebanon with its Arab-influenced flavours of the Levant,
0:01:10 > 0:01:15and to Turkey, where the recipes, born of a diverse landscape,
0:01:15 > 0:01:17have travelled the world.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Did the date pattern. Should've done the walnut pattern.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22My appetite for new flavours
0:01:22 > 0:01:25takes me through ancient and beguiling lands
0:01:25 > 0:01:28but, more importantly, into people's homes.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31I absolutely loved it, and I can't thank you enough.
0:01:31 > 0:01:34This is my chance to learn new techniques and recipes
0:01:34 > 0:01:39that aren't in books but have been handed down through generations...
0:01:39 > 0:01:40How long does it take you?
0:01:40 > 0:01:42- Five minutes.- Five minutes?- Yeah.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Yeah, well, I'd better get a move on, then.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47..and I'll share the secrets I discover
0:01:47 > 0:01:49by cooking recipes inspired by my journey.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55An adventure that starts with both the modern and ancient expression
0:01:55 > 0:01:59of Arab cuisine, in the fertile, spirited lands of Lebanon.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09HORNS BEEP
0:02:17 > 0:02:20I've wanted to come to Lebanon for so long.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22I mean, yes, it is the Middle East
0:02:22 > 0:02:25but it's also very much the Mediterranean.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27For someone who likes to eat and cook...
0:02:28 > 0:02:31..this is a very exciting place to be.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33I can't wait to discover its secrets.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45The cuisine of Lebanon is as rich and varied as its landscapes.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51It's counted as the healthiest in the Middle East.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Pulses, grains and vegetables form its nourishing heart,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and meat used sparingly to great effect.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05I'll be celebrating the flamboyance of festival food...
0:03:05 > 0:03:07I've never seen so much on one table.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11It's the generosity, it's just never-ending.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13..the simplicity of rustic staples...
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I'd love it, I'd love this for breakfast.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17I'd love this for breakfast every day.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24..and the joys of preserves infused with floral fragrance.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31CALL TO PRAYER
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Just half the size of Wales,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42this is a small country with a big reputation.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47It's been ravaged by decades of war,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49yet remains one of the most relaxed
0:03:49 > 0:03:52and liberal corners of the Arab world...
0:03:53 > 0:03:55..and my journey starts here,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58in the eternally resilient capital, Beirut.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15Beiruti native Nour Matraji will be my guide and translator in Lebanon.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19- I'm very excited about this trip. - You're going to love it.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21The city was known as the Paris of the East,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25not least for its vibrant nightlife and party vibe...
0:04:26 > 0:04:29..but tonight, the streets are busy for a different reason.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Just over half the country's population is Muslim.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39And I've arrived during Ramadan,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42a month of daylight fasting for the devout.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47I'm getting the feeling that there are certain foods that you only see
0:04:47 > 0:04:49- during Ramadan.- Yes, exactly.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52And, like, for example, this stand over here that we're going to pass,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54they have kallaj Ramadan -
0:04:54 > 0:04:58kallaj of Ramadan, so it's basically like a dough.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00It's like kind of a pastry, wrapped,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03then stuffed in cream and then fried
0:05:03 > 0:05:05and then dipped in sugar syrup.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10Then splash pistachio over it, and it's heaven.
0:05:10 > 0:05:11You're making me very happy.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14And this is just a Ramadan thing.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- Sure.- So, in, like, a few days this is gone.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19The kallaj dough is filled with ashta,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22made from skimming the thick skin from simmered milk.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Unlike clotted cream, it doesn't melt when warmed.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30The deep-fried pastry parcels are trickled with rose water
0:05:30 > 0:05:34or orange blossom syrup and then showered with chopped pistachios.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36Wow.
0:05:36 > 0:05:37You want to try some?
0:05:37 > 0:05:39- I... I'd love to.- Yes.- I'd love to.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41SHE SPEAKS ARABIC
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Thank you. Shukran. Thank you.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Here goes.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51So good.
0:05:51 > 0:05:52It's really crisp on the outside...
0:05:54 > 0:05:56..and you get that little hint of rose water.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I can't believe I'm eating fried cream.
0:06:00 > 0:06:01This is so good.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06We're going to a place now
0:06:06 > 0:06:10that is usually very well known for its breakfast, but during Ramadan
0:06:10 > 0:06:12they switch their hours,
0:06:12 > 0:06:17so instead of opening from 7am till 2pm, they open from 10pm till 3am.
0:06:19 > 0:06:20So for part of the year
0:06:20 > 0:06:24their day is just turned completely on its head.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- The hours are just completely different.- Exactly.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Sohur is eaten as close to dawn as possible.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37It needs to sustain those who fast right through the day until sunset.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Cafe Al-Soussi is reputed to serve the best breakfast in town
0:06:43 > 0:06:46and is hugely popular during Ramadan.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50Muhammad and his cousin Ahmed serve the same simple menu
0:06:50 > 0:06:54as their grandfather, who started the business 125 years ago.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Unbelievably, they serve up to 300 people a night
0:06:59 > 0:07:01using this one simple stove.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04I just love the fact he doesn't even turn his flame down.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06- No, no.- It's like...- And this is...
0:07:06 > 0:07:08It's all or nothing, isn't it?
0:07:08 > 0:07:09Exactly.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14They say Beirutis live every day as if it's their last -
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and Muhammad's rather adventurous take on health and safety
0:07:17 > 0:07:19appears to back this up.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25The menu's designed as a selection of sharing plates.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Starting with the all-familiar hummus.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33Extra smooth here as the skins are removed from the chickpeas
0:07:33 > 0:07:35before pounding.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Tahini, lemon juice, garlic and olive oil are added.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43Look at that. Just look at that.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47The Arab classic, sawda djej,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51chicken livers cooked with sweet-sour pomegranate molasses,
0:07:51 > 0:07:53garlic and cumin,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56served for breakfast, or as an appetiser.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- People come from miles for this. - Yeah.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02And the dish I'm looking forward to most, fatteh.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07There are many types of fatteh and in this one,
0:08:07 > 0:08:12Muhammad tops pieces of toasted pita with steaming chickpeas.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14He then smothers it with labneh,
0:08:14 > 0:08:18the Arab staple of soft cream cheese made from strained yoghurt...
0:08:19 > 0:08:21..and the best is yet to come.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25The dish is finished off with toasted pine nuts
0:08:25 > 0:08:30fried with awarma, a star of the Lebanese store cupboard,
0:08:30 > 0:08:34lamb morsels preserved in dripping and used throughout the year
0:08:34 > 0:08:35to flavour dishes.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- Smell that.- Exactly, it's amazing. - It's incredible. Amazing.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42The dripping-laden fatteh cannot arrive quickly enough.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Mmm!
0:08:55 > 0:08:57- Gorgeous.- It's really good.
0:08:57 > 0:08:58This is very gentle food.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00- It is.- There's no what I call...
0:09:00 > 0:09:05..big flavours. There's nothing shouty. It's very, very mild.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07It's a very gentle flavour.
0:09:07 > 0:09:08So this has got to last,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11- would actually have to last me the whole day.- Exactly...
0:09:11 > 0:09:13- Because you can't drink, either. - Exactly.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15- This is what I can't get my head around.- Exactly.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18So, you know sometimes you have something, like at night,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21and then the next day it just makes you super thirsty.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23- Yes.- This is a no-no.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26This is something everybody who fasts tries to avoid.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30So you're trying to eat foods that have a bit of, like...
0:09:30 > 0:09:33- ..water kind of content in them. - Yeah.- Yeah.- Hence all the salad
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- and the tomatoes and things like that?- Yes, exactly. Exactly.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44You know, I love this place.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49The fact that it's midnight and it's only really just opened.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51They'll be going till three o'clock in the morning -
0:09:51 > 0:09:54and they're basically eating something very sustaining
0:09:54 > 0:09:57and yet quite gentle to see them through.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01The really special thing for me was finding something here
0:10:01 > 0:10:02that is, hand on heart,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09That fatteh with the yoghurts and the pine nuts...
0:10:10 > 0:10:14..and with what was basically roast juices and dripping on top
0:10:14 > 0:10:16and little bits of lamb...
0:10:16 > 0:10:17It is, it's home cooking.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21It's comfort cooking, it's about making yourself feel good
0:10:21 > 0:10:23and keeping yourself going -
0:10:23 > 0:10:24and I love it.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39It's a beautiful morning on the Corniche,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41Beirut's iconic seaside promenade.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45The country's shoreline
0:10:45 > 0:10:49stretches almost 200 kilometres along the Mediterranean.
0:10:51 > 0:10:57My culinary adventure will take me south to the arid hills of Nabatieh
0:10:57 > 0:10:59by the Israeli border,
0:10:59 > 0:11:02before heading east to the country's rural heartland,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04the Bekaa Valley -
0:11:04 > 0:11:08but first I'm travelling to the bountiful slopes of Mount Sannine,
0:11:08 > 0:11:10just 40 kilometres from Beirut...
0:11:12 > 0:11:16..but before leaving Beirut there's just enough time for a pit stop
0:11:16 > 0:11:19at a very unassuming local landmark,
0:11:19 > 0:11:22the ice cream shop, Hanna Mitri,
0:11:22 > 0:11:26in the historically Christian area of Achrafieh.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28- Hello.- Hello.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Can I have a little, a little taster of some of the...?
0:11:30 > 0:11:32You may, you may have whatever you like.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35The sorbet, you have strawberry,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38you have apricot, rose water and lemon.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40So, gentle early summer flavours?
0:11:40 > 0:11:41- Yeah.- Could I have some rose water?
0:11:41 > 0:11:43- I'd love to taste the rose water. - Some rose water?- Yes.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45OK, I'll give you some rose.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Yes. And all the roses are out, so it feels...
0:11:47 > 0:11:49The rose water here in the shop is white.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53- Thank you.- We don't add the colour, we don't add anything.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55It's natural. Everything is natural.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Amazing.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01It's so fragrant. It tastes...
0:12:01 > 0:12:05- It's refreshing.- It tastes of the smell of a rose.- Of course.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08- So, how long have you been here? - Not for long.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09Since 1949.
0:12:11 > 0:12:12My father had, 20 years old.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17- Really?- And we didn't close, even in the war.
0:12:18 > 0:12:23In the war, maybe two or three days when they hit the area here...
0:12:23 > 0:12:26It was a big hit.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28- And you stayed open...? - We stayed here.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30And we have this to remember -
0:12:30 > 0:12:32it was a big shell who hit here.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35We keep it. We didn't change it,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39to let us remember, a little bit, these times.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40You want to taste another thing?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42- Oh...- The lemon.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Please. Lemon, fantastic. - You'll like the lemon.- Yes.- OK.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47Thank you.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53We bring the lemon, we wash it, squeeze it, handmade,
0:12:53 > 0:12:54we put everything in it.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56I love it because it's not at all sweet.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58- No.- It's so refreshing.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00It's good with some vodka.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03To digest at the end.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- It's a little early. - I'm telling you about me.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08I love it.
0:13:08 > 0:13:09I'm a very happy man.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Well, that was one of the most difficult decisions ever,
0:13:20 > 0:13:23and I've ended up with rose, because it feels right.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Rose water is of this place.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31What is so extraordinary is learning that this place stayed open
0:13:31 > 0:13:33right the way through the war.
0:13:33 > 0:13:34People came here for ice cream.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36It says so much about this place.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44I'm off to find out more about the source of these flavours.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52Lebanon's fertile land produces a rich harvest of fruits,
0:13:52 > 0:13:56vegetables and flowers, many of which are bottled and preserved.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00A long-standing tradition called mouneh,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03one of the cornerstones of Lebanese cuisine.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10I'm meeting Amine, who quit his job as a banker in London
0:14:10 > 0:14:14to help run his family's preserves and pickling business
0:14:14 > 0:14:16in the village of Ain el Kabou.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19I can't imagine why.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23We start in February with the citrus
0:14:23 > 0:14:30and our little workshop is fully focused on producing
0:14:30 > 0:14:33- all the citrus products. - So orange, lemon...
0:14:33 > 0:14:35- And bitter orange.- Bitter orange.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38And then, we follow the seasons.
0:14:38 > 0:14:43- After the citrus, we start with the roses.- Yes, the early roses.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45And then, the strawberries,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48the apricots, the mulberries, then the figs,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50and we cover the whole year this way.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55I'm just thinking, everything that I love about this cuisine -
0:14:55 > 0:15:01the fragrance of it, the fruits, the sourness - it's all here,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04in these slopes, in these landscapes.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07I feel, this must be like the job...
0:15:07 > 0:15:09It's like a gift from the gods, working here.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11AMINE LAUGHS
0:15:11 > 0:15:14A fact I'm sure Amine appreciates every day.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20This time of year, the family makes rose preserves
0:15:20 > 0:15:25using an exceptionally fragrant variety, the centifolia.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27We usually pick it early in the morning,
0:15:27 > 0:15:31before the sun hits it and takes the flavour out.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34So, usually, by 9am, we're done with the picking.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44I know roses smell differently, according to what variety they are.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50But this is... It is sweet, but it's also refreshing.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55- It is.- It's a clean smell, because sometimes rose can be very rich,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59very sweet and almost a little bit cloying and soapy -
0:15:59 > 0:16:02but this has a freshness to it.
0:16:02 > 0:16:03It has other virtues.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06The colour -
0:16:06 > 0:16:09when you cook it, it doesn't turn into black...
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- Yeah.- ..like other varieties.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15And the nicest thing about this variety of rose
0:16:15 > 0:16:18is the texture of the petals.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22Because depending on which variety you use for preserves...
0:16:22 > 0:16:24- Yes.- ..some of them are very chewy.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26- Right.- Very chewy.- Yeah.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28This one will just melt in your mouth.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34The petals are cooked with sugar and lemon.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36The lemon not only counteracts the sweetness,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39but also preserves naturally for up to two years.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- Good colours.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46This is like a table of sort of jewels.
0:16:46 > 0:16:47I mean, just shining.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52This is my every morning breakfast.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Amine's mother, Youmna, and her sister, Leila,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57are the founders of the business.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02I'm intrigued as to why we've got cheese on the table.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05Yeah, this is the local version of ricotta.
0:17:05 > 0:17:06And in the tradition,
0:17:06 > 0:17:12they used to have this with this fruits-in-syrup over.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14Just try them together.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Mmm...
0:17:22 > 0:17:24It shouldn't work.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26It shouldn't work, should it?
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Cheese and roses, it shouldn't work.
0:17:28 > 0:17:29THEY LAUGH
0:17:29 > 0:17:31But it so does.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Everything I'm eating,
0:17:34 > 0:17:38of course, it's about the flavour, but it's also about the fragrance,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41it's about the smell. It's just...
0:17:41 > 0:17:45..hovering over the landscape and over the table and over my plate.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It's just here. It's just engulfing.
0:17:47 > 0:17:48Yeah, absolutely.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57The family's boutique set-up has won numerous awards for its preserves
0:17:57 > 0:18:00that lock up the sense of season in a jar.
0:18:01 > 0:18:06It may now export to high-end delis all over the world,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09but its roots were humble and born of necessity.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14It started in '89, 1989.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17We still had war in Lebanon.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19Yeah - and my sister, Leila, and myself,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22we began with an idea
0:18:22 > 0:18:26- to do something for the people in this area...- Yeah.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30..who couldn't work because they couldn't reach their place of work
0:18:30 > 0:18:32because of the war.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36They had the idea of tapping into an already-established skill base.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Preserving seasonal ingredients, both savoury and sweet,
0:18:42 > 0:18:46had, after all, been key to the way of life here for centuries.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49They all do this in their homes for generations
0:18:49 > 0:18:52because in summertime,
0:18:52 > 0:18:54in the mountains here,
0:18:54 > 0:18:56the nature is very generous.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58It gives you so many fruits
0:18:58 > 0:19:01and so many vegetables...
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- Herbs.- ..and in wintertime,
0:19:03 > 0:19:06it's all full of snow and they don't have anything any more.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Of course, you have snow, yeah.
0:19:08 > 0:19:14So, they learnt how to preserve all what nature gives us in summer
0:19:14 > 0:19:18and keep it in their homes, in their pantry rooms.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20If you haven't got it here, in your larder...
0:19:21 > 0:19:23- ..you don't eat.- Yeah.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26I can't think of another cuisine
0:19:26 > 0:19:30that has so much in the way of preserves in it.
0:19:30 > 0:19:35- It's absolutely part of the essence of Lebanese food.- Absolutely.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42Youmna and Leila's preserves became so popular that the army
0:19:42 > 0:19:44opened up snowbound mountain roads
0:19:44 > 0:19:47to allow the products to reach Beirut.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53Hard to imagine the same reverence being accorded to jams back home.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Sitting here, it's really difficult
0:19:57 > 0:20:01to think of what this terrain is like in the winter.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04There's thick snow. The roads become impassable.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08So you have to have a good store cupboard.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11You've got to have an efficient way of providing food.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14So, the long tradition...
0:20:16 > 0:20:19..of packing stuff away in its season for later on...
0:20:20 > 0:20:22..it's not just...
0:20:23 > 0:20:29..a fanciful bit of joyful cooking, it's a necessity.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33It's not just about making rows of jams and jellies
0:20:33 > 0:20:36that look pretty on the shelf,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39it is utterly crucial, and has been for centuries.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44In peace times, in war times, it doesn't matter,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46you need to have something in your cupboard.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Fragrances of Mount Sannine have inspired me
0:20:52 > 0:20:55to make a richly aromatic dessert.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Creamed rice with apricots,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05pistachios and rose petals.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12Add 150g of pudding rice,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15two tablespoonfuls of golden caster sugar,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19250ml of milk, and the same of double cream,
0:21:19 > 0:21:20to a pan.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Split a vanilla pod and add, before bringing to the boil.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Turn down to a simmer until the rice softens.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33In a separate pan, boil dried apricots
0:21:33 > 0:21:37with half a lemon and a cinnamon stick.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Chop a generous handful of pistachios.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Trickle in a dash of rose and orange blossom waters.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Top with the apricots and pistachios
0:21:49 > 0:21:53and finish with a sprinkle of dried rose petals.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57A delightful, creamy and fragrant dessert.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02The end of Ramadan is approaching
0:22:02 > 0:22:06and Nour has invited me to her parents' home in Beirut
0:22:06 > 0:22:07for Eid al-Fitr,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10the celebration that marks the end of fasting.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Anticipating a deluge of generosity,
0:22:14 > 0:22:16I'm keen not to turn up empty-handed,
0:22:16 > 0:22:19so I'm visiting a kitchen-table enterprise
0:22:19 > 0:22:21on the outskirts of Beirut,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23which I'm hoping will provide a solution.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30Salut. Hi.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32Arabic is the national tongue of Lebanon,
0:22:32 > 0:22:35but most people also speak either French or English
0:22:35 > 0:22:39and it's not uncommon to greet people in all three languages.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49Mona Hashemi's delicately flavoured, exquisitely crafted ma'amoul
0:22:49 > 0:22:51are traditionally eaten at Eid
0:22:51 > 0:22:54and she's agreed to offer me a pastry-making masterclass.
0:22:57 > 0:22:58Hello.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02So, these are the little treasures I've been hearing about.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Her delicate semolina-based dough is enriched with butter
0:23:10 > 0:23:14and given a slightly chewy texture with the addition of mastic,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16a naturally-occurring resin.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Hidden away in there is a small pinch of mahlab,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24the ground kernel of the sour cherry tree,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26which adds a pleasingly bitter note
0:23:26 > 0:23:30and works well with aromatic orange blossom and rose waters.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35A sweet stuffing of either pistachio, walnuts or dates
0:23:35 > 0:23:37is carefully encased in the centre...
0:23:38 > 0:23:41..but it is the handmade, intricate designs
0:23:41 > 0:23:45that make these delicacies so charming.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47How cute is that?!
0:23:47 > 0:23:49So, the pattern that you're putting on...
0:23:51 > 0:23:53..it tells us what's inside -
0:23:53 > 0:23:55or is it just the shape that tells us?
0:23:55 > 0:23:56The dates are like daisies,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59the pattern, the design's like a daisy.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03- Yeah.- The walnuts is like a rose.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07And then the pistachios are like a leaf, you know.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10- Oh, yes, of course. - Yeah. There it is.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- It's obvious now!- Yeah, makes it easier now to do them.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16And that little tool that you're holding, this one...
0:24:18 > 0:24:19..is that just for these?
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Do you do anything else with it?
0:24:21 > 0:24:23THEY SPEAK ARABIC
0:24:23 > 0:24:25- Only for these?- Only for ma'amoul.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31You know, I would love to have a little go.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33Would that be all right?
0:24:33 > 0:24:35- This is easier.- OK.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37You're getting the beginner's tools.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41Oh, I'm... OK, I'm on the nursery slopes.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- OK.- You and me.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45OK.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Oh, you have to be quite careful, don't you?
0:24:48 > 0:24:51Cos the nuts are actually only just below the surface.
0:24:51 > 0:24:52Exactly.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Look at the speed you're doing it at!
0:24:55 > 0:24:58It's not brilliant, is it?
0:24:58 > 0:24:59SHE SPEAKS FRENCH
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Ah, so...
0:25:01 > 0:25:02SHE SPEAKS FRENCH
0:25:02 > 0:25:05So you did the date pattern,
0:25:05 > 0:25:07you should have done the walnut pattern.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Did the date pattern!
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Should have done the walnut pattern.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22Ah!
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- So it doesn't fall off...- Yes.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30It lies in the ridges and the furrows and the folds.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34- Yes. Exactly.- We make it like this.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36It's a work of art.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38So beautiful.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39Better.
0:25:39 > 0:25:40THEY LAUGH
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Perfect.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45I wouldn't say "perfect".
0:25:45 > 0:25:47It's better than my first one.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53It's the sort of thing I just love doing.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57You could sit all afternoon, quite happily,
0:25:57 > 0:25:59with this amazing little tool,
0:25:59 > 0:26:01just decorating cookies.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06The ma'amoul go into the oven at 180 degrees.
0:26:08 > 0:26:1420 minutes later, the coffee is on, the ma'amoul are ready, and so am I.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23This is lovely.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25I just can't get over these. They're so fragile,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27they are so fragrant.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44- So, the...- Oh, it's going to become tougher.- Yes.- So is it only Eid?
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Are they made at any other time of year?
0:26:46 > 0:26:51So, Easter for Christians, and Eid, during Ramadan, for Muslims.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Now.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54I'm surprised about the Christian thing.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57I didn't realise that it was something for everyone.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Ma'amoul are enjoyed throughout the Arab world,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07and most countries have their twist on these delicate pastries.
0:27:08 > 0:27:13Here, they are a beautiful example of a shared culinary heritage.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Back in Beirut, and the big day has come.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32For some, it's the end of 30 days' fasting.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35For those of a more liberal persuasion, including Nour's family,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38an excuse to bring everyone together.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43- Amazing.- You had no idea about the food?- No...!
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Lebanon is known for its relaxed attitudes.
0:27:46 > 0:27:50Many Muslims here, particularly in urban areas, drink alcohol,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53including the Levantine tipple arak,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57made from fermented grapes and aniseed.
0:27:57 > 0:27:58Nour's mother, Maya,
0:27:58 > 0:28:02has been preparing dishes for the past four days.
0:28:02 > 0:28:03So, this is dough,
0:28:03 > 0:28:08fried dough stuffed with meat and then soaked in yoghurt.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Fried dough, stuffed with meat...
0:28:11 > 0:28:13..soaked in yoghurt.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15I'm liking the sound of this.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- There's all this, as well!- Yes.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Oh, look at those.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23There is...
0:28:23 > 0:28:26..aubergine, stuffed with meat...
0:28:26 > 0:28:28MAYA SPEAKS ARABIC
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- ..and onions.- And tomato, OK.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32So much food!
0:28:32 > 0:28:34And there's still work to be done.
0:28:38 > 0:28:43Freekeh, a roasted green wheat with a distinct nutty flavour,
0:28:43 > 0:28:45is widely used in Arab cuisine.
0:28:46 > 0:28:51Here, it is topped with ground lamb, roasted almonds, pistachios,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54pine nuts and finally chicken.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56This is magnificent!
0:28:56 > 0:28:58It's utterly magnificent.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Maya has also made Nour's childhood favourite,
0:29:03 > 0:29:07a distinctly Arab dish called mulukhiyah, made of chicken,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11cinnamon spiced onions, bay leaves, and mallow,
0:29:11 > 0:29:15an astringent, leafy vegetable often compared to cooked okra
0:29:15 > 0:29:19and made popular by the ancient Egyptians.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21This is a completely new smell to me.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23- I don't know this smell.- Really? - And I know most cooking smells.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26- Yes.- But I don't know this one.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29I've noticed that some people who are not from the Middle East
0:29:29 > 0:29:31either love it, or hate it. So we're going to see.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33I think it's a mark of the best food, actually.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37- The food that polarises people... - Yeah.- ..tends to be the best.
0:29:37 > 0:29:38Exactly!
0:29:38 > 0:29:42But Maya has left her speciality until last -
0:29:42 > 0:29:44and with very good reason.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Kibbeh, which uses a base of bulgur wheat and ground meat,
0:29:48 > 0:29:51is hailed as one of Lebanon's national dishes,
0:29:51 > 0:29:54and there are literally dozens of regional variations.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Maya, who is from south Lebanon,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00is cooking her local version, kibbeh nayyeh,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03where the ground meat is actually served raw.
0:30:03 > 0:30:05Ah!
0:30:05 > 0:30:09Maya adds water to tenderise the bulgur wheat,
0:30:09 > 0:30:11another widely used cereal here.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15The bulgur will lend the dish a lovely, nutty hue.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Ice is also added, to keep the bulgur cool.
0:30:32 > 0:30:33This makes total sense!
0:30:38 > 0:30:43The raw minced meat, in this case lamb, is added to the chilled wheat.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47Time for Maya's special southern flourish.
0:30:48 > 0:30:49This is the magic, basically.
0:30:49 > 0:30:54- And what is the magic? - OK. The magic is...
0:30:54 > 0:30:58..cumin, and dried wild flowers.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00- Yes.- Red pepper.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Basil, onions, mint, and that's it.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05I want to know what those wild flowers are.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08It's spring flowers that are, like, harvested,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11and just dried and made specially for this.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13For just this one recipe?
0:31:13 > 0:31:15Yes. And everything... The wild flowers are here.
0:31:15 > 0:31:20You know, meat always has a certain smell sometimes,
0:31:20 > 0:31:21that is not really pleasant.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23- Particularly lamb, particularly lamb.- Exactly.
0:31:23 > 0:31:24And when you have, like...
0:31:24 > 0:31:28..and sometimes when you cook it, it goes away, but you're eating raw...
0:31:28 > 0:31:30- Yes.- ..mince.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Not mince, like, raw pureed meat.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34You know? So...
0:31:34 > 0:31:36To just give it that beautiful smell.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39These wild flowers are there to do that.
0:31:39 > 0:31:40Yes, take a little bite.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44You taste hers, and she's going to taste yours.
0:31:44 > 0:31:45Oh! OK.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49- OK, so, just a little bit? - No, eat it all.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51- Really?- Yeah.- Mm.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54Raw meat's kind of a slightly odd thing for us to eat, but...
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Mm-hm.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Mmm! How delicious.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03So good.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04It's smooth, isn't it?
0:32:04 > 0:32:06It just goes down easily -
0:32:06 > 0:32:09and it's these spices and this mix that just brings that...
0:32:09 > 0:32:11I'm not even sure I knew it was raw,
0:32:11 > 0:32:15- if you know what I mean. - Exactly, that's the thing.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18When you're not sure that it's raw, and you don't know,
0:32:18 > 0:32:19this means the kibbeh was done right.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Great!
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Eating raw meat can be harmful,
0:32:25 > 0:32:29but Maya follows a family recipe, sources her meat carefully,
0:32:29 > 0:32:33and keeps it chilled as near to the point of serving as possible.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35And now...
0:32:35 > 0:32:37OK. Begin.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41You can do whatever shape you want.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Finally, the kibbeh is shaped...
0:32:48 > 0:32:50..and lavishly doused with olive oil.
0:32:59 > 0:33:00You have a lot of food!
0:33:00 > 0:33:01Mm-hm.
0:33:04 > 0:33:09From stuffed vine leaves to an array of lamb and vegetable dishes,
0:33:09 > 0:33:10it just keeps coming.
0:33:13 > 0:33:15I've never seen so much food on one table.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19It's this generosity, it's just never-ending.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34This is such a delight, to see so many people eating at once.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38- Yes.- It's really important, the sound of people...
0:33:38 > 0:33:40"Yes, I want to socialise, I want to talk, but actually..."
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Everybody's focused on the sound of food, yes.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46- I know. It's lovely, isn't it? - Yes. Yes.
0:33:46 > 0:33:47Family gathers, and food.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50You think all of them would be here if there wasn't food?
0:33:57 > 0:34:00It's such an honour to be here.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02Such a privilege to be invited,
0:34:02 > 0:34:06to cook, and to be with the family to eat with them.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09It's wonderful, it's a big, social occasion,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11and being part of it is very, very special.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18It's when that food goes on the table.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21It's like the catalyst that just starts everything off.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24All the conversation, all the movement, all the fun,
0:34:24 > 0:34:27all the life that is around that table.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29It starts with the food.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46One dish on Maya's table that particularly caught my imagination,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49was the classic Middle Eastern salad fattoush.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57For my version, peel, halve and seed two cucumbers.
0:34:57 > 0:35:01Cut into half moons and add to a bowl.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Quarter a handful of tomatoes and radishes.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Chop a small lettuce
0:35:09 > 0:35:11and a bunch of spring onions.
0:35:12 > 0:35:13Tear in parsley
0:35:13 > 0:35:17and a few of the smallest mint leaves.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21Shallow-fry a whole pita bread in olive oil.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Blend olives and parsley with olive oil and lemon.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29Spread the paste on the toasted bread.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33Dress the salad with a mixture of pomegranate molasses,
0:35:33 > 0:35:35olive oil, and sumac.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38It's a fresh and exciting salad
0:35:38 > 0:35:40that will always take me back to Lebanon.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49My journey through Lebanese cuisine now takes me inland and southwards,
0:35:49 > 0:35:52from the shores of the Mediterranean
0:35:52 > 0:35:54to the dusty slopes of Nabatieh,
0:35:54 > 0:35:57just ten miles from the Israeli border.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59It's here I plan to unravel a mystery
0:35:59 > 0:36:03that has stumped me since long before I arrived.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09I'm on a bit of a personal mission for something that's puzzled me,
0:36:09 > 0:36:10a mystery, for a long time.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15I love the herb mix, za'atar,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18and I buy it from my local Lebanese grocer's -
0:36:18 > 0:36:22and I know that it's a mixture of thyme, of sesame seed,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25salt and very often sumac -
0:36:25 > 0:36:27and yet it's always puzzled me,
0:36:27 > 0:36:29because it doesn't seem to actually smell of thyme.
0:36:32 > 0:36:33So I've come here
0:36:33 > 0:36:36to unravel this little puzzle.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40What exactly is za'atar?
0:36:43 > 0:36:47The herbal mix known as za'atar is a storeroom staple
0:36:47 > 0:36:48throughout the Arab world -
0:36:48 > 0:36:51but it's also a herb in its own right.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56Abu Kasim is a local farmer here in Nabatieh.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01He was one of the first farmers in the country to grow za'atar
0:37:01 > 0:37:05commercially, and I'm hoping he can solve my culinary conundrum.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12So what do you call this herb that you are growing?
0:37:25 > 0:37:29Yeah. This is oregano, it's got that beautiful sea-green...
0:37:29 > 0:37:33..colour, it's very soft and velvety to touch.
0:37:54 > 0:37:55Mystery solved.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00It seems like the herb mix I buy uses oregano rather than thyme -
0:38:00 > 0:38:02but both herbs are related,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05and different varieties of both may be used.
0:38:06 > 0:38:11This personal quest has led to an unexpected revelation for me.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Maybe it takes the right...
0:38:15 > 0:38:19..plant in the right place, to make you rethink it,
0:38:19 > 0:38:23but oregano, to me, has always been slightly dusty, a little bit old.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28It's something I reserve, I suppose, to use dried, on pizza...
0:38:29 > 0:38:33..and suddenly, holding a freshly-picked plant,
0:38:33 > 0:38:38something that I can feel, and it's velvety, it's soft and it's earthy,
0:38:38 > 0:38:43it's aromatic - but it's also got a very slight fruitiness to it.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46It's a completely different herb from the one that I know,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48and have been barely using -
0:38:48 > 0:38:52and I want to know more, and I want to use it differently.
0:38:52 > 0:38:54Standing in these fields,
0:38:54 > 0:38:58I'm interested to know how Abu Kasim's business came about.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02So, I'm intrigued why you decided to grow it,
0:39:02 > 0:39:03why you decided to farm it,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06when it actually grows quite naturally.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41With the potential for injury from unexploded cluster bombs,
0:39:41 > 0:39:45and the desire to protect the environment from excessive foraging,
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Abu Kasim was provided with the impetus
0:39:48 > 0:39:50for his now-successful business.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54I'm keen to find out how this plant is transformed
0:39:54 > 0:39:57into the herb mix I know and love.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03The plant is thrashed by farm hand Abu Ali,
0:40:03 > 0:40:08and any woody stems are removed by Abu Kasim's wife Fatima.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11It's not surprising that this is such a happy scene,
0:40:11 > 0:40:15because with the warmth from the earth and the heat of the sun,
0:40:15 > 0:40:19and all of the oregano dust that's flying around the air,
0:40:19 > 0:40:22this whole scene is just totally intoxicating.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35There is magic in this process.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42From how the leaves are sieved...
0:40:47 > 0:40:50..to how Abu Kasim prepares the herb mix
0:40:50 > 0:40:52by toasting the sesame...
0:40:56 > 0:40:59..and mixing with the tangy, lemony sumac...
0:41:03 > 0:41:06..right through to how his sister-in-law makes saj,
0:41:06 > 0:41:08a Lebanese flatbread...
0:41:16 > 0:41:19..and coats it with an olive oil and za'atar mix...
0:41:21 > 0:41:23..to make the much-loved man'oushe.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31The trick is to cook the bread until it's crisp,
0:41:31 > 0:41:34but also soft enough to roll.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37Often served with cheese, labneh or ground meat,
0:41:37 > 0:41:42here, it is filled with tomatoes and cucumber.
0:41:42 > 0:41:43So good!
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Simplicity itself.
0:42:16 > 0:42:18And I'm not surprised -
0:42:18 > 0:42:21and it's just, the bread is so crisp,
0:42:21 > 0:42:23and so sort of crunchy,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26and then all the lovely, refreshing tomatoes and cucumber.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29I'd love this for breakfast.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30I'd love this for breakfast every day.
0:42:32 > 0:42:33SHE LAUGHS
0:42:33 > 0:42:35I would!
0:42:36 > 0:42:38I would be happy to eat this every morning.
0:42:40 > 0:42:44No wonder za'atar is a cornerstone of Lebanese cuisine.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Its earthiness really elevates everyday dishes.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53My trip to the farm has inspired me to use it even more.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Za'atar chicken and chickpeas.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11Mix three tablespoonfuls of za'atar
0:43:11 > 0:43:13with a glug of olive oil.
0:43:14 > 0:43:19Add chickpeas and six peeled garlic cloves
0:43:19 > 0:43:20to a large roasting tin.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24Brush four chicken thighs with the za'atar mix
0:43:24 > 0:43:27and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31Bake in a preheated 200-degree oven for 40 minutes.
0:43:33 > 0:43:36Remove the garlic, brush the chicken again,
0:43:36 > 0:43:40and return to the oven for a further 15 to 20 minutes.
0:43:42 > 0:43:47Pound the soft, roasted garlic, before adding thick yoghurt.
0:43:49 > 0:43:52Serve the chicken on a bed of chickpeas
0:43:52 > 0:43:53with the yoghurt
0:43:53 > 0:43:55and a few small mint leaves.
0:44:04 > 0:44:08The final leg of my journey takes me further inland and eastwards,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11to the Bekaa Valley, the rural heartland of Lebanon.
0:44:14 > 0:44:17It's the country's most important agricultural region,
0:44:17 > 0:44:19and, I'm hoping, the ideal place
0:44:19 > 0:44:22to learn more about traditional home cooking.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25So I'm out into the Bekaa Valley,
0:44:25 > 0:44:30which is, I guess, about ten miles from the Syrian border -
0:44:30 > 0:44:33and, immediately, you can see it's incredibly lush.
0:44:37 > 0:44:39This is very different, it feels very different,
0:44:39 > 0:44:42and I suspect that the cooking will be different here, too.
0:44:44 > 0:44:48Situated between two parallel mountain ranges,
0:44:48 > 0:44:50this fertile plateau is home
0:44:50 > 0:44:53to almost half of Lebanon's cultivated land.
0:44:56 > 0:45:00First, I'm off to discover a simple but essential routine
0:45:00 > 0:45:03that has been part of domestic life, not only here,
0:45:03 > 0:45:06but across most of the Middle East, for centuries.
0:45:11 > 0:45:16Ibrahim Abu Eid lives in Haouch Snaid
0:45:16 > 0:45:21with his wife Aziza and their three children, Hamoud, Maria and Zara.
0:45:23 > 0:45:26Ibrahim is showing me how to make labneh,
0:45:26 > 0:45:28the soft, white cheese that to this day
0:45:28 > 0:45:31forms a staple part of the Arab diet.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35This is a world away from Beirut...
0:45:36 > 0:45:38..but before we start,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41I must meet another very special member of the family.
0:45:41 > 0:45:42COW LOWS
0:45:57 > 0:45:59- That's a good yield.- Yes.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Whilst many rural people buy their labneh
0:46:02 > 0:46:05from small-scale local producers,
0:46:05 > 0:46:08this single cow provides Ibrahim and his family
0:46:08 > 0:46:10with all the dairy they need.
0:46:12 > 0:46:17Made into balls and placed in oil, labneh can last two to three months.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21And now we have the milk - on with the cooking.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27Ten litres of milk we've collected
0:46:27 > 0:46:31will be reduced to about two kilos of labneh.
0:46:31 > 0:46:34The first step is to heat the milk.
0:46:38 > 0:46:40Yes, you get that... It's like a skin.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42- Yes.- It forms at the bottom. - Yes.- Yes, I know.
0:46:42 > 0:46:44Made using only yoghurt and milk,
0:46:44 > 0:46:48labneh is healthier than similar foods like cream cheese,
0:46:48 > 0:46:51and can be served with meats and meze,
0:46:51 > 0:46:53but is most popular at breakfast.
0:46:53 > 0:46:56But it is just the best breakfast,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59because it's a real kick to start the day,
0:46:59 > 0:47:01cos it's got that hit of acidity,
0:47:01 > 0:47:02that little bit of sharpness,
0:47:02 > 0:47:04that little bite first thing in the morning.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06So it really wakes you up -
0:47:06 > 0:47:09but at the same time, it's quite gentle because of its creaminess.
0:47:10 > 0:47:15Once cooled to the right temperature, the yoghurt is added.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17Not so much cooking, as alchemy.
0:47:23 > 0:47:25- 45 degrees. - OK, so it comes up...- Yes.
0:47:25 > 0:47:26..to boil, then down to 45.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33At 45? Yeah.
0:47:41 > 0:47:43It is this thing where simple things
0:47:43 > 0:47:45are often not as simple as they look.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48This is one of those things.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51Something tells me that Ibrahim
0:47:51 > 0:47:54has never needed a written recipe for labneh...
0:47:55 > 0:47:57..and I suspect neither will his children.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01Who taught you to make labneh?
0:48:18 > 0:48:21Once strained, salt is added,
0:48:21 > 0:48:24and then it is left to ripen for 24 hours.
0:48:37 > 0:48:39Mmm!
0:48:39 > 0:48:42- So, good?- It's so good.- Thanks.
0:48:42 > 0:48:46It does coat your mouth, but deliciously so.
0:48:46 > 0:48:51Not in a horrible, sweet, cloying way, in a very refreshing way.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54- That was great! Fantastic. - Thank you.
0:48:54 > 0:48:58Labneh is widely believed to have originated with nomads,
0:48:58 > 0:49:00as a way to preserve milk -
0:49:00 > 0:49:03but it clearly has a permanent home in modern Lebanese life.
0:49:09 > 0:49:13As well as dairy, ingredients such as grains and pulses
0:49:13 > 0:49:15are a mainstay of daily meals.
0:49:15 > 0:49:19Whether combined with fresh produce or judicious amounts of meat.
0:49:22 > 0:49:24I'm curious to find out more about
0:49:24 > 0:49:28this affordable and healthy food culture.
0:49:28 > 0:49:30So I'm travelling to the village of Ammiq,
0:49:30 > 0:49:35on the western edge of the Bekaa Valley, to meet Rima Jabbour,
0:49:35 > 0:49:38a cook whose vegetable and grain-laden dishes
0:49:38 > 0:49:39are stuff of local legend.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46I was just thinking these look fabulous tomatoes...
0:49:48 > 0:49:51Where do you...? Where do you get most of your fruit and veg from?
0:49:54 > 0:49:56You grow your own.
0:49:56 > 0:49:58Ah! It's always the best.
0:49:58 > 0:50:00SHE REPLIES IN ARABIC
0:50:00 > 0:50:01It's always the best.
0:50:02 > 0:50:04Traditionally, meat was expensive,
0:50:04 > 0:50:08so people relied heavily on what they had at their fingertips -
0:50:08 > 0:50:11fresh vegetables in the summer, and grains throughout the year.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Would you say that what you are cooking now,
0:50:17 > 0:50:22is this very much what most families would cook for dinner?
0:50:48 > 0:50:53Today, Rima is cooking a vegetarian dish, burghul banadoura.
0:50:53 > 0:50:55Its main ingredient, bulgur wheat,
0:50:55 > 0:50:58is a healthy source of plant-based protein.
0:50:58 > 0:50:59Oh, look at that!
0:51:00 > 0:51:01Velvety.
0:51:02 > 0:51:06Once soaked, it's added to the pan of chopped tomatoes,
0:51:06 > 0:51:08onions and sweet peppers,
0:51:08 > 0:51:12and just a sparing touch of Rima's very special secret ingredient.
0:51:13 > 0:51:15So this is home-made tomato puree?
0:51:15 > 0:51:18Ah, that's a good load.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20You make it with your own tomatoes -
0:51:20 > 0:51:23and do you do a lot at once, do you do a big store?
0:51:35 > 0:51:3850 kilos?!
0:51:38 > 0:51:42Industrial quantities of tomato puree are not the only thing
0:51:42 > 0:51:44Rima stores in her larder.
0:51:44 > 0:51:47Thrifty housekeeping means dried grains and pulses
0:51:47 > 0:51:49are also bought in bulk.
0:51:59 > 0:52:01That's a lot of lentils!
0:52:01 > 0:52:03THEY LAUGH
0:52:03 > 0:52:07So with all your ingredients that are dry and they're stored,
0:52:07 > 0:52:10I wonder how long you could go without going to the shops.
0:52:10 > 0:52:11Just cooking every day.
0:52:14 > 0:52:15Really?
0:52:16 > 0:52:18I can barely go a week.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20Can I have a look in your cupboard?
0:52:21 > 0:52:22It's this fascination
0:52:22 > 0:52:25with what other people make their daily meal with.
0:52:25 > 0:52:27Not nosy or anything...
0:52:32 > 0:52:33Ooh!
0:52:40 > 0:52:42Ah, so cassia bark...
0:52:43 > 0:52:45It has very much the same effect as cinnamon,
0:52:45 > 0:52:47but it is a slightly cheaper version.
0:52:49 > 0:52:50What's this?
0:52:53 > 0:52:54Oh, my word!
0:53:02 > 0:53:06A mixture of exotic flavours such as fenugreek, cloves and nutmeg,
0:53:06 > 0:53:10seven spice is an incredibly useful spice blend,
0:53:10 > 0:53:13and found throughout the Arab world, and beyond -
0:53:13 > 0:53:16and no two jars are exactly the same.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19This is a little magical mystery tour of spice mixtures.
0:53:19 > 0:53:21I mean, I'm getting the hint,
0:53:21 > 0:53:24some of them are clearly very soft and gentle.
0:53:24 > 0:53:28These mixtures seem very warm and earthy.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31They are not hot, I'm not getting any notes of chilli.
0:53:31 > 0:53:35They are just very fragrant, and...
0:53:35 > 0:53:37..I mean, quite peppery.
0:53:37 > 0:53:39Do you make your own spices?
0:53:39 > 0:53:42So, do you buy that, or do you mix it?
0:53:52 > 0:53:54Ah, you see, I love that way of shopping.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05These dishes of cheap and filling ingredients may be simple,
0:54:05 > 0:54:07but such considered use of flavourings mean
0:54:07 > 0:54:09they're never boring.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16It's absolutely delicious.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18It's delicious.
0:54:18 > 0:54:21I think the secret is your home-made tomato puree.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25That's what the secret is. It's completely natural -
0:54:25 > 0:54:27and I think it makes such a difference, I really do.
0:54:28 > 0:54:30It's delicious.
0:54:30 > 0:54:33You know, it always feels a privilege
0:54:33 > 0:54:35to cook and eat someone's home food -
0:54:35 > 0:54:37but, fortunately, in this case,
0:54:37 > 0:54:41I'm not the only one who gets to taste Rima's incredible cooking.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55Rima works at a rather special restaurant,
0:54:55 > 0:54:59hidden away above the fields and pastures of the Bekaa Valley.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04Tawlet Ammiq is a restaurant with a difference...
0:55:05 > 0:55:07..and I'm not just talking about the view.
0:55:12 > 0:55:15You feel as if you could reach out and touch Syria, you are so close...
0:55:17 > 0:55:20..but actually, what you come here for is what's happening inside.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24This is a very, very special restaurant.
0:55:26 > 0:55:30The menu celebrates local food traditions
0:55:30 > 0:55:33by employing a small army of home cooks
0:55:33 > 0:55:36to showcase their age-old recipes and techniques.
0:55:36 > 0:55:38People from all over Lebanon
0:55:38 > 0:55:41think nothing of driving hours to get here.
0:55:44 > 0:55:47The buffet is an A-Z of Lebanese home cooking.
0:55:49 > 0:55:52Fattoush, in all its fresh glory -
0:55:52 > 0:55:56and, of course, all the ingredients are grown locally...
0:56:03 > 0:56:05..and, there's tabbouleh -
0:56:05 > 0:56:09heavy on the parsley, and lighter on the wheat, around here.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12Got feta and olives.
0:56:12 > 0:56:14Got a cucumber sweetcorn salad.
0:56:15 > 0:56:16Stuffed courgette.
0:56:16 > 0:56:18Yoghurt dips.
0:56:18 > 0:56:21Kibbeh, kibbeh nayyeh,
0:56:21 > 0:56:24and numerous one-pot, home-style stews,
0:56:24 > 0:56:26known collectively as tabkhat.
0:56:28 > 0:56:30SHE SPEAKS ARABIC
0:56:30 > 0:56:32OK...
0:56:34 > 0:56:38I've never seen nuts used this way, just handfuls of them.
0:56:41 > 0:56:42Look at these kebabs.
0:56:45 > 0:56:46Vegetable kebabs.
0:56:46 > 0:56:48Got cauliflower, got tomato...
0:56:49 > 0:56:54Everything cooked here by local cooks, people who live in this area.
0:56:54 > 0:56:57People come for miles to eat this.
0:56:59 > 0:57:01There's not one single thing here
0:57:01 > 0:57:03that I don't want to sit down and eat.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06It's just...dazzling!
0:57:10 > 0:57:13Oh, garlic, basil!
0:57:14 > 0:57:16- Roast potatoes.- Mm.
0:57:16 > 0:57:17Perfect.
0:57:24 > 0:57:28Beiruti socialites, tourists and expats
0:57:28 > 0:57:31sit beside local families here,
0:57:31 > 0:57:33all drawn to quality ingredients,
0:57:33 > 0:57:36prepared with passion and love.
0:57:37 > 0:57:42This, to me, captures what Lebanese cuisine is all about -
0:57:42 > 0:57:47shared tables, shared heritage and shared food...
0:57:48 > 0:57:51..and I leave with a sense that there is a bright future
0:57:51 > 0:57:54for that most precious element, home cooking.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57I'm so glad that I came here to the Bekaa Valley.
0:57:57 > 0:58:02Coming here has allowed me to do something very special,
0:58:02 > 0:58:06and really is the essence of why I came here,
0:58:06 > 0:58:10which is to see what people are actually doing in their own home -
0:58:10 > 0:58:13how they're eating, how they're cooking,
0:58:13 > 0:58:15what they're doing with their food.
0:58:15 > 0:58:18It's not just a peep in somebody's larder,
0:58:18 > 0:58:20it's a peep inside their life.
0:58:21 > 0:58:22That's what it is.