Lebanese Lenten traditions look to the veg basket

By Olivia Alabaster
The Daily Star
22/2/2012

BEIRUT: For 40 days, Christians around the world commemorate the period ahead of the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, and while various churches celebrate Lent in different ways, prayer and fasting are common themes. In Lebanon, followers of the Maronite and Orthodox churches, in line with Eastern Christian traditions, commonly abstain from eating meat during Lent. Egyptian Copts have claimed invention of the falafel, citing the search for meat alternatives during Lent as the catalyst behind its birth.

Personal differences obviously abound, with some worshippers choosing to avoid all animal products, including dairy and eggs, and others continuing to eat fish throughout Lent.

Indeed, as of Monday, Lebanon’s Classic Burger Joint chain – whose slogan is “Hamburgers is all we do” – has introduced the fish burger, “Only during Lent.”

But for those in Lebanon seeking a Lent devoid of all meat and fish, what are the best ways to maintain a balanced diet and add some variety to your meals?

Lebanese Chef Antoine Hajj, who presents a daily show on Tele Liban, said that Lenten culinary traditions in Lebanon have mainly remained the same over the years, although he believes there is more creativity with recipes today. Below he provides two vegetarian recipes for Lent.

Popular vegetarian recipes throughout Lent, Chef Antoine says, include winter tabbouleh, which omits the tomato replacing it with chickpeas; baba ghanouj – a mix of grilled eggplants, tahini, garlic and lemon juice; balila – chickpeas with toasted pine nuts; vegetarian moussaka made up of fried eggplants, tomatoes, cloves of garlic, and chickpeas; vine leaves, zucchini and eggplant stuffed with a mix of rice, tomatoes, onion, olive oil and lemon juice.

Nadine Mikati, a dietician at the American University of Beirut, says it is important for those giving up meat to replace the missing protein in their diet, usually found in animal products.

“Tofu and soy, popular vegetarian sources of protein around the world, are not that common here,” Mikati says. “But the Lebanese diet is actually very adaptable for vegetarians – beans, pulses and nuts are all high in protein.”

These foodstuffs are commonly found in traditional Lenten recipes in Lebanon such as foul; hummus; falafel; fassoulyeh – a bean stew – and mjadara and mdardara, the former’s more ricey sister.

The average adult, weighing 60 kg, needs around 50 g of protein per day, Mikati says. One cup of cooked beans contains around 14 g of protein, and a quarter cup of nuts contains around 7 g.

For those not giving up animal products entirely, one cup of milk – equivalent to half a cup of yogurt or two tablespoons of labneh – contains around 8 g of protein.

And for those going completely vegan, Mikati recommends sesame seeds, as these are high in calcium, or perhaps taking a calcium supplement for the duration of Lent.

She also recommends that those following a vegan diet also take a Vitamin B12 supplement – only found in meat and dairy products, Vitamin B12 is essential to the normal functioning of brain processes.

For Elsa, 24, a graphic designer from Jounieh, Lent is an intensely personal experience, but an exciting annual challenge. While the exact details of everything she will give up for Lent remains a secret, she will admit to giving up meat, but continuing to eat fish throughout the period.

“I don’t like fish, so not eating it would not be a sacrifice, and I need to keep my protein levels up.”

She also forsakes alcohol for the duration of Lent, and refrains from eating junk food. A keen chef in her free time, Elsa has already planned out her meals for Lent, with pumpkin kibbeh, lentil soup and blue cheese gratin all making appearances. “I’m just looking forward to the challenge.”

Two Lenten recipes:

Reshta bil Adas

Ingredients:

1. One cup of flour

2. Half cup water

3. Pinch of Salt

4. Less than a quarter of tablespoon of yeast

5. One onion, diced

6. Olive oil

7. Garlic, 3 cloves

8. One cup lentils

9. One potato, peeled, diced

10. Swiss chard, bunch

Method:

1. Prepare the dough by mixing the flour, water, salt and yeast. Knead the dough and then roll out.

2. Cut into small pasta-like shapes and hang to dry.

3. Separately, fry the onion in olive oil. Add the garlic and then the lentils.

4. After a few minutes, add the potato. Then add the Swiss chard and leave simmering until lentils are cooked.

5. Then add the pasts-like shapes and serve.

White beans cooked with oil

Ingredients:

1. Two onions, diced

2. Olive oil

3. Garlic, seven cloves crushed

4. Bunch cilantro

5. Two sweet green peppers

5. Half chili pepper

6. Cup of white beans, soaked and boiled

7. Tomato paste

8. Two tomatoes

Method:

1. Fry the onion in olive oil.

2. Add the garlic, cilantro and peppers. Saute for several minutes.

3. Then add the white beans and a large tablespoon of tomato paste, along with the tomatoes.

4. Boil for 15 minutes, add salt and white pepper and serve.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Daily Star on February 22, 2012, on page 2.

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