Healthy Middle Eastern Lenten Foods

posted on: Mar 31, 2021

By: Habeeb Salloum/Arab America Contributor

To the eastern Christian, Easter is the most important part of the year. When this time approaches, the women of the households, especially those of wealthy families, prepare for Lent. They drastically change their daily menus from rich traditional dishes to a limited variety of vegetarian foods. All types of meats, cheeses, eggs, and milk are excluded from the family diets, and these are replaced by simple foods – the year-round dishes of the poor.

Through the centuries, the people in those ancient lands have developed from grains, legumes, and vegetables hundreds of mouthwatering recipes. Hence, it is no great hardship when meats, cheeses, eggs, and milk are no longer found on the household menus. Rather, the daily meals become much more nutritional, wholesome, and healthier. It is as if for a part of spring the people, relieved of their cholesterol-heavy diets, are revitalized for the year to come. 

Lenten dishes are always cooked with oil- usually olive. This acts as a natural preservative which makes it possible to keep food fresh and tasty for long periods of time. It is the most important element in the preparation of these simple dishes since lenten foods, in many cases, are eaten cold. 

The following ten dishes are a sample of lenten foods, variations of which have been a part of the Middle Easterners’ diet since biblical times.

CHICKPEA APPETIZER – HUMMUS BI TAHINI

Serves from 6 to 8

An excellent appetizer, fast spreading through North America, hummus bi tahini can also be served as a side dish or salad for snacks. 

2 cups cooked chickpeas

4 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 clove garlic, crushed

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cumin

Pinch of cayenne

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 small tomato, chopped into very small pieces

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

Place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne and 4 tablespoons of the oil in a food processor and process into a smooth soft paste. (Add a little water if necessary.)

Place on a serving platter. Decorate with the tomato and parsley, then sprinkle with the remaining oil just before serving. 

FRIED SPINACH – ‘ASOORAH

Serves 4 to 6

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 package spinach, 284 g (10 oz.), thoroughly washed and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of cayenne 

4 tablespoons pine nuts or slivered almonds

1 tablespoon lemon juice

4 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional)

Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan, then sauté onions and garlic over medium heat until they begin to brown. Add spinach, salt, pepper, and cayenne, then cover. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.

In the meantime, in another frying pan, heat the remaining oil, then sauté the pine nuts or almonds until they begin to brown. Stir in the nuts and lemon juice into the spinach, then place on a platter. Decorate with the pomegranate seeds and serve. 

COOKED BROAD BEANS – FOOLIYAH

Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 cups fresh or frozen broad beans, Lima beans may be substituted

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Pinch of cayenne

1 1/2 cups water

Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté onions and garlic over medium heat until they begin to brown. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Bring to boil and cover. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the beans are cooked. 

MASHED POTATOES WITH PINE NUTS – BATATA MA’A SNOWBAR

Serves about 6

3 cups mashed potatoes

1/2 cup finely chopped green onions

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup pine nuts

Thoroughly combine potatoes, green onions, salt, pepper, nutmeg and 3 tablespoons of oil, then place on a platter and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in the frying pan and sauté onion and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add pine nuts and stir-fry for another 5 minutes or until nuts begin to brown. Spread frying pan contents evenly over potatoes and serve. 

LENTIL AND POTATO SOUP – SHAWRABAT ‘ADAS WA BATATA

Serves about 8

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed in

4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1 small hot pepper, seeded and finely chopped

7 cups water

3/4 cup dried lentils

1 1/2 teaspoons salt 

1 teaspoon black pepper

3/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 medium potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes

4 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat oil in a saucepan, then sauté onions, garlic, coriander leaves and hot pepper over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients except potatoes and lemon juice. Bring to boil and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 minutes. Add potatoes and re-cover, then cook for another 30 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and serve. 

BROAD BEAN SALAD – SALATAT FOOL

Serves about 8

2 cups dried broad beans (small size), soaked for 24 hours in water mixed with 1 teaspoon 

baking soda 

1 cup finely chopped green onions

1 large tomato, finely chopped 

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Drain beans and place in a saucepan. Cover with water to about 2-inches over beans. Bring to boil and cover saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 1 hour or until beans turn tender. Drain and allow to cool.

Place in a salad bowl, then stir in green onions, tomato, and coriander leaves.

Thoroughly combine remaining ingredients and pour over salad bowl contents. Toss and serve. 

LENTIL AND TOMATO STEW – ‘ADAS M’A BANADOURA

Serves from 6 to 8

4 cups water

1 cup dried lentils

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 medium sweet pepper, chopped

1 small hot pepper, finely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1 cup stewed tomatoes

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Place water and lentils in a saucepan and bring to boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onions, garlic, and both the sweet and hot peppers for 12 minutes. Stir the frying pan contents and the remaining ingredients into the lentils. Bring to boil and cover. Cook over medium-low heat for 40 minutes or until lentils turn very tender. Serve hot or cold. 

OPEN-FACED CHICKPEAS PIE – FATAYIR HUMMUS

Makes 16 pies

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 package yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup warm water

6 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons sumach (found in Middle Eastern stores)

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3/4 cup dried chickpeas, soaked overnight and water mixed with 1 teaspoon baking soda, then drained

Combine flour and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add yeast, water and 4 tablespoons of the oil while kneading into dough. (Add a little flour or water if necessary.)

Form into a ball and brush with oil. Cover and allow to stand in a warm place for two hours.

Form into a roll and cut into 16 pieces. Shape into balls and cover with a tea towel. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.

Roll balls into circles, the thickness of pie dough, and place on greased cookie trays.

Combine remaining salt and oil along with the sumach, paprika, pepper and nutmeg. Brush this mixture on dough circles. Press chickpeas into circles.

Bake in 180oC (350oF) preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until edges of pies turn brown. 

OPEN-FACED OREGANO PIES – FATAYIR ZA’TAR

Makes 16 pies

Same amount of dough as for the open faced chickpea pies

1/2 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons dried oregano

3 tablespoons sumach

4 tablespoon sesame seeds

3/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare dough as for the open faced chickpea pies but flatten the circles a little thinner.

Combine the remaining ingredients. Spread evenly with the fingers on the circles. Bake in 180oC (350oF) preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Serve hot or cold.

BULGUR AND POTATO PIE – KUBBAT BATATA

Serves from 8 to 10

1 1/2 cups fine bulgur (found in Middle Eastern and health stores), soaked for 15 minutes in 

warm water, then drained by pressing out the water through a strainer

3 cups mashed potatoes

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cumin

3 cups finely chopped onions

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

6 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, crushed

4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

1/2 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds

Thoroughly combine the bulgur, potatoes, flour, basil, cinnamon, cumin, 1 cup of the onions, 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper. Divide into two even portions and set aside. 

Heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the remaining onions with the garlic, coriander leaves and pine nuts or almonds over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in remaining salt and pepper and set aside.

Spread one portion of the bulgur and potato mixture in a 9 X 13-inch well-greased pan. Place the frying pan contents evenly on top. Spread the other portion of the bulgur and potato mixture on top and smooth. Cut into 2 X 2-inch squares, then sprinkle with the remaining oil. Bake in 200oC (400oF) preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until the edges of pies turn golden brown.  Serve hot or cold.