These delicious modern Middle Eastern recipes require just a few ingredients.

Easy recipe ideas from one of our favourite female foodies in the Middle East

As many of us stay home and hunker down to social distance, there is no better time to build on our kitchen skills and feed ourselves with healthy, immune-boosting meals. 

We have turned to Suzanne Husseini, one of our favourite Middle Eastern foodies and author of the best-selling cookbook, When Suzanne Cooks: Modern Flavours of Arabia, for three delicious dishes to cover breakfast, lunch and dinner.

These simple recipes call for only a few essential ingredients – most of which you are likely to already have in your fridge and cupboards. 

Scroll below to get cooking!

Breakfast: Fava Bean Dip

Suzanne says, “Foul m’dammas is a dip traditionally eaten for breakfast, but it can also be a healthy protein-packed snack for any time of the day.”

Ingredients: 4 servings
• 1 can of cooked fava beans (300g) 
• 2 cloves garlic, mashed
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• Sea salt
• 1 red chilli pepper, deseeded and chopped 
• ½ cup parsley, chopped
• 1 tomato, diced
• Extra virgin olive oil

How To:

1. In a saucepan heat the fava beans to boiling point and remove. 
2. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the water and place in a bowl. Add the mashed garlic, lemon juice, cumin and chilli pepper—season with salt. If the mixture is too thick, add some of thecooking water to loosen it. 
3. To serve, place the fava bean dip in a bowl, garnish with the parsley and diced tomatoes and drizzle on the olive oil. Serve hot with fresh pitta bread, along with sliced tomatoes, hot peppersand mint on the side.
Tip: Keep pitta bed in your freezer to pull out and toast when needed. 


Lunch: Creamy Lentil Soup

Suzanne says, “This was the soup my mother made whenever it was raining. She would look outside and say, ‘Yawm adas’, meaning ‘It’s lentil soup day’. Comfort food takes us back to a time and place.”

Ingredients: 6-8 servings
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped 
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups orange lentils, rinsed
• 2 large carrots, peeled and grated 
• ¼ cup rice (Arborio or short grain)
• 6 cups chicken stock 
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• ½ tbsp. allspice
• 2 tbsp. cumin
• Sea salt

Taklia:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
• ¼ cup finely chopped coriander
• ¼ cup plain yoghurt or sour cream 
• 2 tbsp. coriander, finely chopped

How To: 

1. In a large pot sautée the onions in the olive oil until soft. Add the lentils, carrots, rice and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Continue to cook until the soup thickens and lentils fall apart. Stir periodically so that the lentils do not stick. 
2. Add in the spices and season with salt. Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until creamy.
3. To prepare the taklia, in a small skillet heat the 2 tbsp. Olive oil and sautée the garlic for one minute until it perfumes the air, then add the coriander and stir for an additional minute. 
4. Pour this on top of the soup and allow simmering for 5 minutes to heighten the flavour.
5. In a small bowl, mix the yoghurt or sour cream with the coriander. Place a teaspoon of this on top of each serving of soup. Sprinkle on a few pitta croutons and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten the soup.


Dinner: Ground Lamb in Tahini Citrus Sauce 

Suzanne says, “Kofta is ground meat, usually lamb mixed with fresh herbs like parsley and mint, onion and seasoned delicately with a few spices. There are many versions. This one is a delicious way to use tahini.”

Ingredients: 6-8 servings
• 4 medium potatoes, sliced into rounds
• ½ cup peanut oil
• 1kg minced lamb
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• ½ cup parsley, chopped fine 
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. allspice
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup tahini
• Juice of 2 lemons (or more) 
• Juice of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 cups of water
• Sea salt
• ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
• A handful of chopped parsley, to garnish

How To:

1. Peel, wash and slice the potatoes into rounds. Heat peanut oil in a large skillet and fry the potatoes until golden on both sides. Remove and place on absorbent paper to cool and preheat the oven to 180 ̊C.
2. In a large bowl, combine the minced lamb, onion, parsley, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper. In a baking dish, place the potatoes in one layer. Shape the kofta into long sausages and place on top. 
3. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes until partially cooked. Remove and keep the oven on while you make the sauce. 
4. Mix the tahini, lemon juice, orange juice, orange zest, water, and salt to taste. It should be a pouring consistency and creamy. Pour the sauce all over and return to the oven to finish cooking and to thicken the sauce slightly about 20 minutes. 
5. Garnish with toasted pine nuts and parsley. Serve hot with white rice and a salad.


Credit: Recipes sourced from When Suzanne Cooks: Modern Flavours of Arabia by Suzanne Husseini published by Motivate Media Group.