ObaraKenshin

Carob pods are mainly found in Mediterranean countries. Evergreen carob trees can generally grow wherever citrus or olive trees are grown, meaning a warm, dry climate. The pod's fruit is technically a legume and commonly used as a chocolate alternative, but it has many applications in the food industry. Carob was first used thousands of years ago. Even the Bible has references to carob. It was once believed that John the Baptist sustained himself using the carob bean, so carob is also referred to as St. John's bread. In the cuisines of the Middle East molasses is produced from several kinds of foods such as carob, grapes, dates, pomegranates, and mulberries. Carob molasses is a thick syrup made by soaking milled carob pods in water which is then boiled down into a very rich and delicious natural sweetener. In Lebanon, carob molasses was traditionally used as an alternative to sugar. We mix it with with tahini (sesame paste) and eat it as a dessert. I have already posted a recip...

This Lebanese mezze is called Batenjan El Raheb which translates into English as the monk�s salad, a dish obviously popular with and derived from the Christian community. It's a very simple and light salad consisting of eggplants, peppers, onion and tomatoes. It can be thought as a tahini-less baba ghannouj and as a result is even lighter in taste. Ingredients (serves 4): 4 eggplants 1 medium-size tomato - finely diced 1 medium onion-finely diced (or spring onions) 1 green pepper, chopped 3 garlic cloves, mashed 3 to 4 tbsp of olive oil 2 tbsp lemon juice a handful of parsley, finely chopped salt and pepper to taste 1 tbsp sumac Preheat the oven to 425�F (210�C). Prick the eggplant skin all over with a fork. Place them on a baking dish and bake them until the skin blisters black, about 45 mn. Remove from the oven and when cool enough to handle, peel the skin and place the flesh in a sieve over a bowl for about 10 mn to drain excess moisture. In a mortar, mash the garlic with the s...