Lebanese

There have been Lebanese living in Latin America for more than 100 years, and the community in Mexico is particularly large, so creating a Mexican version of tabbouleh is not as odd as it might seem. This version is less time-consuming than the original, because cilantro can be chopped up, stems and all, whereas parsley leaves need to be picked off the stems.

Burgul Bi Bandoura This hearty side dish is typical of everyday cooking in the Lebanese and Syrian mountains, where cracked wheat, or bulgur, is far more abundant and less expensive than rice, which is reserved for special-occasion dishes.

Koosa Claritas — pale green, slightly rounded zucchini — are traditionally used in this dish, but we find that yellow zucchini make for a more attractive presentation because they don't discolor when cooked in tomato sauce.

Fine bulgur might seem like a specialty ingredient, but it is actually in most supermarkets under the name Near East Taboule Wheat Salad Mix — just toss away the seasoning packet.

I got the idea for this recipe from my Lebanese mother-in-law, Leila Matar, who often makes a tahini dressing for green salads. It also turns up in her kafta (meatloaf), on falafel, and, with some parsley and extra lemon, over fried or grilled fish. Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 5 min

Called fattoush in Lebanon, this colorful dish is offered as a first course at Al-Amir restaurant in Portland, Oregon.

Serve with: Warmed flatbread. Dessert: Vanilla pudding with sliced mango.

The hands-off process of straining yogurt overnight yields labneh, a thicker, creamy spread you’ll use in everything from dips to dressings.

The key to tabbouleh, a bright, herby salad from the Levant, is to use a very sharp knife so that you can slice through the parsley and mint just once.

Soaking softens whole grains and shortens cooking time; feel free to sub farro, brown rice, or barley.

We added garlic and chile in addition to the traditional sumac for these Lebanese-style fried eggs.

Mujadarra is a popular Middle Eastern side dish comprised of lentils and rice. Here, it's perfumed with cumin and finished with yogurt. Serve along side roasted chicken or with a fried egg as a meal on its own.