Mona Hamadeh - A Lebanese feast of vegetables, pulses, herbs and spices

In this type of cooking there are no rules (apart from baking); it often comes down to individual taste and preference. The ingredients are listed in the order in which they are used in the recipe. The preparation time given is an indication only. It will depend on the individual, as some people work faster than others; using a blunt knife can also mean it takes longer to get the job done. Cooking times may also vary slightly, give and take a few minutes, according to oven type. While writing this book I had to use different ovens, depending on where I was living at the time.

In Lebanon I use propane gas, which is hotter than the natural gas used in the UK, and sometimes I had to use an ancient electric cooker, which took forever. The number of servings given is mostly on the generous side. When I say serves four, the recipe may actually feed six. If you have guests with a good appetite, these portions save the embarrassment of not having enough. I have offered ideas for serving suggestions throughout. You will find useful basic recipes in the last chapter.

These are frequently used to accompany other dishes and include the mixed spices recipe you will need for many of the recipes. A wide range of these dishes contain pulses. Once youve cooked your pulses from scratch, youll never go back to tins again; it takes time but no effort whatsoever. However, its perfectly acceptable to use tinned pulses when you are pushed for time. Pulses such as beans and chickpeas have to be soaked overnight then boiled for roughly an hour. I tend to cook a whole batch, drain and freeze in individual portions, as all pulses freeze well.

Lentils are an exception you dont have to soak them, they take an hour or less to cook and unlike other pulses you can use the stock.
Note: Its important to remember, never to add salt to pulses until they are well cooked. Its always best to soak rice for an hour before cooking. xi