Khyar b'Laban (cucumber with yogurt)

A spoon full of taste!

This one is for Kari.  Thanks again for your hospitality, here's a "pense-bête" of the Bubbly Green Khyar b'Laban recipe :

Prep time: 10 -15 minutes depending on how fast you can chop/slice ;-)
Makes around 1.25 kg of Khyar B'Laban
Feeds 1 to 4 as a main dish, a side dish or a great dip with Pita Chips
1-1 kg of plain yogurt
2-One clove of garlic (crushed)
3-4 small cucumbers*
4-A pinch of salt
5-Two tablespoons of chopped fresh mint or 1 tablespoon of dried mint

Combine in a large enough bowl yogurt, salt and garlic then add the mint and let it rest for a while while preparing the cucumber. 
Depending on whether your cucumbers are organic or not, you can either peel them ... or not. I usually cut each cucumber in half lengthwise and then slice it into even (as much as possible) semicircles.
Add to yogurt, combine and serve!


My Notes: This is a fresh dish that can go very well with Kibbeh (a recipe for another day).
You can adapt it however you like, add cumin, put in a blender on hot summer days to make a delicious non-alcoholic cocktail, eat with warm plain rice yum yum! Its taste (and ingredients) are similar to the greek Tzatziki or the Indian Raita...
As always when cooking, let's start simple and then you can let your imagination run wild. Alf Sahtein !


*In Lebanon, this dish is prepared with Lebanese cucumbers which are small, smooth skinned, almost seedless.  I you don't have small cucumbers, use a large one after removing its seeds, otherwise your Khyar b'Laban will be too watery.

Procrastination???? no ... just a lot on my plate!!

All right you guys, enough already!!
I know that I am not doing much with this blog but I am doing so many things outside the blogosphere that I don't have much time to blog...
My life has been "un long fleuve VERY mouvementé" ces derniers temps so be patient please...
This is just a project on hold until things calm down a bit then I promise to be more persevering and post more recipes more often...


Big Bubbly bisous to all,

Ze Hummus Recipe

Bubbly "suggestion de présentation"

The least I could do if I start calling myself Hummus is to share the recipe for the Yummy Hummus Bittahineh (Hummus pour les intimes). My friends seem to think that it's one of my specialties and who am I to say no to compliments;-)
Like most of my recipes there are two versions:
The Bubbly version for when you really can't be bothered (les jours sans)
The Green version for when you have time, you feel in tune with the universe and wanna start growing an organic vegetables garden right on your balcony planters (talking to Parisians here).

Here goes the Bubbly version:
Prep time: 8 minute
Makes around 250 grs of Hummus
Feeds 1 to 4 as a side dish or a great dip with Pita Chips
1-One small can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans (180 grs)
2-One clove of garlic (crushed)
3-Juice from 1/2 to 1 lemon (depending on taste)
4-A pinch of salt
5-Two tablespoons of Tahina
Drain the chickpeas then combine all ingredients in blender (or food processor) and blend until thoroughly mixed, smooth and creamy.
If you feel that it's too thick, you can add some water (or lemon juice, I leave that to your taste buds)

The even Bubblier version (takes only 5 minutes to prepare) would be to replace ingredient 1- with a 180grs can of what they call Hummus Bittahina (basically mashed chickpeas - al wadi or cortas brand) found at any mideastern grocery store and some supermarkets. Mix it with the other ingredients with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy.

Et voilà!

Now for the Green version which would take some overnight preparation, half hour to cook and then 10-15 minutes to prepare:
1-500 grs of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
2-Two cloves of garlic (crushed)
3-Juice from 1 to 1 and a half lemon (depending on taste)
4-A generous pinch of salt
5-4 tablespoons of Tahina 6-Two tablespoons of Baking Soda (optional)

Add the Baking Soda to the Chickpeas and then soak them overnight in water. Some would argue against adding the Baking Soda because it kills the vitamins in the chickpeas so I leave it up to you.
Next day rinse the Chickpeas and then put them in a pot with a lot of water. Bring to a boil, cover, bring heat to medium and cook until tender (about an hour and a half). Do not hesitate to skim from time to time if necessary.
Once cooked, drain, while setting aside some of the cooking water.

Combine all ingredients in blender (or food processor) and blend until thoroughly mixed, smooth and creamy.
If you feel that it's too thick, you can add some of that cooking water you set aside (or lemon juice, I leave that to your taste buds)
Mom's trick:
I must tell you that Mama Hummus, being a traditional Lebanese Mom would very very very rarely use my Bubbly recipe.
However she usually cooks a huge (2kg or so) quantity of Hummus, mash them and then divide them into portions that she stores in her freezer and would use whenever she feels like mixing a plate of hummus to complement a meal. In a way she has her own Bubbly Green way that I try to use when I can...

My Notes:
Hummus taste can change depending on which of the following ingredients you favor most Tahina, garlic or lemon.
Also it is served in different ways in mideastern countries, in some countries they add cumin to it, in others sumac...
Let's start simple and then you can add whichever ingredient you fancy.

The most important thing is to serve it in a small hollow dish, make a well in the middle and pour some olive oil on it.
Bon appétit!


Yalla Bye!
PS: Given that it's my first real post and real recipe in a long time, please don't be too hard in your comments.
One last thing: This post is especially dedicated to my friend Ange, the #1 fan of my Hummus ;-) Hope you'll like the recipe Babe! Bisous and thank you for being such a great inspiration to me.

Du courage! GUTS!

Now that I have prepared everything I am waiting to gather enough courage to have my real post up.
Real soon ... I hope!

The first post will be MY Hummus recipe bien sûr;-)