Fattéh with Yoghurt and Pine nuts

Today’s recipe is a dish called Fattéh (with yoghurt and pine nuts). At the very outset let me tell you dining out in UAE’s many Arabic/Lebanese joints is not a very bright prospect for vegetarians. First of all the very idea of being a vegetarian is baulked upon! However having said that, let me also add, that vegetarians also get to eat (according to me) the tastiest part of Arabic cuisine – the salads and starters.

No Arabic meal is complete without lavish portions of greens. The non vegetarians so drooly over their approaching kababs and meat platters often forget about these yummy bunches of flavour. The greens along with khubus and a drizzle of olive oil makes for a great, fresh nibble.

Other than that some of my favorites are Manakish (a bread with cheese stuffing), Saj (an open bread with different toppings), Fattéh with yoghurt and pine, hummus, babaganoush, lentil soup (I so love lentil soup with a dash of lemon juice), Fattoush (a crispy salad), labneh and zaatar, yummy stuffed Fatayer, sticky rice, there are loads more.

fattéh with yoghurt and pine nuts

Ingredients:
Thick Yoghurt – 1 1/2 cup
Cooked chickpeas (kabuli chana) – 1 cup
Cumin pdr – 1 tsp
Pine nuts – a handful
Salt to taste
Thin Arabic bread (Khubus) – 1
Olive Oil – For garnish
Chilly pdr – for garnish

Method:
1. Kabuli chana or chickpeas needs to be soaked for 8 hours or more and cooked till soft but not mushy. Drain and keep aside – don’t chuck the water yet.

2. Chop up the arabic bread – I guess you can try using pita bread /or plain kulchas as well.

3. Heat an open pan smeared with a spoonful of olive oil and toast the chopped up bread to a crisp. Keep aside.

4. In the same pan, toast the pine nuts and keep aside.

5. Beat the yoghurt well with salt and cumin pdr. If too thick add some of the water that you cooked the chickpeas in. And finally add the chickpeas, mix well and also keep aside.

6. Now the assembly – if you’ve got all the ingredients ready you should assemble just before you are ready to eat.

7. In a bowl drop in the crispy bread, followed by the chickpeas yoghurt mix.

8. Garnish with a sprinkle of chilly pdr, pine nuts and a drizzle of olive oil.

Its quick, simple and very often a whole meal (for me atleast)!

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