Cultural Background: A creamy sauce of ground sesame paste thinned with lemon juice, garlic and water, tahini sauce is a foundational element of Levantine cuisine, drizzled over falafel, grilled meats and roasted vegetables across the Arab world. Tips: • Don't panic when the tahini seizes after adding lemon juice — continuing to whisk in water […]
Cultural Background: An intensely garlicky, cloud-like emulsion sauce from Lebanon, toum ('garlic' in Arabic) is made without egg, relying on slow oil incorporation into pounded garlic to achieve its signature light, mayonnaise-like texture, and is a staple accompaniment to Lebanese grilled chicken. Tips: • Patience is essential — adding oil too quickly is the most […]
Cultural Background: A vibrant green chile-herb sauce of Yemeni Jewish origin, zhoug (also spelled skhug) is built on fresh green chiles, coriander and warm spices, and has become a beloved staple condiment across Israel and the broader Middle East since Yemeni Jewish immigration in the 20th century. Tips: • Keep some pepper seeds in for […]
Cultural Background: A smoky roasted eggplant sauce blended with tahini, garlic and lemon, baba ganoush is a Levantine classic whose name loosely translates to 'pampered father', traditionally served as a meze dip alongside pita bread and fresh vegetables. Tips: • Charring the eggplant directly over flame (rather than just roasting) is what gives baba ganoush […]
Cultural Background: A rich, tangy-sweet dip of roasted red peppers, walnuts and pomegranate molasses, muhammara originates from Aleppo, Syria, and reflects the city's historic reputation for sophisticated, nuanced Levantine cuisine, now served as a beloved meze across the region. Tips: • Toasting the walnuts beforehand deepens their flavour significantly. • The sauce should retain some […]
Cultural Background: A blended chickpea and tahini sauce, hummus has ancient roots across the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean, with its exact origin still debated among neighbouring countries, and is now one of the most globally recognised dishes of Middle Eastern cuisine. Tips: • Processing tahini and lemon juice first before adding chickpeas gives a noticeably […]
Cultural Background: A tangy, tart pickled mango sauce with mustard seed and turmeric, amba was brought to the Levant and Israel by Iraqi Jewish immigrants in the mid-20th century, its name derived from the Hindi word for mango, reflecting the sauce's South Asian trade-route origins. Tips: • Using truly unripe, firm green mangoes is essential […]
Cultural Background: A simple, fiery chile sauce found across Egypt and the Levant, shatta is typically made from fresh or fermented red chiles with garlic and vinegar, used as a table condiment to add heat to falafel, ful medames and grilled dishes. Tips: • Fresh red chiles give a brighter, sharper shatta; letting it sit […]
Cultural Background: The red-chile counterpart to green zhoug, red skhug (or sahawiq) uses ripe red chiles and tomato for a milder, smokier profile than its green cousin, and is a staple condiment of Yemeni cuisine served with virtually every meal. Tips: • Using ripe, flavourful tomatoes rounds out the sauce's heat with natural sweetness. • […]
Cultural Background: A sweet-tart sauce combining tamarind and dates, this Lebanese sauce reflects the region's historic spice trade connections, traditionally drizzled over fried kibbeh and stuffed vegetables, balancing rich, savoury dishes with fruity acidity. Tips: • Adjust the tamarind-to-date ratio depending on how tart or sweet you prefer the final sauce. • Blending thoroughly gives […]