The Lenten Journey in Lebanon
Like our fellow Christians around the world, our Lebanese Christian communities commemorate the 40-day period preceding the celebration of Jesus Resurrection on Easter Sunday. These 40 days are a period of fasting in which prayers intensify.
Our fasting consists of stopping the intake of all kind of meat and chicken for 40 days. That in addition to 12 hours of no food and water consumption, from midnight to noon.
In recent years, the traditional Lent has been less strict in some of our communities, like the Catholics and the Maronites. Children, pregnant women and sick people are no longer required to fast.
Moreover, the Lent has become more of a personal devotion than a communal requirement.
It remains that the majority of the Christians in our homeland do prove their devotion to Christ during Lent. Hence, our communities turn mostly vegetarian during that traditionally religious period. Only fish, symbol of Christ, is acceptable.
For a nation which cultural cuisine is meat-oriented, the daily meal cuisine becomes restricted with choices, but not impossible in vegetarian varieties and fish meals.
Lebanese Lent Dishes
I have compiled here a list of Lebanese Lent dishes to lend you some assistance during this period. Most have their recipes available, at a simple click. The others will be posted soon. Bookmark this page or subscribe to be updated.
Have a blessed Lent.
Peace!
Tuna Fish Bathed in Tahini Sauce
Roasted Beets and Roots Salad
Vegan Stuffed Grape Leaves
Spinach and Black-eyed Peas
Burghul Pilaf in Tomato Sauce
Sayediyeh Fish and Rice
Burghul Medley Stuffed Tomatoes
Spring Potato Salad with Green Beans
Lebanese Crispy-Gold Potatoes With Cilantro, Garlic and Lemon
Baba Ghannouj: Eggplant with Tahini
Vegetarian Fatteh
Zesty Sautéed Zucchinis
Vegan Lemon Green Beans: Loubieh Bil-Zeit
Lemon Lentil Soup
Fish Kibbeh Burghul
Garlic Lemon Beet Starter
Fish Potato Kibbeh
Tabbouleh Salad
Beets with Tahini
Fried Cauliflower with Tahini Sauce
Rich Garden Soup: Jardiniere
Shankleesh Salad
Falafel Patties with Tahini Dip
Traditional Beets Salad
Beets Tahini with Yogurt Salad
Beets Pomegranate Salad with Purslane/Jarjir
Fattoush Salad
Lebanese Moussaka Eggplant with Chickpeas
Mujadra ~Rice and Lentils Pilaf
Lentil Consommé Soup
You don’t need a recipe for this healthy and deliciously velvety soup. Quick and super easy: Boil 2 cups of red (orange) lentils with 1 veggie stock cube. These lentils cook quickly. Squeeze half a lemon on, and here you go!
Spread the Love! Sharing is always appreciated 🙂