I don’t think there are many people who can resist a bowl of meze accompanied with fresh bread. These Middle Eastern appetizers contain so many flavours that they have a chance to conquer your heart and become your favorite recipe:)
The recipes have been taken from the book Our Syria
Zucchini in Tahini Sauce (Mutabal Kusa)
5 baby zucchini, sliced into 1 cm rounds
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt, to taste
3 tbsp Tahini Sauce
2 tbsp of yogurt with 1 sliced clove of garlic
Sumac, to taste
Dried mint, to taste
some chopped parsley to decorate
Fry the zucchini on both sides in a generous amount of oil. When they are brown and crispy, place on a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Season with salt.
Place the zucchini on a plate. Add yoghurt on the top, drizzle tahini sauce over the zucchini and sprinkle with sumac and mint. Decorate with chopped parsley.
Red pepper and Walnut Dip (Mhammara)
2 red bell peppers
3/4 cup walnuts
1 garlic clove
a pinch paprika
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
some bread to serve
Cut the peppers in half and remove the cores and seeds. Place on a baking tray skin-side up, drizzle with olive oil and salt and roast in the oven until they are soften and darken, 15 to 20 mins.
Blend the walnuts in a food process until chopped, then add the pepper, garlic, paprika, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt and pepper and blend well
Drizzle with olive oil and serve with some bread