The mezze table
A Levantine meal often begins with mezze: many small plates of dips and salads shared with bread, eaten slowly over conversation. It can be a starter or the whole meal.
Dips
- Hummus: silky chickpeas and tahini.
- Mutabbal: smoky eggplant with tahini and yogurt.
- Muhammara: roasted red pepper and walnut, sweet and tangy.
- Labneh: thick strained yogurt with olive oil and za’atar.
Salads
- Tabbouleh: finely chopped parsley with a little bulgur and lots of lemon.
- Fattoush: crunchy vegetables and toasted bread with sumac dressing.
Building a spread
Choose two dips, one or two salads and something warm, such as falafel or fatayer, plus olives, pickles and warm khubz. Most dips can be made a day ahead; dress salads at the last minute.
South Asian hosts will find mezze works beautifully alongside a dawat menu, much like chutneys, raitas and chaat.