A FOOD TRADITION

Druze cuisine in Lebanon

Druze cuisine in Lebanon is a communal mountain tradition found especially in the Chouf, Aley and parts of the eastern mountain areas, while also sharing dishes with Druze communities elsewhere in the Levant. It emphasizes olive oil, bulgur, lentils, yogurt, seasonal greens, onions, herbs, fruit and preserved foods, with meat used selectively in celebratory and family dishes. Household techniques include stuffing vegetables and leaves, fermenting or drying dairy and grains, slow cooking legumes, and baking flatbreads. Examples associated with this repertoire include mjaddara hamra, makhlouta, a mixed-grain-and-legume stew, and kishk-based soups or preparations. These dishes should be understood as communal associations rather than exclusive inventions.

Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.