Photo: supplied
Natalie Fakhoury of Kohkoz Real Lebanese Cuisine shares a recipe for Riz A Djej (chicken and rice) and some tips on making good hummus.
18 months ago, Fakhoury – a Lebanese New Zealander – started selling hummus and garlic dip with her mum, dad and brother at the Clevedon Howick howick markets ('Kohkoz' is her mother's nickname).
Those products took off, and the family are now selling falafel, chicken shwarma and babaganoush in retail stores.
So what makes the Fakhoury's home-style Lebanese hummus different to the many others already available?
It's smooth and it has no garlic, says Natalie.
She soaks her dried chickpeas for 24 hours before boiling them in water with baking soda added to make them soft.
She then adds Lemon juice, olive oil, salt and "heaps" of Lebanese tahini (but no garlic) and processes the mixture while it's hot.
Save the garlic to make toum, says Natalie, a very popular spread or dip made of just garlic, lemon juice, oil and salt.
In Lebanon, toum accompanies all chicken dishes, such as Riz A Djej – a chicken dish Natalie grew up on.
