Get a Taste of Lebanon - Fattet Battenjen with Tarik Fallous _ Food Network

# A Taste of Lebanon: Discovering Fattoush Batanjan

## Introduction to Fattoush Batanjan

Fattoush Batanjan, a beloved dish from Lebanon, often finds itself overshadowed by the more internationally recognized hummus and falafel. Chef Tarik Valus, who grew up with this dish, shares his passion for it, emphasizing that Lebanese cuisine is far richer than just these two staples. Fattoush Batanjan is not only a delicious meal but also a vessel of cultural heritage, evoking memories of childhood and family gatherings.

## Ingredients and Their Significance

The ingredients in Fattoush Batanjan are as diverse as they are meaningful. The dish starts with eggplant, a vegetable deeply rooted in Lebanese cuisine. Tarik slices the eggplant into one-inch pieces, recalling how his family prepared it for weekend brunches—a tradition that continues today. The yogurt tahini sauce adds a nutty flavor to the dish, with Tarik preferring blonde tahini made from raw sesame seeds over the darker roasted variety.

Pomegranate molasses is another key ingredient, adding a tangy twist to the dish. Tarik encourages those unfamiliar with it to experiment, noting that it can become addictive due to its versatility and flavor. Other ingredients include chickpeas (hummus), pita chips, sun-dried cranberries, pine nuts, and fresh herbs, each contributing to the dish's rich tapestry of flavors.

## Step-by-Step Preparation

1. **Prepping the Eggplant:**

The process begins with slicing the eggplant into one-inch pieces. These are then fried until golden and crispy, a step that transforms the humble vegetable into a delightful component of the dish. Tarik gently lowers the slices into hot oil, ensuring they cook evenly without burning. Once done, they are transferred to paper towels to drain excess oil.

2. **Making the Sauce:**

While the eggplant cooks, Tarik prepares the yogurt tahini sauce. Combining creamy yogurt with blonde tahini and fresh lemon juice creates a nutty, tangy base. Pomegranate molasses is then added for an extra dimension of flavor. This sauce not only binds the dish but also elevates it with its unique taste.

3. **Layering the Dish:**

The chickpeas form the foundation of Fattoush Batanjan, their earthy flavor providing a hearty base. Tarik layers these with the crispy eggplant slices. Some cooks opt for ground meat instead of eggplant, but his family prefers the vegetarian version, which he finds equally satisfying.

4. **Final Touches:**

The dish is then topped with toasted pita chips, adding a crunchy texture. Pomegranate seeds and sun-dried cranberries bring bursts of color and acidity, while pine nuts offer a subtle nuttiness. Fresh herbs like parsley and mint add freshness, completing the dish's vibrant profile.

## Personal Insights on Cooking Authentically

For Tarik, authenticity in cooking is deeply personal. It is about recreating the flavors and dishes he grew up with, those prepared by his mother and family. Each recipe carries memories and nuances that only someone familiar with them can appreciate. While variations exist among different families and regions, the essence remains the same—cooking with love and passion to create a memorable meal.

## Serving Suggestions and Presentation

Fattoush Batanjan is best enjoyed at room temperature, allowing its flavors to meld harmoniously. Tarik suggests serving it on a platter, garnished with fresh herbs and a sprinkle of paprika for visual appeal. The dish pairs wonderfully with a cup of Arabic coffee or a glass of Lebanese wine, enhancing the dining experience.

## Closing Thoughts

Fattoush Batanjan is more than just a meal; it's a celebration of Lebanon's culinary heritage. Whether you're recreating a cherished memory or creating new ones, this dish brings people together with its warmth and flavors. As Tarik hopes, you'll savor every bite and share it with your loved ones, making Fattoush Batanjan a part of your own culinary repertoire.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: eni'm tarik valus and today we are serving up a taste of lebanon i will be making fetid bitten jan but in jan is eggplant and fat is a crumbled eggplant in this case this food for me has a lot of memories the smell of the food the aromas the spices has a lot of memories as child growing up in lebanon i think the most common misconception about lebanese cuisine is the lebanese cuisine is just about hummus and falafel but there's so many other dishes besides hummus and falafel and so much history in those dishes so first the eggplant slice it into one inch slices the way i remember eating this as a child is having a big casserole prepared with fatty for brunch weekend brunch or a late breakfast it's a very nice and healthy and hearty dish that keeps you going for an entire day okay so now we're going to make our yogurt tahini sauce tahini is adding nuttiness to the yogurt combination there are two types of tahini paste one is dark prepared from roasted sesame seeds another one is called blonde prepared from just raw sesame seeds i prefer the the blonde tahini paste fresh lemon juice i cook food at my restaurant that i learned from my mother passed down through generations authentic cuisine is a very strong word to say saying authentic each person has a different definition for authentic what's authentic to me is the food i grew up eating that my mother cooked my family cooked now i'll add the pomegranate molasses which will add a little tangy flavor if you've never tried pomegranate molasses maybe you want to consider using it in your daily dishes because it can become addictive and i know a lot of people use it and eat it as ketchup okay so now we're going to cut the eggplant and then fry it eggplant is very popular in lebanon a lot of dishes are made with eggplant however there's one person in the family all the time that doesn't love eggplant but by time i think everyone changes and they adopt a palette for loving and enjoying eggplants okay so gently i'm going to add the eggplants into the frying oil that we have basic fat is called hummus which is just how much is the chickpeas so the basic dish is the chickpeas and then you can build on it whatever ingredients you'd wish in our case now we're adding vitanjan which is the eggplant however some people prefer to add different types of meat or ground meat on top it could be a very similar dish my uncles or extended family cook however it's cooked a bit differently with a slightly different seasoning it's only you the person who's used to eating it can tell it's missing that specific small spice or a specific touch at the end coca-cola designed specifically for the pallets for the people they're cooking for at home okay the eggplants are looking great we're getting golden crispy color here now we're ready to remove them from the oil and transfer them into a plate with a paper towel so the paper towel can absorb all the excess oil looks beautiful smells great so let's just play this dish i used to tell my chefs in the kitchen serve food the same way you like to eat it but then i realized that we should serve food and prepared the same way we are serving it for someone we actually love because we can eat in the kitchen i eat anything so the key is preparing the food with love and passion to have an ultimate great dish at the end can take a bit longer but the results are worth it i enjoy cooking this food because it feels so authentic and i love seeing everybody enjoying it if you ever tried it before and you're making it again now we're sharing a memory together right now if you have never tried it and you are preparing for the first time you are going to create a memory that you're going to love for many times to come and here we have an amazing feted batenjam so now we are taking the perfect bite here the entire layer is in one spoon in one bite so we have the toasted pita chips the chickpeas the eggplant the pomegranate seeds and sun-dried cranberries on top with the pine nuts this is so good it's so beautiful fragrant buttery it's just a taste of home i really hope you enjoy it with your family and enjoy this dish youi'm tarik valus and today we are serving up a taste of lebanon i will be making fetid bitten jan but in jan is eggplant and fat is a crumbled eggplant in this case this food for me has a lot of memories the smell of the food the aromas the spices has a lot of memories as child growing up in lebanon i think the most common misconception about lebanese cuisine is the lebanese cuisine is just about hummus and falafel but there's so many other dishes besides hummus and falafel and so much history in those dishes so first the eggplant slice it into one inch slices the way i remember eating this as a child is having a big casserole prepared with fatty for brunch weekend brunch or a late breakfast it's a very nice and healthy and hearty dish that keeps you going for an entire day okay so now we're going to make our yogurt tahini sauce tahini is adding nuttiness to the yogurt combination there are two types of tahini paste one is dark prepared from roasted sesame seeds another one is called blonde prepared from just raw sesame seeds i prefer the the blonde tahini paste fresh lemon juice i cook food at my restaurant that i learned from my mother passed down through generations authentic cuisine is a very strong word to say saying authentic each person has a different definition for authentic what's authentic to me is the food i grew up eating that my mother cooked my family cooked now i'll add the pomegranate molasses which will add a little tangy flavor if you've never tried pomegranate molasses maybe you want to consider using it in your daily dishes because it can become addictive and i know a lot of people use it and eat it as ketchup okay so now we're going to cut the eggplant and then fry it eggplant is very popular in lebanon a lot of dishes are made with eggplant however there's one person in the family all the time that doesn't love eggplant but by time i think everyone changes and they adopt a palette for loving and enjoying eggplants okay so gently i'm going to add the eggplants into the frying oil that we have basic fat is called hummus which is just how much is the chickpeas so the basic dish is the chickpeas and then you can build on it whatever ingredients you'd wish in our case now we're adding vitanjan which is the eggplant however some people prefer to add different types of meat or ground meat on top it could be a very similar dish my uncles or extended family cook however it's cooked a bit differently with a slightly different seasoning it's only you the person who's used to eating it can tell it's missing that specific small spice or a specific touch at the end coca-cola designed specifically for the pallets for the people they're cooking for at home okay the eggplants are looking great we're getting golden crispy color here now we're ready to remove them from the oil and transfer them into a plate with a paper towel so the paper towel can absorb all the excess oil looks beautiful smells great so let's just play this dish i used to tell my chefs in the kitchen serve food the same way you like to eat it but then i realized that we should serve food and prepared the same way we are serving it for someone we actually love because we can eat in the kitchen i eat anything so the key is preparing the food with love and passion to have an ultimate great dish at the end can take a bit longer but the results are worth it i enjoy cooking this food because it feels so authentic and i love seeing everybody enjoying it if you ever tried it before and you're making it again now we're sharing a memory together right now if you have never tried it and you are preparing for the first time you are going to create a memory that you're going to love for many times to come and here we have an amazing feted batenjam so now we are taking the perfect bite here the entire layer is in one spoon in one bite so we have the toasted pita chips the chickpeas the eggplant the pomegranate seeds and sun-dried cranberries on top with the pine nuts this is so good it's so beautiful fragrant buttery it's just a taste of home i really hope you enjoy it with your family and enjoy this dish you\n"