Christmas is a state holiday in Lebanon and most Lebanese Muslims celebrate Christmas with their Christian friends even though only 45% of the population is Christian (35% Maronite Catholic and 10% traditional Christian). The roads are lined with lights as are the homes and most families place a Nativity scene underneath their  Christmas tree – these represent Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Magi, the Shepherds and miniature animals. In Maronite Catholic homes Christians build manger scenes in their homes called Nativity Cribs. These cribs are far more popular than Christmas Trees and these scenes feature caves

as opposed to stables – they are, also, decorated with sprouts made from cultivating seeds like chickpeas, broad-beans, lentils, oats and wheat on damp cotton wool in the weeks leading up to Christmas.  These crib scenes then becomes a focus for the prayer of people in the house. On Christmas Eve the churches will be open all night for praying where after most people will visit their friends and their families – often having to travel to villages in the mountains. One of the advantages of visiting one another, is that really good strong Lebanese coffee is served with sugared almonds – a delicious combination and if you haven’t tried it before, do so this Christmas. Christmas concerts are popular in this part of the world and both local and western Christmas carols are well loved. Commercialization and open markets are bringing a more secular celebration of Christmas to the public. Lebanese Christmas food is a mixture of European and Middle Eastern fare and dishes like Tabbouleh, Kibbeh, Turkey and wine is commonly found on the Christmas Menus – one of the favourite

deserts are good French Buche de Noël. In the capital city of Beirut large,  glamorous Christmas feasts are held in major hotels and loads of Lebanese attend, even if the aren’t Christian. Western-style commercial displays of poinsettias, Christmas lights, holly and community Christmas trees are also becoming more popular, although certain people don’t like these  new developments  because they consider it too commercial – but since there always is a fanatic of some kind in the background somewhere, nobody pays too much attention to them.

Ingredients

• 250 ml bulgur wheat (fine-medium grind)
• 500 ml hot water
• 500 g ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 250 ml green onions, white and green part, finely chopped
• 250 ml cucumber, halved, seeded and diced
• 250 ml  fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 100 g pine nuts, lightly toasted
• 125 ml fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
• 1 fresh, organic lemon, zest only grated
• 2 lemons, juice only
• 1 tsp freshly ground cumin
• Malden salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 125 ml extra-virgin olive oil

Method

• Put the bulgur in a large bowl and pour in the hot water, cover  and allow to stand for about 30 to 45 minutes to rehydrate.
• Drain through a sieve, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to squeeze out as much water as possible.
• Combine the tomatoes, the onions, the cucumber, the parsley, the pine nuts and the mint and add to the bulgur wheat, moistening generously with the lemon zest, the lemon juice and the olive oil and combine well.
• Taste and if it tastes too sour, add a pinch of sugar to balance the sour and then fold everything again to incorporate all the ingredients.
• Allow your tabbouleh to stand for a couple of hours to improve the flavour, serve at room temperature.