{"id":9754,"date":"2014-11-09T12:09:18","date_gmt":"2014-11-09T12:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/?p=9754"},"modified":"2024-11-14T23:54:36","modified_gmt":"2024-11-14T23:54:36","slug":"my-moms-lebanese-moussaka-maghmour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/my-moms-lebanese-moussaka-maghmour\/","title":{"rendered":"My Mom’s Lebanese Moussaka (maghmour)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Lebanese Moussaka \/ Maghmour, a vegan stew packed with lovely Mediterranean flavors, talk about a velvety eggplant stew studded with onions, garlic, olive oil, tossed with dried mint, and stewed with tomatoes! The taste is incredibly divine! I guess that\u2019s the reason why the post is one of the most popular recipes on my blog! This is my number three recipe according to how many people visit the site.<\/p>\n

Lebanese Moussaka (Maghmour)<\/h1>\n

When you mention the word moussaka, the first thing that jumps to mind is the Greek gratin style moussaka, but do you know that the word moussaka in, Arabic, literally means chilled? With that said, now it makes sense to know that the leftovers of the Lebanese moussaka would taste great\u00a0 out of the fridge too; and it makes sense too, that most probably, the orgin of moussaka must be Arabic. The Lebnanese moussaka or maghmour, as it is called in some sectors in Lebanon, has some\u00a0 common elements with the Greek moussaka, but the end result of the Lebanese version is a vegan stew rather than a meaty gratin, an appetizer that is hearty enough to consider it a meal in itself.<\/p>\n

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As a child I would wait impatiently for the dish and constantly ask my mother when it would be done, I clearly remember that wonderful salivating smell! I know well, almost everyone believes that their mom is the best cook on earth, right? And I am no exception! Yet, mom kept a lovely secret that eventually came from my grandmother who passed it down to my mother! The secret in their recipe was to peel the soaked chickpeas before cooking them, and by that said, you would take the Lebanese mousaka to the next level<\/p>\n

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I can understand that it a boring and a time-consuming process to remove the flesh of the chickpeas, so it is totally understandable to use canned chickpeas for a less time-consuming recipe, and the end result would still be good!<\/p>\n

Pin It Now<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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If you are using canned chickpeas, skip this step!!<\/h2>\n
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Wash and soak the chickpeas overnight in 2 cups of water. Wash the chickpeas thoroughly and drain. Place the soaked chickpeas on a counter top, position a ceramic bowl over it and press gently. Once you remove the bowl, you will notice that the chickpeas are peeled. Repeat the procedure as necessary (until all the chickpeas are totally peeled).\u00a0If using canned chickpeas, skip this step.<\/strong><\/div>\n
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Peel the skin of the eggplants, retaining about 1\/3 of the skin. It should have the appearance of a stripped eggplant. Cut each eggplant into quarters. Sprinkle with salt and set aside for 20 minutes.<\/div>\n
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Place a skillet on high heat and add the 2 cups of oil. Once oil is hot, fry the eggplant pieces, in batches, to a golden color. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. If you are cutting down on fatty foods, then generously brush a non-stick baking sheet with canola oil, lay the eggplants in a single layer and roast in a preheated oven to 200\u00b0C\/400\u00b0F for 25 minutes, or until the eggplant pieces are crisp and brown, making sure to flip every few minutes.<\/div>\n
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Add the \u00bc cup of olive oil to a pot, set on high heat and saut\u00e9 the onions till translucent. Add the garlic slices, dried mint and peeled chickpeas and sizzle for 20 seconds.<\/div>\n
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Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, chili powder (if used) and salt and cook for 5 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil.<\/div>\n
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Neatly add the fried eggplants to the pot, reduce heat to very low, cover up and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Serve it with pita bread. Enjoy!<\/div>\n
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Serve it with pita\u00a0bread\/ Lebanese bread<\/a>! A taste to remember!<\/div>\n
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My Mom's Lebanese Moussaka (maghmour).<\/h2>\n\n