Pumpkin kibbee, fattoush and hummus

Even though I don't need any more cookbooks, when I came across the beautiful Abla's Lebanese Kitchen by Abla Amad I just had to have it.  The book is beautiful to read and gain and understanding of Lebanese food and contains lots of fantastic Lebanese dishes that look so fresh and inviting that you can't help but want to make them.

Abla Amad owns and runs Abla's restaurant in Melbourne which quickly became a Melbourne institution soon after she opened it in 1979.  Abla opened the restaurant upon the urging of family and friends and some diners have been frequenting her restaurants for up to 30 years.  Sadly I haven't had the opportunity to visit Abla's upon my many visits to Melbourne, but I definitely will be changing that next time I visit Melbourne.

Of all of the dishes in Abla's Lebanese Kitchen that caught my eye, I had to try the Pumpkin Kibbee.  Kibbee is usually a meat based dish made of ground beef or lamb, but this vegetable based variation (this recipe is in fact Vegan) was developed to observe the Lenten custom of obtaining from meat and is also a Good Friday staple.

To serve with the kibbee I settled upon the popular Fattoush salad (a salad containing toasted pita bread) along with hummus.  Each of the dishes were so full of flavour and colour and would be perfect to serve at a dinner party mezze style with guests helping themselves.

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