A fresh appetizer: Pita bread with 'tabouleh'

1. Tabouleh is a great cold appetizer to be eaten with pita, the traditional bread in Lebanon. For his tabouleh, executive sous chef at Le Meridien's Al-Nafoura restaurant Chaihid Youness uses 800g finely chopped parsley, 100g chopped mint leaves, 75g chopped onion, 400g chopped tomato, 50g burgul seeds (soaked), 30ml lemon juice or lemon salt, 90 ml olive oil, 2g black sweet pepper powder, 2g white pepper powder and 1/4tsp salt.

2. Chaihid mixes all ingredients in a large bowl until well combined and puts it in a serving dish and garnished it with fresh lettuce leaves, lemon and diced tomatoes. The tabouleh can be mixed a day earlier than when it will be served, but be sure to keep it refrigerated.

3. To make the pita bread, Youness uses 1 kilogram flour, 20g dry yeast, 20ml milk, 40ml water, 15g sugar, 4g shortening, 20g salt and 100g butter. He mixes the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and gently pours in the liquids, then kneads the dough until smooth with his hand. Prepare a day ahead if you are pushed for time but have an important dinner coming up.

4. Chaihid puts the dough on a lightly floured surface and evenly divides it into pieces, weighing about 65g each. He takes one small piece of dough and rolls it gently to four-millimeter thickness. He repeats the procedure with the remaining dough and arranges the flattened pita on a dry floured platter.

5. The bread is then baked in a preheated traditional oven (you can use an ordinary oven at 220 degrees) for two minutes or until golden brown. The bread should be tender on the inside. In addition to using it with hot and cold traditional Lebanese appetizers, it can be reheated and eaten with jam or cheese.

6. Other accompanying cold appetizers may include hommos (chickpeas with tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt), moutabel (grilled eggplant, also with tahini paste, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil and salt) and diced cucumber with yogurt (seasoned with garlic, mint leaves and salt). For a real Lebanese taste, serve with black tea or a dry Lebanese wine. (Text by Maria Endah Hulupi, photos IGGP Bayu Ismoyo)