DUBAI: Often overlooked despite being the birthplace of Jesus, Christmas in the Levant carries its own traditions and dishes.
Arab News spoke to Levantine chefs who shared how their families celebrate Christmas and explore ancient traditions.
Kareem “TheVoiceNoteChef”, who is Lebanese and Kuwaiti, has a blog that blends home cooking with nostalgic voice notes from his mother, resonating with thousands across the Arab diaspora.
The Voice Note Chef began his blog during the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to beat homesickness.
“Christmas isn’t about anything fancy, it’s just about being together,” he told Arab News.
“My mom cooks for a village. Christmas trays are never small,” he added.
Tabouleh, a fresh Lebanese salad featuring fresh parsley, mint, lemon, and bulgur wheat. (Supplied via Kareem Yousef)
The Christmas Eve dinner starts off with kibbeh laban as a soup, followed by tabouleh and then riz a djej as the main. Riz a djej, or chicken and rice, is a Lebanese dish that is a staple on a holiday dinner table.
“It's always been our thing for Christmas served with mushroom sauce. My mom, that’s her unique touch on it,” he explained.
Shorabet el Eid, a tradtional festive soup with meatballs and rice.(Supplied via Kareem Yousef)
The Voice Note Chef said meghli is a must for dessert on Christmas. Typically served to celebrate birth, meghli is a spiced rice pudding made with cinnamon, anise and caraway.
Meghli, a spiced rice pudding made with cinnamon, anise and caraway. (Supplied via Kareem Yousef)
“Meghli is done because we celebrate the birth of a baby. But in this case, you’re celebrating the birth of Jesus,” he explained.
Meanwhile Palestinian chef Nasser Tarazi described Levantine Christmas traditions as “deeply rooted” in religion and community.
“Food is the heart of any Palestinian gathering, and Christmas is no exception,” he explained.
Like Yousef, Tarazi’s online journey started during the pandemic after his children convinced him to share his recipes on TikTok. Tarazi has since accumulated over 100,000 followers.
“On our Christmas table you’ll find mosakhan rolls, fattoush, and a slow-cooked leg of lamb,” he explained.
Chef Nasser Tarazi's family. (Supplied via Nasser Tarazi)
Warak dawali, a traditional Levant dish made of stuffed grape leaves, is the main, said Tarazi, as well as ruz hashwa, which is a spiced-rice and minced-beef dish.
Tarazi said kaak mamoul, knafeh and fruits are served for dessert to end things on a sweet note.
“Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, not the tree or the gifts, but the light he brought into our lives,” he said.
