 Syrian Chef Sewar al Bittar of La
Veranda restaurant at Beit
Zafran Hotel de Charme, located in Damascus, Syria, shares a taste
of Syria
with his recipes for Syrian breakfast specialties of homemade Granola, Bircher Muesli,
and Mamouniah, as well as the recipe for Sheikh El Mehshi. Once an Ottoman Mansion, the newly renovated Beit Zafran
Hotel de Charme is an elegant 12 room and suite hotel with two restaurants located
in the heart of Old Damascus.
In September 2010, while I was attending the Silk Road Festival, I had
breakfast and dinner at the La Veranda restaurant where I had a chance to sit
and chat with Chef Sewar al Bittar. Born in Damascus, Chef Sewar al Bittar is passionate
about using the freshest ingredients to craft his breakfast and dinner menus,
which he changes daily. He honed his culinary talents at the Four Season Damascus
where he worked for 4½ years as the head pastry chef, and prior to that, he
worked for over 2 years at the Intercontinental Hotel in Saudi Arabia, and began his career in Doha after graduating from culinary school in Damascus.
Chef Sewar al Bittar
Chef Sewar is enjoying the
change to a small hotel concept where he can mingle with his guests, and he
loves the family feeling that the hotel projects with its intimate format and
style. To complement the family concept, he will be giving cooking classes. When
not working in the restaurant, he enjoys being with his family, dancing with
his girlfriend, and thinking up new ideas for the restaurants.
Believing that breakfast is
the most important meal of the day, Chef Sewar graciously shares his recipes
for homemade Granola, Bircher Muesli, and Mamouniah, as well as the recipe for
Sheikh El Mehshi.
Granola
Ingredients:
|
200
|
Grams (7 Ounces)
|
Pumpkin Seeds
|
|
200
|
Grams (7 Ounces)
|
Linseed
|
|
200
|
Grams (7 Ounces)
|
Sunflower Seeds
|
|
200
|
Grams (7 Ounces)
|
Golden Raisins
|
|
200
|
Grams (7 Ounces)
|
Shredded Coconut
|
|
200
|
Grams (7 Ounces)
|
Toasted Sesame Seeds
|
|
100
|
Grams (3.5 Ounces)
|
Sliced Almonds
|
|
250
|
Grams (9 Ounces)
|
Apple Juice
|
|
250
|
Grams (9 Ounces)
|
Orange Juice
|
|
400
|
Grams (14 Ounces)
|
Oatmeal
|
|
400
|
Grams (14 Ounces)
|
Honey
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Method: Pre-heat oven to 250º F (121º C).
Combine the oatmeal, coconut,
pumpkin seeds, linseed, sunflower seeds, toasted sesame seeds, and sliced
almonds in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the orange and apple juices.
Slowly pour the juices over the oatmeal mixture and mix by hand.
Pour the mixture into two
sheet pans. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes,
until the granola is lightly golden. Remove from the oven, add the raisins, and
stir to combine. Mix in the honey to coat the granola.
Bircher Muesli
Serves 4
Ingredients:
|
4
|
|
Apples, peeled and grated
|
|
50
|
Grams (3+ Tablespoons)
|
Granulated Sugar (Crystal
Sugar)
|
|
500
|
Grams (2 ¼ Cups)
|
Milk
|
|
20
|
Grams (4 Teaspoons)
|
Lemon Juice
|
|
200
|
Grams (3/4 Cup)
|
Oatmeal
|
Method: Dissolve the sugar in the milk. Add the milk to the
grated apples, lemon juice, and oatmeal. Cover the mixture and refrigerate
overnight.
Mamouniah
Serves 4
Ingredients:
|
100
|
Grams (4 Ounces)
|
Ghee (clarified butter)
|
|
200
|
Grams (3/4 Cup)
|
Semolina
|
|
|
|
Ground Cinnamon
|
|
|
|
Simple Syrup (boil 200
grams sugar in 500 grams water)
|
Method: Combine the butter, semolina, and simple syrup in a
casserole and stir for 2 minutes over medium heat. Pour the mixture in a bowl,
top with ground cinnamon. Serve with white cheese and berry jam.
Sheikh El Mehshi is a
delicious Damascene recipe for zucchini stuffed with ground beef with a rich
yoghurt sauce.
Sheikh El Mehshi
Zucchini Ingredients:
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1
|
Kg (2.2 pounds)
|
Zucchinis, small
|
|
½
|
Kg (2.2 pounds)
|
Ground Beef
|
|
1
|
|
Onion, large, finely
chopped
|
|
|
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Salt, to taste
|
|
½
|
Teaspoon
|
Cinnamon
|
|
¼
|
Teaspoon
|
Nutmeg
|
|
1
|
Teaspoon
|
White Pepper
|
|
½
|
Teaspoon
|
Black Pepper
|
|
2
|
Tablespoons
|
Pine Nuts, toasted or fried
|
Yoghurt Sauce Ingredients:
|
4
|
Cups
|
Plain Yoghurt
|
|
1 ½
|
Tablespoons
|
Corn Starch
|
|
3
|
Tablespoons
|
Cold Water (to dissolve
corn starch)
|
Method for the Filling: Brown the ground beef in a skillet, add the chopped
onions and spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, white and lack pepper), and cook
over medium heat until the meat and onions are cooked. Allow to cool down and
then add the pine nuts.
Method for the Zucchini: Hollow the zucchinis with a vegetable corer and place
in a bowl filled with water. Drain completely, dry the inside, and stuff
three-quarters full with the prepared filling. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a
skillet and shallow fry the zucchinis. In the same skillet, add water to
halfway up the zucchinis and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until
the zucchinis are three quarters done.
Method for the Yoghurt Sauce:
Dissolve the cornstarch in cold
water. In a saucepan, combine the yoghurt with the dissolved corn starch. Bring
to a boil stirring constantly (do not stop stirring until it boils). Add the
yoghurt to the zucchinis, season with salt and simmer uncovered until the
zucchinis are tender. Re-season remaining yoghurt sauce with salt and serve
with vermicelli rice.
Dining at La Veranda and
Mooneh is by reservation only; La Veranda serves breakfast and dinner, and
Mooneh serves dinner only.
La Veranda
 La Veranda
Beit Zafran Hotel de Charme
Bab Touma - Haret Boolad
P.O. Box 31109
Damascus, Syria
Telephone: +963-11-54386760/1/2/3
Fax: +963-11-5443957
Email:
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Website: www.BeitZafran.com
 Read other materials on Syria
in the Destinations, Hotels and Resorts, Restaurants, Adventures,
and Chefs' Recipes sections.
For more information on Syria,
please visit Syria Ministry of Tourism website: www.SyriaTourism.org.
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