Middle eastern canned foods

[zeitoun]

Okay, i'll be honest, when i make hommous, baba ghannouj or foul, i start by.....using the canned stuff, then, I add my own flavors. I would love to make it from scratch but when you want to throw a quick mezze together at the last minute, who has the time really?

When i was in Lebanon years ago, i was amazed by the amount of manufacturers making the same type of canned produce. You will see dozens of brands selling the same stuff. My middle eastern grocery here in Brooklyn "only" has about 6 or 7 brands.

So here is the question: which brand do you use and why?

In my case I always go with Cortas or Al Wadi al Akhdar (both lebanese).

Why? well frankly I dunno, maybe because this is what my dad always bought!

I wonder if some of you have actually noticed a difference in taste or quality from one brand to the other.

[FoodMan]

I honestly never use those canned products. I do use canned chickpeas to make hummus though and using a food processor I bet it takes the same amount of time as does the canned paste and tastes 100 times better.

the two brands you named though are certainly my favorites when it comes to Tahine or other staples such as rosewater.

Elie

[Swisskaese]

The best tehina here is from Nablus.

I buy hummous and baba ganoush fresh from the supermarket or from a shop that makes it.

[zeitoun]

I do use canned chickpeas to make hummus though and using a food processor I bet it takes the same amount of time as does the canned paste and tastes 100 times better.

←

I actually never thought that using canned whole chickpeas instead of the already pureed one would make a difference. I will definitely try this next time..Thanks

[chefzadi]

I use canned chickpeas for tajines. I'll have to try the brands that Zeitoun mentions.

Canned beans in general don't bother me like most other canned things.

[hazardnc]

We have always used canned chickpeas for hummous. My husband's Palestinian grandfather insisted on popping the skins off of each and every pea when he made his hummous by hand. It definitely made for a much smoother dip. I am too lazy, and justify this by telling myself I am getting more fiber this way!