Kamal Mouzawak’s moghrabieh

1. Soak the chickpeas for at least 12 hours.
2. Then bring to a simmer and cook until well done.
3. Cut the chicken into quarters, place it in a pot to boil. Skim, then add 1 onion quartered, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cardamom, peppercorns, rosemary, cloves, salt and ½ teaspoon sweet pepper.
4. Cook on a gentle fire for about 40 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken and set aside the strained broth.
6. Soak the moghrabieh in boiling water for 30 minutes.
7. Drain, then add the caraway, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon sweet pepper.
8. In a Dutch oven, sauté the moghrabieh with 3 tablespoons olive oil, then add 2 glasses of broth.
9. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
10. For the sauce, melt the butter, add the flour, let it color, then dilute with 2 glasses of broth, stirring continuously.
11. Let simmer over low heat until reduced.
12. Finely chop 4 onions and sauté in 4 tablespoons olive oil. Add the sugar, salt, and pepper.
13. Let them brown, cover with water, and cook on low heat until the water evaporates.
14. Add two-thirds of the chickpeas, two-thirds of the caramelized onions, and half the chicken to the sauce. Add the remaining chickpeas and onions to the moghrabieh.
15. Spread the moghrabieh out on a large platter. Top with the remaining chicken.
16. Serve piping hot with the steaming sauce.

This recipe is taken from the book "Manger libanais" by Kamal Mouzawak, with photographs by Ayla Hibri and illustrations by Zeina Abirached. Published by Marabout (2017), this book is a road trip through Lebanon, its lands, but also its men, women and its cuisine. The true Lebanese cuisine.