Warak Arish

Warak Arish — grape vine leaves hand-rolled one by one around a filling of short-grain rice, minced lamb, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs — is arguably Lebanon's most celebrated stuffed dish. The rolls are layered tightly in a pot with tomatoes and slow-simmered until the rice is tender and the leaves have absorbed every nuance of the filling and cooking liquid.

The result is extraordinary in texture and flavour: the leaves are silky and slightly tangy, the rice is fluffy and perfectly seasoned, and every bite delivers the full depth of Lebanese seven-spice. It takes patience and skill to roll them neatly and pack the pot correctly so they don't unravel or turn mushy during the long cook — Mirna has been perfecting this since childhood.

Warak Arish is served warm, traditionally with a bowl of plain yoghurt on the side. It's equally at home as a dinner centrepiece or as a dish to share at a family gathering. Each tanjara serves 4–5 people.