By Chef Hussein Hadid
It’s the diet that has hit Hollywood by storm, but can the Japanese-based macrobiotic diet also conquer the Arab world? We asked Lebanese fine cuisine chef Hussein Hadid to give us his take on the discipline as well as some recipes that can easily be made at home.
I must admit for a while there, I didn’t quite know what to make of Bespoke’s offer. The editors wanted me to come up with a four course macrobiotic meal fit for a Middle Eastern king. It’s not that it can’t be done, as you can see from my recipes. It’s just that I’m not sure our dietary patterns are geared towards consuming lots of vegetables with the puzzling exception of a few like spinach and okra, or to exile such staple foods as red meat and poultry. Also, macrobiotic eating has a spiritual aspect to it which followed strictly doesn’t quite fit our cultural heritage.
Though engrained in Chinese mysticism, it is based on rudimentary Japanese cuisine put together by George Ohsawa in the 1920s. Suffering from an illness, Ohsawa decided to reinvent his food intake to help his healing process. It succeeded and the macrobiotic diet was born. The mysticism comes from a delicate balance between yin (hot) and yang (cold) items. For instance, yin is considered to be anything sweet and the yang, the more salty foodstuff. With Madonna and actress Gwyneth Paltrow as ardent advocates of the diet, there must be something to it.
As a matter of fact, macrobiotic is a very healthy way of eating. It is meat-free and dairy-free, preferring to explore the wonders (if that is how you want to think of it) of vegetables, sea vegetables, beans, wheat, tree fruits, ground fruits and pickles. Also not being allowed to indulge in butter or cream is an anathema to any reputable chef of fine cuisine. You’re only strictly allowed to cook in oils, though thankfully, olive oil is smiled upon. I was happy to know that the meaty and wonderfully textured shitake mushroom is high on the macrobiotic chart. I have been using the vegetable for years, but I never realised it is effective in boosting the immune system and contains an essential amino acid.
Macrobiotic eating is restrictive to say the least. But that does not mean it can’t be pleasing to the palette on some level; and the diet professes to have qualities that fight and prevent cancer due to inordinate amounts of vegetables and fruits (such as berries) that are known to nutritionally act as antioxidants. Also, the consumption of some seafood is a welcome aspect. However, the fact that the items involved are low in vitamin B12, vitamin D, calcium and iron could be tricky for pregnant women and those suffering from anaemia.
Can I honestly endorse such a diet and would I serve it in my kitchen? The answer is not a clear yes or no. The fact that it may be difficult to find Japanese goods in our region makes it all the more challenging to come up with recipes. And there seems to be no obvious substitutes to, let’s say, daikon (a Japanese radish) or arame (seaweed). Also, missing out on some of the food groups we normally associate with the pleasure of eating can be disconcerting if you’re a gourmet. Beverages are also limited to teas and spring water.
I would say, though, that it’s best to select some the produce and give them your own twist. The path of moderation will lead you to a healthy and satisfying culinary experience.
Bespoke Macrobiotic Menu
CARROT SOUP WITH GINGER
Ingredients
1kg of carrots
100ml of olive oil
10 shallots
3 litres of water
150g of ginger
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Procedure
Peel the carrots
Cut them into cubes
Peel and slice the shallots
Peel and slice the ginger
In a pot, add olive oil, sauté the shallots and ginger
Add the carrots
Cover with water and bring to a simmer
Cook until tender
In a blender, puree the carrots. Add salt and pepper to taste
SOBA NOODLES WITH DANDELION AND RADISH
(serves 4)
Ingredients
1 pack of soba noodles
250g of dandelion
2 pieces of radish
1 cup of mushroom broth
1tbs of ginger
2tbs of scallions
1tbs of chilli greens and red chilli
2tbs of sesame oil
2tbs of sesame toast
Water for boiling noodles
Procedure
Clean and slice the dandelion
Cut the white radish à la julienne
Cut the ginger à la julienne
Cut the scallions very fine
Boil the noodles until al dente (following packaging instructions)
In a pot, add sesame oil, sauté the ginger and radish on high heat. Add the dandelion
Add mushroom broth
Strain the noodles and combine dandelion to mixture
Toss and mix well. Check seasoning. Sprinkle sesame seeds
Serve immediately on plate
Roasted Red Snapper with Shitake Mushrooms and Bok Choy
(serves 4)
Ingredients
4x200g of red snapper filet
4tbs of olive oil
250g of fresh shitake mushrooms
250g of bok choy
1bts of ginger
2tbs of scallions
2tbs of mushroom soya sauce
2tbs of teriyaki sauce
Salt and pepper
Procedure
Slice the mushrooms
Cut the bok choy into 2 pieces
Cut the ginger very fine
Cut the scallions very fine
Season the filet with salt and pepper
Sauté the filets of red snapper with olive oil and place in oven for 3 minutes
In another sauté pan, add olive oil, sauté the ginger and scallions
Add the mushrooms and bok choy
Deglaze with teriyaki and mushroom soya sauce
Let the liquid dry up
Remove fish from oven
To serve add the mushroom and boc choy mix in middle of plate
Add the fish on top and serve
RASPBERRY SORBET WITH RED BERRIES
Ingredients
1 litre of raspberry coulis
200g of sugar
2tbs of lemon juice (optional)
250g of blackberries
250g of blueberries
250g of raspberries
Mint for garnish
Procedure
In a bowl, mix to combine the coulis, sugar and lemon juice
Place in an ice cream machine for about 12 minutes
Freeze in freezer overnight or up to eight hours
Place two scoops of the sorbet on a plate and add mix of berries. Garnish with mint
You may also want to purchase a sorbet from your local supermarket.
(*) Macrobiotic translates from the Greek to great life.
For information on macrobiotic diets log onto HYPERLINK "http://www.macrobiotics.co.uk" www.macrobiotics.co.uk
Contact
Hussein Hadid Kitchen
Beirut, Lebanon
Tel +9611 816 120
HYPERLINK "http://www.husseinhadid.com" www.husseinhadid.com
