Lebanon Meets Iraq in Baghdad 🇱🇧🇮🇶 | Kunafa, Samoun, Kubba, Kebab & Street Food | Ep.12

Baghdad, Iraq: Season 3, Episode 12. صمّون وزعتر. Street Food, Vibrant Souks, Real Life of People . Follow My Steps in Baghdad (February 2023): https://goo.gl/maps/f6AGhKkGG3YKZNb7A . IRAQ PLAYLIST Videos:    • Iraq - الْعِرَاق - Baghdad and the Surroun...   . Lebanon meets Iraq in the streets of Baghdad. 🇱🇧🇮🇶 This episode of Samoun w Zaatar begins with a surprise: at 7:30 in the morning on Mansour Street, I walk into a Lebanese bakery in Baghdad and suddenly feel as if I’ve been transported back home. Manakish, kaak, Lebanese pastries, hummus, foul, croissants, breads, baklava and, most importantly, Lebanese kunafa. Not simply a version inspired by Lebanon, but kunafa prepared by Lebanese craftsmen carrying years of experience from Tripoli. We go behind the scenes to understand exactly how traditional Lebanese kunafa is made: the fark dough, semolina, tahini, ghee, cheese, syrup and the techniques that transform a few ingredients into one of Lebanon’s most beloved breakfasts. We talk about the differences between Tripoli, Saida and other traditions and watch the entire process from preparation to cooking. Then comes the moment that represents everything behind the name Samoun w Zaatar. I brought zaatar with me from Lebanon. Lebanese zaatar meets Iraqi bread in Baghdad. Two countries, two food cultures and two ingredients that represent home for millions of people. This is exactly why I love food: something as simple as bread and zaatar can connect people across borders. But we’re in Baghdad, and the day is only beginning. We leave the Lebanese flavors behind and continue exploring the streets, shops and markets of the Iraqi capital, meeting merchants, tasting products and discovering the people behind them. This is the Baghdad I keep coming back for: not only famous restaurants, but the small businesses, craftsmen, vendors and places you discover simply by walking. And obviously, we keep eating. Hot Iraqi samoun, beautifully cooked meat, simple sandwiches where the quality of the bread and meat does all the work, traditional kubba, kebab and the kinds of street-food stops where there is no need for complicated presentation. Good bread, good meat, charcoal, experience and flavor. One of the things I love most about Iraqi food is this confidence in simplicity. Sometimes there is no sauce, no decoration and no attempt to reinvent the dish. The meat has to be good. The bread has to be fresh. The grill has to be mastered. When those elements come together, nothing else is needed. Between one stop and another, we continue through Baghdad’s busy streets and souks, meeting people and listening to their stories. Every few meters, somebody recognizes us, wants us to taste something or insists on showing us another place. This is what Samoun w Zaatar became for me. It isn’t only a food show. It’s Lebanon and Iraq meeting around a table. It’s a Lebanese kunafa maker from Tripoli working in Baghdad. It’s zaatar traveling from Lebanon and meeting Iraqi bread. It’s Iraqi kubba and kebab becoming foods I now crave every time I return. It’s craftsmen leaving their countries, carrying their knowledge with them and creating something familiar thousands of kilometers away from home. Food travels with people. Recipes travel with families. And somehow, around the table, cultures that seem different become incredibly close. From Lebanese kunafa and zaatar in the morning to Iraqi samoun, kubba, kebab and street food throughout Baghdad, this episode is exactly what the name of the show represents. Samoun w Zaatar. 🇮🇶🇱🇧 Two countries. Two cultures. One table. Welcome to Baghdad — Season 3, Episode 12. ❤️