Chicken poaches with onion, cardamom and bay 35 minutes; shredded off the bone. Chickpeas warm in the strained chicken stock. Pita pieces toast crisp under the grill. Yogurt-tahini-garlic sauce whisks together. Plated with pita on the bottom, chickpeas and chicken on top, yogurt sauce poured over, taqliya (butter, cumin and sliced garlic sizzled hot) drizzled on top, and pine nuts scattered.
Full-fat natural yogurt salts; strains through a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a thin tea towel) over a bowl for 12-24 hours. The result is a thick, soft cheese (looser than cream cheese, firmer than thick yogurt). Spread on a plate; swirl; drizzle olive oil; scatter za'atar, dried mint, sumac, and chopped fresh mint. Eaten with warm pita.
A soft yeasted bread dough rises for 1 hour. Divides into 6 portions, rolls into 18 cm discs. Topped with a blend of grated akkawi cheese (or mozzarella + halloumi + a touch of feta), baked at 230°C 7-9 minutes until the bottom is gold and the cheese is just bubbling. Topped with a sprinkle of dried mint or nigella seeds.
Lentils (brown or green, not red) simmer for 25 minutes until tender. Two batches of sliced onion fry in olive oil, the first batch goes very dark mahogany (almost burnt at edges) for the flavour base; the second batch is fried separately and reserved as a crispy topping. Rinsed basmati rice cooks absorption-style with the lentils, the first batch of onion, cumin, allspice and stock for 20 minutes. The crispy onion scatters on top at the table.
Bulgur soaks briefly in lemon juice, not water, so it tenderises while taking on flavour. Parsley is washed, dried thoroughly, and chopped to fine green confetti. Tomato dices small and drains. Mint and spring onion go in fine. Everything tosses with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper. No need to rest; eat right away.