In this video, I find myself at a friend’s house, dealing with a bit of a situation as one of our buddies is under the weather, caught by the flu and coughing incessantly. To lend a helping hand, I decide to whip up a special, wintery drink that I believe will do wonders to revitalize him. While the drink isn’t entirely Lebanese, I thought it would be a great idea to share the recipe and process with all of you. Please excuse the mess in the kitchen; we are working with what we have! I’ll walk you through the ingredients, which include milk, honey, mint, ginger, and cinnamon, and show you how we make this soothing drink step by step. And yes, we’ll be translating all the necessary words into Lebanese Arabic, providing a mini language lesson along the way. So, if you’re ready for a warm, comforting recipe and a sprinkle of Lebanese language learning, stay tuned!
Transcript
I am currently at my friend’s house, and it turns out that one of my friends is unwell. He’s down with the flu and has been coughing excessively. Yes, he’s coughing a lot. Consequently, I’ve decided to prepare a special, wintry drink for him. I am confident that it will significantly aid in his revitalization.
Now, this drink isn’t entirely Lebanese, but I thought it would be nice to share the recipe with you all. Please excuse the mess in the background; we’re at my friend’s place, after all.
The ingredients for our drink include milk and honey. Over here, we have some mint. In Lebanon, we use both liquid and powdered milk quite frequently. In Arabic, milk is referred to as “7aleeb.” Let’s go ahead and add a few spoons of milk to our mixture. Since we’re not at my house, I apologize if things seem a bit disorganized.
Next, we need to boil the milk. Could someone assist me in lighting the stove? In Arabic, we say “ywalle3leh l ghaz.” How do they do it here? Alright, now that we’ve got that sorted, we’ll wait for the milk to boil. Remember, it’s crucial not to use a plastic spoon in hot liquids; it’s not safe.
As the milk heats up, I’ll share my not-so-secret ingredient: ginger. Fresh ginger is excellent for combating flu symptoms. In Arabic, ginger is known as “zanjabeel.” We’ll add the ginger to the milk. I’m going to put it in now, as we’re a bit pressed for time.
Should I wait for the milk to boil first? No? Alright, in goes the ginger. Along with that, I’ll add some cinnamon, or “2erfeh” in Arabic. If you’re using a cinnamon stick, you’d say “3ood 2erfeh.” This is particularly beneficial for those dealing with a cough.
Let’s add it to the pot and wait for everything to boil. My friend over there is making pasta, but we need to give our mixture some time to heat up properly. Is there enough water in the pot? Yes, that should be sufficient.
When you’re feeling under the weather with the flu, this is what you need to do: boil the milk, add ginger, and add a cinnamon stick or cinnamon powder. In Arabic, you’d say “bteghleh l 7aleeb” for boiling the milk, “betzeedo” for adding ingredients, “betzeedo zanjabeel w 3ood l 2erfeh” for adding ginger and cinnamon.
Now, our drink is almost ready. It’s not completely boiled yet, but it already has a delightful taste. The container we’re using to heat the milk is called a “rakweh,” a term we learned in a previous video about coffee.
This drink is not only delicious but also perfect for the cold winter months. Even if you’re not sick, you can enjoy it for dinner with a piece of bread or something similar. Speaking of which, I’ve baked a cake – well, Betty Crocker and I did. It’s right here, and I’m going to serve it to my friend along with the milk.
Alright, the milk has boiled. Since we couldn’t find any mugs, we’ll use this very original cup to serve our drink. Now, for the final touch: honey, or “3asal” in Arabic. Let’s add a generous spoonful to our drink. I believe it’s going to taste fantastic, and I’ll also offer my friend a piece of the cake.
So, that’s the recipe for today: “7aleeb, 3ood 2erfeh, zanjabeel w 3asal.” We boil them on the stove – “mneghliyoun 3al nar,” with “nar” meaning fire. Enjoy your drink, and “sa7tein” – that’s how we say “bon appétit” in Arabic.
If you want to wish someone a speedy recovery, you can say “get well” or, in Arabic, “salemtak” for a man, “salemtik” for a woman, and “salemetkoun” for a group of people.
So, “salemetkoun,” and goodbye!
Recap:
| English | Lebanese (Latin Letters) | Lebanese (Arabic Alphabet) |
|---|---|---|
| Milk | 7aleeb | حليب |
| Ginger | zanjabeel | زنجبيل |
| Cinnamon | 2erfeh | قرفة |
| Cinnamon Stick | 3ood 2erfeh | عود قرفة |
| Honey | 3asal | عسل |
| Boil the milk | bteghleh l 7aleeb | بتغلي الحليب |
| Add | betzeedo | بتزيدو |
| Add ginger and cinnamon | betzeedo zanjabeel w 3ood l 2erfeh | بتزيدو زنجبيل وعود قرفة |
| On the stove | 3al nar | على النار |
| Fire | nar | نار |
| Enjoy your meal / Bon appétit | sa7tein | صحتين |
| Get well (to a man) | salemtak | سلامتك |
| Get well (to a woman) | salemtik | سلامتك |
| Get well (to a group) | salemetkoun | سلامتكن |
