NEW WORLD RECORD
Largest hummus dish - Israeli chefs sets world record

  Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Largest hummus plate-world record set by Lebanese chefs

 BEIRUT, Lebanon -- 250 sous chefs and 50 of their instructors from the Kafaat School of Catering , led by the famous Lebanese chef and culinary figure Ramzi Choueiri , prepared a massive plate of hummus weighing 4,532 pounds (2,056 kilograms)-setting the new world record for the Largest hummus  plate .

 Photo: Lebanese chefs celebrate around the Largest hummus plate / AFP photo   ( enlarge photo )

   Some 300 chefs were involved in preparing the Largest hummus  plate in a huge tent set up in downtown Beirut.

  The white-uniformed chefs used 2,976 pounds (1,350 kilograms) of mashed chickpeas, 106 gallons (400 liters) of lemon juice and 57 pounds (26 kilograms) of salt to make the dish, weighing 4,532 pounds (2,056 kilograms).

   The previous Guinness world record for the Largest hummus plate was held by an Israeli food production company.

 The event is part of a simmering war between Lebanon and Israel over regional cuisine. Lebanese businessmen accuse Israel of stealing traditional Middle Eastern dishes, like hummus, and marketing them worldwide as Israeli products.

   Hummus — made from mashed chickpeas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic — has been eaten in the Middle East for centuries. Its exact origin is unknown, though it's generally seen as an Arab dish.

  But it is also immensely popular in Israel — served in everyday meals and at many restaurants — and its popularity is growing around the globe.

   The event was organized by the International Fairs and Promotions group (IFP), along with the Association of Lebanese Industrialists (ALI) and the Industry Minister Ghazi Zaiter.