Let me tell you about the best chicken shop in the world.
It's called Alabdalla and it started in Zibdine in Lebanon.
I remember when I was small it was a little grilling shack on the side of the road coming from Nabatayeh, and there were always queues because the chicken was so good.
Of course it was the secret garlic sauce that made everyone crazy for it. They also grilled the chicken to perfection.
Years went by and lots of people copied Alabdalla, some even claiming they were the original! Alabdalla grew and expanded across the Middle East.
The original Alabdalla opened a big multistorey shop in the first location and it remains the best one.
Of course I will never be able to make the exact sauce but I can try and imitate it in honour of the greatest chicken shop in the world.
Top Tips
First you will have to make Lebanese toum (garlic sauce) video below, or if you want to cheat you can buy some from a restaurant or a deli.
Check out my original toum recipe which will make you a small bowl of garlic sauce.
To make the Alabdalla style garlic sauce, you will need:
- Sumac for sourness
- Cumin and ground coriander for earthiness
- Cayenne for spiciness
- Paprika for warm sweetness
- Ketchup
- A pinch of salt
You can also use a little squeeze of tomato concentrate or red pepper paste but I prefer ketchup as it gives a little sweetness to balance the other flavours.
Be ready to taste and adjust it depending on your likeness but this is just a guide.
Top Tips
When making the toum, try and freeze the peeled garlic cloves at least 4 hours beforehand, this will prevent the sauce from overheating in the blender.
If you don't want the sauce too sharp take out the little green bits inside the garlic.
If you rush the toum by adding lots of oil at once it will split and you will cry. So add in a very steady small stream bit by bit.
When the sauce emulsifies and comes together, avoid over blending it too much as it will risk splitting.
Adding an ice cube at the end will shock the sauce and make it more fluffy.
Don't be heavy handed with the spices, use a pinch or less than ¼ teaspoon for a small bowlful.
The garlic sauce can be placed in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for a few months. Just take it out when you are ready to eat.
📖 Recipe
Spicy Toum (Alabdalla style garlic sauce)
Spicy sour homemade garlic sauce
Ingredients
For the Toum garlic sauce
- 2-3 garlic cloves frozen
- a good pinch of salt
- 1 egg white
- ½ a lemon juiced
- 1 cup vegetable or sunflower oil
- 1 ice cube
Spices
- ¼ teaspoon cumin
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon sumac
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- a squeeze of ketchup
- 1 teaspoon red pepper paste optional
Instructions
To make the Toum garlic sauce
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Peel and freeze the garlic cloves at least 4 hours beforehand
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Once you are ready to make the toum, add the garlic, salt and egg white to a food processor and blitz well
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Keep the blender on medium and add ¼ of the oil and blend
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Then ever so slowly add alternating amounts of oil and lemon juice in a tiny steady stream
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When the mixture has come together, add an ice cube and blend for another 30 seconds or so until the mixture goes fluffy.
To make the spicy Toum
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Transfer the garlic sauce to a bowl and add the cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, sumac, ketchup, red pepper paste and mix
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Taste and adjust salt or spice accordingly, store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for several months.
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Check out our Youtube page for full video tutorials, our Facebook group to discuss Lebanese cooking, as well as our tiktok page for quick tips.
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