Being of Middle Eastern descent myself, whenever I find myself at dinner with people of similar Middle Eastern descents, one of the main topics of conversation/argument is where a particular dish came from. Whether it be stuffed grape leaves or hummus, the battle will always continue. As of recent events, a group of Lebanese chefs gathered to put the power of numbers and ingenuity to the test against their Israeli neighbors with a goal of creating the world’s largest dish of hummus. It seems as if some “Lebanese businessmen accuse Israel of stealing traditional Middle Eastern dishes, like hummus, and marketing them worldwide as Israeli products” (AP). Hummus is a dish that often finds different varieties depending on the creator, but is normally made from mashed up chickpeas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. While eaten for centuries, the exact origin seems to be unknown. Lebanon decided to take things into their own hands, and with the collaboration of some 300 chefs, they filled a massive ceramic plate of hummus in downtown Beirut. The final 4,532 lb. (2,056 kilograms) dish utilized 2,976 pounds of mashed chickpeas, 106 gallons of lemon juice and 57 pounds of salt. Shortly after, a representative from the Guiness Book of World Records confirmed their record-breaking dish.

According to Yahoo, a similar attempt will be made next week by the Lebanese to create the largest serving of tabbouleh, a salad dish consisting of chopped parsley and tomatoes. Middle Eastern heads, who do these dishes truly belong too?!