Walnuts

Walnuts, known in Arabic as jawz, are the wrinkled, two-lobed kernels of the walnut tree, with a mild, buttery and slightly bitter taste. They are a familiar ingredient in Lebanese kitchens: chopped into the filling of maamoul, blended into mouhammara, layered into baklava and other sweets, or added to salads, yogurt, oatmeal and cakes. Many people also enjoy them on their own as a snack, or lightly toasted to bring out their flavour. At Dekenet Al Nes, walnuts sit on the shelf with the raw nuts and are sold by the kilo, so you can take just the amount you need. Dekenet Al Nes is a package-free grocery store in Baaqline, in the Chouf, where customers are encouraged to bring their own containers and refill, cutting down on plastic waste and single-use packaging.