24/10/2009 Lebanon was set on Saturday to set a new world record and mark a new victory on Israel by preparing a two-ton plate of Humus (Chick-pea), thus beating an Israeli record two years ago when the Zionist entity prepared an 800kg plate of this pure Lebanese appetizer.
 
Hundreds of garlic-loving Lebanese came together to make the largest hummus serving on the world's biggest plate. A Guinness representative was on hand to certify the record set by 250 Lebanese chefs and their trainees, who joined efforts to mix over two tons of the chickpea-based dip.
  
Under the watchful eyes of the adjudicator, they poured 1,350 kilograms (2,976 pounds) of mashed chickpeas and 400 liters (13,525 ounces) of lemon juice into the mega-sized pottery dish, cheered on by hundreds of onlookers.
 
The chefs gathered around their dish upon receiving the Guinness certificate and sang an a capella version of the national anthem before joining hands to dance the traditional dabke in celebration.
  
Organizers have hailed the event as "a patriotic event of national scale. "El Hommos Lebnaneh (Hummus is Lebanese) is an attempt to break the current Guinness world records of hummus and tabbouleh, reaffirming the Lebanese proprietorship of these two dishes," said a statement issued by the industrialist association and food syndicate, which planned the event.
  
Hummus is a dip made of chick peas, sesame paste, olive oil, lemon juice and garlic while tabbouleh is a salad made with parsley, bulgur wheat, scallions and tomatoes.
  
The official awards ceremony is set to take place Sunday evening, when Lebanon hopes to break another world record for the largest bowl of tabbouleh.
 
The Kuwaiti daily Al Rai quoted the head of the Lebanese Food Production Association, Georges Nassrawi, that the aim of the festival was not to break the Israeli world record, but to confront Israel’s endeavor to steel this Lebanese product from its rightful owners, knowing that Humus is a traditional Lebanese dish and that Lebanon had pioneered canning and exporting this product to the world.
 
Nassrawi added that Lebanon was working on registering Humus at the European Union by presenting a full dossier with information that document when the first ever Humus plate was made in Lebanon, when it was first canned and how it was named Humus Bithini (thick sauce made of sesame oil). He added that the goal was to regain the real identity of Humus and stop Israel from exploiting it for its benefit.
 
Nassrawi pointed that 250 chefs from the Kafaat Institute will take part in this event and that they will be supervised by prominent Lebanese chef Ramzi Chouairi who will see that all requirements will be fulfilled to enter the Guinness book of world records.