Which small Lebanese sausage is traditionally served with pomegranate molasses? Makanek is the answer.
Makanek is a small Levantine sausage made from spiced ground meat, traditionally a mixture of lamb and beef, packed into sheep casing. The links are usually fried until the casing becomes crisp, then served with pomegranate molasses, whose sweet-tart flavor balances the savory spices.
The sausage is especially popular in Lebanon and is commonly served as a meze, a sandwich filling, or part of a shared breakfast or dinner spread. Pickles often accompany it. Recipes may include pine nuts, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, vinegar, or wine, so the flavor varies between households and communities.
Makanek is also known as na'anik or nakanik. The broader word nakanik has an old linguistic history: it ultimately traces through Aramaic to the Latin term lucanica, a word associated with sausage.
It should not be confused with sujuk, which is generally a larger, heavily seasoned and dried sausage. Makanek is typically small, fresh, and cooked immediately, while sujuk is commonly cured before eating.