Cooks give record a pasting

Lebanese cooks have whipped up more than 10 tonnes of hummus, breaking a world record held by Israel.

The gigantic serving of the chickpea paste is the latest shot in the two countries' war to assert ownership of the dip. About 300 Lebanese cooks prepared the huge batch of hummus that weighed in at 10,452kg.

That more than doubles the previous record of about four tonnes set in January by cooks in an Arab town near Jerusalem that broke a previous record held by Lebanon. A Guinness World Records adjudicator confirmed that Lebanon now holds the record.

Lebanon accuses Israel of stealing traditional Arab dishes such as hummus and marketing them around the world as being Israeli.

- AP