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Wikipedia

Arab cuisine

Arab cuisine (Arabic: المطبخ العربي, romanizedal-maṭbakh al-ʻarabī) is the cuisine of the Arab world, defined as the various regional cuisines of the Arab people, spanning from the Maghreb to the Mashriq.[1] These cuisines are centuries old and reflect the culture of trading in ingredients, spices, herbs, and commodities. The regions have many similarities, but also unique traditions. They have also been influenced by climate, cultivation, and mutual commerce.

Couscous is prevalent in the Magreb (west), while rice is prevalent in the Mashreq (east)

Medieval cuisine edit

Breads edit

The white bread barazidhaj was made with high-quality wheat flour, similar to raqaq bread but thicker, the fermented dough was leavened usually with yeast and "baker's borax" (buraq) and baked in a tandoor. One poetic verse describing this bread:[2]

"In the farthest end of Karkh of Baghdad, a baker I saw offering bread, wondrous fair.
From purest essence of wheat contrived. Radiant and absolute, you may see your image reflected, crystal clear.
Barazij rounds glowing with lovely whiteness, more playful than gorgeous singing girls,
They look like crystal trays, and were they indeed so, they would have served us as plates.

Raqaq bread was made in two varieties, labiq (soft, thin flatbreads) and jarmazaj (dry, thin bread flavored with tamarisk seeds).

Sauces edit

Numerous recipes for sauces (sibagh) have survived from historic Arabic cookbooks. The 10th-century Kitab al-Tabikh written by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq gives several recipes to be served with roasted fish, attributed to the various sources.

To Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi are credited two sibagh recipes, one prepared by adding rue, caraway, thyme, asafetida and cassia to the mustard sauce, and another made by mashing vinegar-soaked raisins with garlic, walnut, mustard, vinegar, and seasonings like asafetida and anise.

From the seventh Abbasid caliph Al-Ma'mun's recipe collection comes a sibagh made with whey, walnut, garlic, olive oil and murri.

There are similar recipes meant for poultry dishes prepared with seasonings like ginger, pomegranate, spikenard, and cloves.

A surviving poem about sibagh is attributed to Caliph Al-Mu'tamid:[3]

The concept of sibagh is so subtle that none but the wise its depths may sound.
Walnut and garlic with yogurt whey are the most you may need for it.
Or make it with vinegar, mahrut, and coriander. But with anjudhan it will be even better.
If not, then mustard and garlic mixed with anjudhan and onion, equal parts, will make your relish.
Or with just vinegar and onion eat your fish and it will still be a tasty dish.

Sweets edit

Described as the "food of kings" and "supreme judge of all sweets", lauzinaj was an almond-based confection that had entered medieval European cuisine by the 13th-century from Andalusian influence, returning Crusaders and Latin translations of cookery books. There are two versions of the dish known from medieval texts:[4]

  1. Lauzinaj mugharraq or "drenched lauzinaj" is believed to be an earlier version of the Ottoman dish baklava. It was made by filling thin pastry dough with a mixture of ground almond (and sometimes other nuts like pistachio or walnut), rose water, and sometimes luxury flavorings like mastic, ambergris, or musk.
  2. Lauzinaj yabis was made with ground almonds cooked in boiling honey or sugar until reaching a taffy-like consistency. The raw version, closer to marzipan in consistency, was made by blending the almonds with sugar and flavoring with camphor, musk, and rose water. The finished confection was molded into animal or other shapes, or cut into squares and triangles.

Vegetables edit

Vegetables include leeks, endive, melilot, fenugreek, okra, onions, purslane, Jew's mallow and radish.[5] Boiled asparagus is served with olive oil and murri. The cooking water may be sweetened with honey and seasoned with cilantro, rue, anise and black pepper, and used as a beverage either by itself with honey, or added to wine.[6]

Some vegetables are consumed raw, but the following are usually boiled: asparagus, cauliflower, white soy beans, leeks, orach, a variety of mushroom known as ghushina[clarification needed], chard, cabbage, carrot, turnip, fresh fennel and eggplant.[7]

Some vegetable dishes are served cold. One example of such a dish is eggplant with fried onion, fresh herbs and olive oil dressed with fermented sauces, vinegar and caraway. There are several cold eggplant dishes that are similar, some made with smoked eggplant, adding nuts like ground walnuts or almonds, and sometimes different seasonings like saffron, cassia, and galangal.

A dish for fried carrots with fresh herbs, dressing and spices was described by the poet Kushajim:[8][9]

Dinars of carnelian and gold in a vessel so delicate, it may almost melt and flow.
All radiating with luster like carnelian shimmering on pearls.
In the vessel harmoniously combined, here together and there disperse.
The spices emitting fragrance like wine mingled with sweet breeze.
On top are pearls and silver decked with gems,
Which the cook delicately fashioned, a gorgeous dish with flavor and perfume.
The scattered rue is flowers of turquoise gems, vibrantly green,
Jiggling with murri and olive oil, ebbing and flowing with sheen.

Diet and foods edit

 
An Arab appetizer
 
Arab salads: Arab salad, fattoush, matbucha, tabbouleh and raheb

Arab cuisine uses specific and unique foods and spices. Some of those foods are:

 
Herbs and spices include sesame, saffron, black pepper, allspice, turmeric, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, parsley, coriander and sumac.
 
Spice mixtures include baharat, ras el hanout, za'atar, and harissa.
  • Beverages—hot beverages are served more often than cold, coffee being at the top of the list in Middle-Eastern countries and tea at top in Maghreb countries.
 
In Jordan, Palestinian culture, Egypt, some parts of Syria, Morocco, and Algeria, tea is much more prevalent as a beverage. Other Arabic drinks include Andalucian horchata and Maghrebi avocado smoothie.
 
According to historic recipes known from Arabic cookbooks, grains were primarily used to make porridge and pasta type dishes in Arab cuisine until the 12th century. Two types of pasta were known: itriya, a short dry noodle of Greek origin similar to orzo, and rishta, a hand-cut fresh noodle of Persian origin.
 
By the 13th century, the Turkic style tutmaj and salma noodles had entered the cuisine.[11]

Structure of meals edit

There are two basic structures for meals in the Arab World, one regular schedule during most of the year and a second one that is unique to the month of Ramadan in which observant Muslims fast during the day.

Year-round edit

Breakfast edit

Cafés often serve croissants for breakfast. Breakfast is often a quick meal, consisting of bread and dairy products, with tea and sometimes jam. The most common breakfast items are labneh and cream (kishta, made of cow's milk).

Lunch edit

 
A selection of Jordanian mezze—appetizers or small dishes—in Petra, Jordan

Lunch is considered the main meal of the day, and is traditionally eaten between 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm. It is the meal for which the family comes together. Rarely do meals have different courses; however, salads and mezze are served as side dishes to the main meal.

The platter usually consists of a portion of meat, poultry or fish, a portion of rice, lentils, bread and a portion of cooked vegetables, in addition to the fresh ones with the mezze and salad.

The vegetables and meat are usually cooked together in a sauce (often tomato, although others are also popular) to make maraqa, which is served with rice. Most households add bread.

 
Maraqa laga sameeyo khudaarta (Somali: "vegetable soup")

Drinks are not necessarily served with the food; however, there is a very wide variety of drinks such as shineena (or laban), karakaden, Naqe'e Al Zabib, Irq Soos, Tamr Hindi, and fruit juice, as well as other traditional Arabic drinks.

During the 20th century, carbonated soda and fruit-based drinks have also become very popular.

Dinner edit

Dinner is traditionally the lightest meal, although in modern times, dinner has become more important with regards to entertaining guests due to the hours of the workday.

Ramadan edit

Iftar edit

Iftar (also called Futuur), or fast-breaking, is the meal taken at dusk when the fast is over. The meal consists of three courses: first, diners eat a date due to Islamic tradition.

This is followed by a soup or anything they would like, the most popular being lentil soup, but a wide variety of soups such as chicken, oats, freeka (a soup made from whole wheat and chicken broth), potato, maash, and others are also offered.

 
Freekeh with roasted vegetables

The third course is the main dish, usually eaten after an interval, when Maghreb prayer is conducted. The main dish is mostly similar to what is served in lunch year-round, except that cold drinks are served.

Suhur edit

Suhur is the meal eaten just before dawn, when fasting must begin. It is eaten to help the person make it through the day with enough energy until dusk.

Sweets edit

 
Kanafeh Nabulsieh from Nablus

In addition to the two meals eaten during Ramadan (one for dinner and one for Suhur before dawn), sweets are consumed much more than usual during the month of Ramadan; sweets and fresh fruits are served between these two meals. Although most sweets are made all year-round such as kanafeh, baklava, and basbousa, some are made especially for Ramadan, such as qatayef.[12]

Arab hospitality edit

 
Coffeehouse in Cairo, 18th century

Essential to any cooking in the Arab world is the concept of hospitality and generosity. Meals are generally large family affairs, with much sharing and a great deal of warmth over the dinner table. Formal dinners and celebrations generally involve large quantities of lamb, and every occasion entails large quantities of Arabic coffee or Arabic tea.

 
The different types of Arabic coffee with Hejazi/Najdi golden coffee seen on the left and the Levantine black qahwah sādah (plain coffee) on the right

Khaleej edit

Coffee ceremony edit

In the Khaleej al-Arab region, a visitor is greeted by a great table of dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts and cakes with syrup. Dried fruits include figs, dates, apricots and plums. Fresh fruits include citruses, melons and pomegranate. Arabic coffee is most favored, but Arabic tea is also a great refresher. Spices are often added to the coffee and other drinks.

 
Dried fruits

Guests dinner edit

In the Khaleej al-Arab region, a guest should expect a dinner consisting of a very large platter called Kabsa, shared commonly, with a large amount of spiced rice, with spicy lamb, chicken, or both, as separate dishes, with various stewed vegetables, heavily spiced, sometimes with a tomato-based sauce.

Different types of bread are served with toppings specific to the region. Tea would certainly accompany the meal, as it is almost constantly consumed. Coffee would also be served.

 
Dallahs for serving Arabic coffee

Maghreb edit

Tea/coffee ceremony edit

In the Maghreb region, a visitor will find a table full of bread-like snacks, including m’semen, baghrir, and other stuffed breads. These are served with honey, rosewater or olive oil.

 
M'semen, usually served with honey, mint tea or coffee, can also be stuffed with meat

There are also many different cookies and cakes included accompanied by plates with different kinds of nuts. Mint tea is often served with it in a traditional Maghrebian teapot.

Dinner guests edit

In the Maghreb region, a guest may find a table with different kinds of stews, called marqas or tajines. Dishes such as couscous and other semolina-based foods are also to be found.

These main dishes are accompanied by smaller mezze-like plates with salads, sauces and dips. Breads such as m'semen, khobz and baguette are used to eat the stews.

 
Tajine with lamb and mango

Levantine edit

Coffee/tea ceremony edit

In an average Arab Levantine household, a visitor might expect a table full of mezzes, breads topped with spices including za'atar and nuts. In the Levant, Arabic coffee is a much-loved beverage, but Arabic tea is also much enjoyed in Jordan and Palestinian culture.

Dinner guests edit

In the Levant, a guest will find a table with different kinds of mezzes, nuts, dips and oils. Mezzes include hummus, baba ghanoush, falafel, kibbeh, kafta, smoked vegetables and tabouli salads. The nuts can differ from almonds to walnuts, with different spice coatings. The dips and oils include hummus and olive oil.

 
Hummus with chickpeas, sesame seeds, and oil

Regional differences edit

There are many regional differences in the Arab cuisine. For instance, mujadara in Syria and Lebanon is different from mujadara in Jordan and Palestinian culture. Some dishes, such as mansaf (the national dish of Jordan), are native to certain countries and rarely, if ever, make an appearance in other countries.

 
Traditional mansaf served on flatbread

Unlike most Western recipes, cinnamon is used in meat dishes, as well as in sweets such as baklava. Dishes such as tajine and couscous can differ from Morocco to Libya, each having their own unique preparation. Other dishes, such as the Andalucian-Moorish bastilla and albondigas have different traditional spice mixes and fillings.

 
Bastilla, Moroccan meat pie

Many Arabic food words are borrowed from Aramaic, the language spoken by the Christian Nabataean inhabitants of Iraq and Syria.[11]

Regional Arab cuisines edit

Arabian Peninsula edit

 
Camel meat is popular in the Arabian Peninsula
 
Dates are a staple in Arabian cuisine.
 
Kabsa

South Arabian and Eastern Arabian cuisine today is the result of a combination of diverse influences, incorporating Levantine and Yemeni cuisines.[13]

Bukhari rice (رز بخاري) (Ruz al Bukhari) is a very popular dish eaten in the Hejaz district of Saudi Arabia. It is made with spicy tomato sauce, flavoured chicken and a fresh salad.

 
Kabsa is also known as machbūs

Kabsa (Arabic: كبسة kabsah) or makbūs/machbūs (مكبوس/مچبوس Gulf pron.: [mɑtʃˈbuːs]) is an Arab mixed rice dish that originates from Yemen.[14] It is commonly regarded as a national dish in all the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. It can also be found in regions such as southern Iran, Gaza in Palestine,[15] and the Malabar Coast of India.

The cuisine of Yemen is in some ways distinct from other Arab cuisines. As in most Arab countries, chicken, goat, and lamb are eaten more often than beef, and fish is eaten mostly in coastal areas.

However, cheese, butter, and other dairy products are less common, especially in the cities and other urban areas. As with other Arab cuisines, the most widespread beverages are tea and coffee; tea is usually flavored with cardamom, clove, or mint, and coffee with cardamom. Karakaden, Naqe'e Al Zabib, and diba'a are the most widespread cold beverages.

Although each region has their own variation, saltah (سلتة) is considered the national dish of Yemen. The base is a brown meat is called maraq (مرق), a dollop of fenugreek froth, and sahawiq (سحاوق) or sahowqa (a mixture of chili peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs ground into a salsa.)

 
Bowl of saltah

Rice, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and vegetables are common additions to saltah. It is eaten with flat bread known as mulawah, which serves as a utensil to scoop up the food.

Other dishes widely known in Yemen include aseed, fahsa, thareed, samak mafi, mandi, fattah, shakshouka, shafut, bint al-sahn, kabsa, jachnun, harees and Hyderabadi haleem.[16][17][18]

 
Luqmat al-qadi

Mashriq edit

 
Typical popular traditional Arab meal

Levantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Fertile Crescent. Although now divided into Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Palestinian culture, the region has historically been more united, and shares many culinary traditions. Although very similar, there is some variation within the Levantine area.

Dishes include olive oil, za'atar, and garlic, and common dishes include a wide array of mezze or bread dips, stuffings, and side dishes such as hummus, falafel, ful, tabouleh, labaneh, and baba ghanoush.

 
Tabbouleh

It also includes copious amounts of garlic and olive oil, often seasoned with lemon juice—almost no meal goes by without including these ingredients. Most often foods are either grilled, baked, fried, or sautéed in olive oil; butter and cream are rarely used, other than in a few desserts.

Vegetables are often eaten raw or pickled, as well as cooked. While the cuisine does not boast a multitude of sauces, it focuses on herbs, spices, and the freshness of ingredients.

Bedouin cuisine edit

The Bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula, Middle East and North Africa rely on a diet of dates, dried fruit, nuts, wheat, barley, rice, and meat. The meat comes from large animals such as cows, sheep, and lambs. They also eat dairy products: milk, cheese, yoghurt, and buttermilk (labneh).

Bedouins also use many different dried beans including white beans, lentils, and chickpeas. Vegetables that are commonly used are those that could be dried, such as pumpkins, but also vegetables that are more heat-resistant, such as aubergines.

They drink a lot of fresh verbena tea, Arabic tea, Maghrebi mint tea, or Arabic coffee. A daily break to freshen up with drinks is a much-loved tradition.

Common breads in the Maghreb are khobz and khaleej. Traditional dishes such as marqa and tajines (stews) are also regularly prepared.

Breakfast consists of baked beans, bread, nuts, dried fruits, milk, yoghurt, and cheese with tea or coffee. Snacks also include nuts and dried fruits.

Levant edit

 
Maqluba, a rice and eggplant or cauliflower casserole, often with lamb
 
Sfiha comes from Baalbek, flatbread with a minced meat topping, often lamb
 
Musakhan, a Palestinian dish—chicken with onions, spices and pine nuts on taboon bread
 
Mujaddara
 
Mansaf, traditional lamb dish in yogurt sauce, served with rice or bulgur

In Palestinian culture and in Jordan, the population has a cooking style of their own, involved in roasting various meats, baking flatbreads, and cooking thick yogurt-like pastes from goat's milk.

Musakhan is a common main dish, famous in northern Jordan, the city of Jerusalem, and northern West Bank. The main component is taboon bread, which is topped with pieces of cooked sweet onions, sumac, saffron, and allspice. For large dinners, it can be topped by one or two roasted chickens on a single large taboon bread.

The primary cheese of the Palestinian mezze is Ackawi cheese, which is a semi-hard cheese with a mild, salty taste and sparsely filled with roasted sesame seeds. It is primarily used in kenafah.

Maqluba is another popular meal in Jordan and central Palestine. Mujaddara, another food of the West Bank, as well as in the Levant in general, consists of cooked green lentils, with bulghur sauteed in olive oil.

Mansaf is a traditional meal, and the national dish of Jordan, having roots in the Bedouin population of the country. It is mostly cooked on special occasions such as Ramadan, Eid ul-Fitr, a birth, or a large dinner gathering.

 
A variant of mansaf in Amman, Jordan

Mansaf is a leg of lamb or large pieces of mutton, on top of a markook bread that has been topped with yellow rice. A type of thick dried yogurt made from goat's milk, called jameed, is poured on top of the lamb and rice to give it its distinct flavor and taste. The dish is garnished with cooked pine nuts and almonds.

Levantine cuisine is also famous for its wide range of cheeses, including shanklish, halloumi, and arisheh.

Kishk is a famous Syrian soup, alongside many soups made of lentils. Lebanese food also has a wide range of dips including hummus, baba ganoush, and labneh, and offers many raw-meat dishes.

Syrian food can be either extremely vegetarian or a meat lover's paradise. Lemon, oregano, za'atar, paprika, and various other Mediterranean spices and herbs are used in Syrian cuisine.

Levantine cuisine also incorporates wines made in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Palestine and the Levantine equivalent of the Greek ouzo, known as arak.

Iraq/Mesopotamia edit

Iraq is home to the first cookbook ever recorded in history, historically in Baghdad and Mesopotamia. The Kitab al-tabikh is the oldest surviving Arabic cookbook, written by al-Warraq in the 10th century. It is compiled from the recipes of the 8th and 9th century courts of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad. Due to its location, Iraq shares similarities in cooking and cuisines between both the surrounding regions of the Arab world as well as Turkish and Persian cuisine. Iraqi cuisine mainly consists of meat, rather than appetizers. In Iraqi cuisine, the most common meats are chicken and lamb. The national dish of Iraq is the Masgouf fish, usually enjoyed with grilled tomatoes and onions. Iraqi cuisine uses more spices than most Arab cuisines. Iraq's main food crops include wheat, barley, rice, vegetables, and dates. Vegetables include eggplant, okra, potatoes, and tomatoes. Pulses such as chickpeas and lentils are also quite common. Common meats in Iraqi cuisine are lamb and beef; fish and poultry are also used.

Soups and stews are often prepared and served with rice and vegetables. Biryani, although influenced by Indian cuisine, is milder with a different mixture of spices, and a wider variety of vegetables, including potatoes, peas, carrots, and onions. Dolma is also one of the most popular dishes.

The Iraqi cuisine is famous for its extremely tender kebab, as well as its tikka. A wide variety of spices, pickles, and amba are also extensively used.

Egypt edit

 
Kushari, an Egyptian dish.
 
Falafel, deep-fried balls of ground chickpeas or fava beans, is a common dish in Egypt[19] and the Levant.

Egypt has a very rich cuisine with many unique customs. These customs also vary within Egypt itself, for example, in the coastal areas, like the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and Canal, the diet relies heavily on fish. In the more rural areas, reliance on farm products is much heavier. Duck, geese, chicken, and river fish are the main animal protein sources. While Egyptians eat a lot of meat, Egyptian cuisine is rich in vegetarian dishes; three national dishes of Egypt; ful medames, ta'miya (also known in other countries as falafel), and kushari, are generally vegetarian. Fruits are also greatly appreciated in Egypt: mangos, grapes, bananas, apples, sycamore, guavas, and peaches are very popular, especially because they are all domestically produced and are available at relatively low prices. A famous dessert from Egypt is called om ali, which is similar to a bread and butter pudding made traditionally with puff pastry, milk and nuts. It is served all across the Middle East and is also made on special occasions such as Eid.[20] Bread is a staple in Egypt; the most common breads are eish baladi.

Africa edit

Sudan edit

 
Shahan ful presented alongside olive oil, berbere, various vegetables, and a roll of bread

In comparison to its Maghreb and Levantine neighbors, the cuisine of Sudan tends to be generous with spices. Sudanese cuisine has a rich variety in ingredients and creativity. Simple everyday vegetables are used to create stews and omelettes that are healthy yet nutritious, and full of energy and flair. These stews are called mullah. One could have a zucchini mullah, spinach (riglah) mullah, etc. Popular dishes include ful medames, shahan ful, hummus, bamya (a stew made from ground, sun-dried okra), and gurasa (pancake), as well as different types of salads and sweets.

Maghreb edit

 
Couscous, a characteristic dish of the Maghreb, is made of steamed balls of crushed durum wheat semolina about 3 millimetres (0.12 in) across[21] traditionally served with stew spooned on top.

Maghreb cuisine is the cooking of the Maghreb region, the northwesternmost part of the Arab world along the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of the countries of Algeria, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and Mauritania. In Maghrebi cuisine, the most common staple foods are wheat (for khobz bread[22] and couscous[23]),[24] fish, seafood, goat,[25] lamb,[25] beef,[25] dates, almonds, olives and various vegetables and fruits.[26]

Moroccan cuisine has long been considered one of the most diverse in the world. This is because Morocco has interacted extensively with the outside world for centuries. Over the centuries, chefs in Moroccan cuisine in Fes, Meknes, Marrakech, Rabat and Tetouan have been the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today. Moroccan cuisine also ranked first in the Arab world and Africa, and second in the world in 2012 after France.

 
Tajine is a Maghrebi dish which is named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. It is also called maraq or marqa.

Tunisian cuisine is the style of cooking used by the Tunisian people and is part of the Maghreb and Mediterranean cuisine. Assa on mush[clarification needed], spices, olive oil, chili red pepper, kodaid, wheat flour, lamb, garlic, fish and many other vegetables and spices are common. Tunisian cuisine offers what is known as a "solar kitchen" that relies heavily on olive oil, spices, tomatoes, fish species, and meat. Bread is an essential ingredient in Tunisian cuisine, as it accompanies almost all dishes and is usually used by dipping for broth.

Libyan cuisine derives much from the traditions of Maghreb and Mediterranean cuisines. One of the most popular Libyan dishes is bazin, an unleavened bread prepared with barley, water and salt.[27] Bazin is prepared by boiling barley flour in water and then beating it to create a dough using a magraf, which is a unique stick designed for this purpose.[28] Pork consumption is forbidden, in accordance with Sharia, the religious laws of Islam.[29] Tripoli is Libya's capital, and the cuisine is particularly influenced by Italian cuisine.[29] Pasta is common, and many seafood dishes are available.[29] Southern Libyan cuisine is more traditionally Arab and Berber. Common fruits and vegetables include figs, dates, oranges, apricots and olives.[29]

 
Rechta is a Maghrebi dish of fine noodles, consumed particularly in Algeria and Libya and to a lesser extent in Tunisia and Morocco.

Libyan cooking, like Tunisian, includes hot spices. Typical foods are bazin (Libyan bread), bsisa, couscous, harissa, hassaa, lebrak (filled grape leaves with rice and minced meat), Libyan boureek, Libyan summer salad, marqa or tajine, madrouba, and mbatten. Mbekbka is a unique Libyan soup with pasta or spaghetti—rather than draining off the water, pasta is boiled together with the sauce. It can be made with any type of pasta, and the simplest dish involves frying onions in oil, throwing in the tomato puree, chili powder, turmeric, then adding water and salt and leaving to boil before adding the pasta. Another way involves adding lamb chops, chickpeas and garlic to the sauce before serving hot with a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil, lemon, fresh chili and optional crusty bread. Other vegetables such as pumpkin, potato and green pepper can be added.[citation needed] Maglouba, shakshouka, sherba, usban, zumita and asida. Desserts and beverages include makroudh, Libyan tea, ghoriba, maakroun, mafruka and mhalbiya.

Algerian cuisine is characterized by a wealth derived from land and sea production, a Mediterranean-Maghreb cuisine. It offers a variety of dishes depending on the region and season, which gives a very varied plate. This cuisine is still based on vegetables and cereals that have always been produced in abundance in the country, which was formerly called Roma bakery and then Bakery Europe.[citation needed] In addition, Algeria's rich history has contributed to the abundance of food from different periods and regions of the world. Among all the culinary specialties available in Algeria, couscous remains the most famous, recognized as a national dish, as well as the traditional pastry called Oriental pastry in Western countries. Despite its historical transmission from generation to generation, there are many books devoted to Algerian cuisine. Algerian cuisine combines a variety of ingredients including vegetables, fruits, spices, meat, fish, seafood, vegetables and dried fruits. Vegetables are often used for salads, soups, casserole, couscous and sauces. Carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, green beans, beans, kale, eggplant, and truffles are widely used.

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Flandrin, Jean-Louis; Montanari, Massimo; Sonnenfeld, Albert; Botsford, Clarissa (1999). Food: A Culinary History from Antiquity to the Present. New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-231-11154-1.
  2. ^ Nasrallah, Nawal (2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. Brill. pp. 121–122.
  3. ^ Nasrallah, Nawal (2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. Brill. pp. 182–184.
  4. ^ The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets. Oxford University Press. April 2015. ISBN 978-0-19-931361-7. from the original on 2022-10-31. Retrieved 2020-06-06.
  5. ^ Nasrallah, Nawal (2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. Brill. p. 129.
  6. ^ Nasrallah, Nawal (2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. Brill. p. 221.
  7. ^ Nasrallah, Nawal (2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. Brill. p. 220.
  8. ^ Nasrallah, Nawal (2007). Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. Brill. p. 229.
  9. ^ Mishan, Ligaya (12 February 2020). "The Rise of Palestinian Food". The New York Times. from the original on 3 August 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  10. ^ Nabeel Y. Abraham. , Encarta Encyclopedia 2007. 2009-10-31.
  11. ^ a b Zaouali, Lilia (2007). Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World. University of California Press.
  12. ^ "Desserts & Sweets in Arabia" 2019-03-28 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ^ "Daily Traditional Gulf Cuisine food recipes". Shahiya.com. from the original on 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  14. ^ Helou, Anissa (2018-10-04). Feast: Food of the Islamic World. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5266-0556-6.
  15. ^ Helou, Anissa (2018-10-04). Feast: Food of the Islamic World. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-5266-0556-6.
  16. ^ "Hadhramaut continues to highlight Arabic presence in Malaysia - Culture & Art - 13/12/2013". KUNA.net. 2013-12-13. from the original on 2015-12-25. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  17. ^ . 158.50.10.7. 2013-12-13. Archived from the original on 2016-01-11. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  18. ^ Grace Chen (2012-07-07). . The Star. Malaysia. Archived from the original on 2017-03-03. Retrieved 2016-01-07.
  19. ^ National Dish of Egypt - Falafel, from the original on 2019-09-22, retrieved 2019-09-22
  20. ^ . Archived from the original on 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2013-08-14.
  21. ^ Shulman, Martha Rose (23 February 2009). "Couscous: Just Don't Call It Pasta". The New York Times. from the original on 25 February 2009. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  22. ^ Qarooni, Jalal (1996). Flat Bread Technology. Springer. pp. 84–. ISBN 978-0-412-08111-8.
  23. ^ Smith, Andrew (2013). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. Oxford University Press. pp. 567–. ISBN 978-0-19-973496-2.
  24. ^ MacVeigh, Jeremy (2008). International Cuisine. Cengage Learning. pp. 273–. ISBN 978-1-111-79970-0.
  25. ^ a b c "North African Cuisine." 2016-04-03 at the Wayback Machine Jamaica Observer 2011-02-22 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed June 2011.
  26. ^ Mourad, Mazouz. "The Momo Cookbook." 2011-09-19 at the Wayback Machine The Globalist 2019-09-12 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed June 2011.
  27. ^ Rozario, P. (2004). Libya. Countries of the world. Gareth Stevens Pub. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-8368-3111-5.
  28. ^ Davidson, A.; Jaine, T.; Davidson, J.; Saberi, H. (2006). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford Companions. OUP Oxford. p. 1356. ISBN 978-0-19-101825-1.
  29. ^ a b c d "Libya" 2014-12-18 at the Wayback Machine. Foodspring.com 2014-12-18 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed June 2011.

External links edit

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arab, cuisine, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, march, 2021,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Arab cuisine news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Arab cuisine Arabic المطبخ العربي romanized al maṭbakh al ʻarabi is the cuisine of the Arab world defined as the various regional cuisines of the Arab people spanning from the Maghreb to the Mashriq 1 These cuisines are centuries old and reflect the culture of trading in ingredients spices herbs and commodities The regions have many similarities but also unique traditions They have also been influenced by climate cultivation and mutual commerce Couscous is prevalent in the Magreb west while rice is prevalent in the Mashreq east Contents 1 Medieval cuisine 1 1 Breads 1 2 Sauces 1 3 Sweets 1 4 Vegetables 2 Diet and foods 3 Structure of meals 3 1 Year round 3 1 1 Breakfast 3 1 2 Lunch 3 1 3 Dinner 3 2 Ramadan 3 2 1 Iftar 3 2 2 Suhur 3 3 Sweets 4 Arab hospitality 4 1 Khaleej 4 1 1 Coffee ceremony 4 1 2 Guests dinner 4 2 Maghreb 4 2 1 Tea coffee ceremony 4 2 2 Dinner guests 4 3 Levantine 4 3 1 Coffee tea ceremony 4 3 2 Dinner guests 4 4 Regional differences 5 Regional Arab cuisines 5 1 Arabian Peninsula 5 2 Mashriq 5 3 Bedouin cuisine 5 4 Levant 5 5 Iraq Mesopotamia 5 6 Egypt 5 7 Africa 5 7 1 Sudan 5 7 2 Maghreb 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 External linksMedieval cuisine editBreads edit The white bread barazidhaj was made with high quality wheat flour similar to raqaq bread but thicker the fermented dough was leavened usually with yeast and baker s borax buraq and baked in a tandoor One poetic verse describing this bread 2 In the farthest end of Karkh of Baghdad a baker I saw offering bread wondrous fair From purest essence of wheat contrived Radiant and absolute you may see your image reflected crystal clear Barazij rounds glowing with lovely whiteness more playful than gorgeous singing girls They look like crystal trays and were they indeed so they would have served us as plates Raqaq bread was made in two varieties labiq soft thin flatbreads and jarmazaj dry thin bread flavored with tamarisk seeds Sauces edit Numerous recipes for sauces sibagh have survived from historic Arabic cookbooks The 10th century Kitab al Tabikh written by Ibn Sayyar al Warraq gives several recipes to be served with roasted fish attributed to the various sources To Ibrahim ibn al Mahdi are credited two sibagh recipes one prepared by adding rue caraway thyme asafetida and cassia to the mustard sauce and another made by mashing vinegar soaked raisins with garlic walnut mustard vinegar and seasonings like asafetida and anise From the seventh Abbasid caliph Al Ma mun s recipe collection comes a sibagh made with whey walnut garlic olive oil and murri There are similar recipes meant for poultry dishes prepared with seasonings like ginger pomegranate spikenard and cloves A surviving poem about sibagh is attributed to Caliph Al Mu tamid 3 The concept of sibagh is so subtle that none but the wise its depths may sound Walnut and garlic with yogurt whey are the most you may need for it Or make it with vinegar mahrut and coriander But with anjudhan it will be even better If not then mustard and garlic mixed with anjudhan and onion equal parts will make your relish Or with just vinegar and onion eat your fish and it will still be a tasty dish Sweets edit Described as the food of kings and supreme judge of all sweets lauzinaj was an almond based confection that had entered medieval European cuisine by the 13th century from Andalusian influence returning Crusaders and Latin translations of cookery books There are two versions of the dish known from medieval texts 4 Lauzinaj mugharraq or drenched lauzinaj is believed to be an earlier version of the Ottoman dish baklava It was made by filling thin pastry dough with a mixture of ground almond and sometimes other nuts like pistachio or walnut rose water and sometimes luxury flavorings like mastic ambergris or musk Lauzinaj yabis was made with ground almonds cooked in boiling honey or sugar until reaching a taffy like consistency The raw version closer to marzipan in consistency was made by blending the almonds with sugar and flavoring with camphor musk and rose water The finished confection was molded into animal or other shapes or cut into squares and triangles Vegetables edit Vegetables include leeks endive melilot fenugreek okra onions purslane Jew s mallow and radish 5 Boiled asparagus is served with olive oil and murri The cooking water may be sweetened with honey and seasoned with cilantro rue anise and black pepper and used as a beverage either by itself with honey or added to wine 6 Some vegetables are consumed raw but the following are usually boiled asparagus cauliflower white soy beans leeks orach a variety of mushroom known as ghushina clarification needed chard cabbage carrot turnip fresh fennel and eggplant 7 Some vegetable dishes are served cold One example of such a dish is eggplant with fried onion fresh herbs and olive oil dressed with fermented sauces vinegar and caraway There are several cold eggplant dishes that are similar some made with smoked eggplant adding nuts like ground walnuts or almonds and sometimes different seasonings like saffron cassia and galangal A dish for fried carrots with fresh herbs dressing and spices was described by the poet Kushajim 8 9 Dinars of carnelian and gold in a vessel so delicate it may almost melt and flow All radiating with luster like carnelian shimmering on pearls In the vessel harmoniously combined here together and there disperse The spices emitting fragrance like wine mingled with sweet breeze On top are pearls and silver decked with gems Which the cook delicately fashioned a gorgeous dish with flavor and perfume The scattered rue is flowers of turquoise gems vibrantly green Jiggling with murri and olive oil ebbing and flowing with sheen Diet and foods edit nbsp An Arab appetizer nbsp Arab salads Arab salad fattoush matbucha tabbouleh and rahebArab cuisine uses specific and unique foods and spices Some of those foods are Meat lamb and chicken are the most used followed by beef and goat Other poultry is used in some regions and fish is used in coastal areas including the Mediterranean Sea Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea Some Christian Arabs eat pork 10 Dairy products widely used especially yogurt buttermilk and white cheese Butter and cream are also used extensively Herbs and spices amounts and types used generally varies from region to region Herbs and spices include sesame saffron black pepper allspice turmeric garlic cumin cinnamon parsley coriander and sumac Spice mixtures include baharat ras el hanout za atar and harissa Beverages hot beverages are served more often than cold coffee being at the top of the list in Middle Eastern countries and tea at top in Maghreb countries In Jordan Palestinian culture Egypt some parts of Syria Morocco and Algeria tea is much more prevalent as a beverage Other Arabic drinks include Andalucian horchata and Maghrebi avocado smoothie Grains rice is the staple and is used for most dishes wheat is the main source for bread Bulgur and semolina are also used extensively According to historic recipes known from Arabic cookbooks grains were primarily used to make porridge and pasta type dishes in Arab cuisine until the 12th century Two types of pasta were known itriya a short dry noodle of Greek origin similar to orzo and rishta a hand cut fresh noodle of Persian origin By the 13th century the Turkic style tutmaj and salma noodles had entered the cuisine 11 Legumes lentils are widely used in all colours as well as fava beans peanuts chickpeas garbanzo beans scarlet runner beans green peas lupini beans white beans and brown beans Vegetables popular vegetables in Arab cuisine include carrots eggplant aubergine zucchini courgette artichokes okra onions and olives Potatoes are also eaten as vegetables in Arab culture Fruits pomegranate dates figs oranges citruses watermelons cantaloupe honeydew melon grapes peaches and nectarines are favored in Arab cuisine Nuts almonds pine nuts pistachios and walnuts are often included in dishes or eaten as snacks Greens parsley coriander and mint are popular as seasonings in many dishes while spinach and mulukhiyah leaves from the plant of the Corchorus genus are used in cooked dishes Dressings and sauces the most popular dressings include various combinations of olive oil lemon juice parsley or garlic as well as tahini sesame paste Labaneh strained yogurt is often seasoned with mint onion or garlic and served as a sauce with various dishes Structure of meals editThere are two basic structures for meals in the Arab World one regular schedule during most of the year and a second one that is unique to the month of Ramadan in which observant Muslims fast during the day Year round edit Breakfast edit Cafes often serve croissants for breakfast Breakfast is often a quick meal consisting of bread and dairy products with tea and sometimes jam The most common breakfast items are labneh and cream kishta made of cow s milk Lunch edit nbsp A selection of Jordanian mezze appetizers or small dishes in Petra JordanLunch is considered the main meal of the day and is traditionally eaten between 1 30 pm and 2 30 pm It is the meal for which the family comes together Rarely do meals have different courses however salads and mezze are served as side dishes to the main meal The platter usually consists of a portion of meat poultry or fish a portion of rice lentils bread and a portion of cooked vegetables in addition to the fresh ones with the mezze and salad The vegetables and meat are usually cooked together in a sauce often tomato although others are also popular to make maraqa which is served with rice Most households add bread nbsp Maraqa laga sameeyo khudaarta Somali vegetable soup Drinks are not necessarily served with the food however there is a very wide variety of drinks such as shineena or laban karakaden Naqe e Al Zabib Irq Soos Tamr Hindi and fruit juice as well as other traditional Arabic drinks During the 20th century carbonated soda and fruit based drinks have also become very popular Dinner edit Dinner is traditionally the lightest meal although in modern times dinner has become more important with regards to entertaining guests due to the hours of the workday Ramadan edit Iftar edit Iftar also called Futuur or fast breaking is the meal taken at dusk when the fast is over The meal consists of three courses first diners eat a date due to Islamic tradition This is followed by a soup or anything they would like the most popular being lentil soup but a wide variety of soups such as chicken oats freeka a soup made from whole wheat and chicken broth potato maash and others are also offered nbsp Freekeh with roasted vegetablesThe third course is the main dish usually eaten after an interval when Maghreb prayer is conducted The main dish is mostly similar to what is served in lunch year round except that cold drinks are served Suhur edit Suhur is the meal eaten just before dawn when fasting must begin It is eaten to help the person make it through the day with enough energy until dusk Sweets edit nbsp Kanafeh Nabulsieh from NablusIn addition to the two meals eaten during Ramadan one for dinner and one for Suhur before dawn sweets are consumed much more than usual during the month of Ramadan sweets and fresh fruits are served between these two meals Although most sweets are made all year round such as kanafeh baklava and basbousa some are made especially for Ramadan such as qatayef 12 Arab hospitality editMain articles Arabic coffee and Arabic tea This section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources in this section Unsourced material may be challenged and removed July 2020 Learn how and when to remove this template message nbsp Coffeehouse in Cairo 18th centuryEssential to any cooking in the Arab world is the concept of hospitality and generosity Meals are generally large family affairs with much sharing and a great deal of warmth over the dinner table Formal dinners and celebrations generally involve large quantities of lamb and every occasion entails large quantities of Arabic coffee or Arabic tea nbsp The different types of Arabic coffee with Hejazi Najdi golden coffee seen on the left and the Levantine black qahwah sadah plain coffee on the rightKhaleej edit Coffee ceremony edit In the Khaleej al Arab region a visitor is greeted by a great table of dried fruits fresh fruits nuts and cakes with syrup Dried fruits include figs dates apricots and plums Fresh fruits include citruses melons and pomegranate Arabic coffee is most favored but Arabic tea is also a great refresher Spices are often added to the coffee and other drinks nbsp Dried fruitsGuests dinner edit In the Khaleej al Arab region a guest should expect a dinner consisting of a very large platter called Kabsa shared commonly with a large amount of spiced rice with spicy lamb chicken or both as separate dishes with various stewed vegetables heavily spiced sometimes with a tomato based sauce Different types of bread are served with toppings specific to the region Tea would certainly accompany the meal as it is almost constantly consumed Coffee would also be served nbsp Dallahs for serving Arabic coffeeMaghreb edit Tea coffee ceremony edit In the Maghreb region a visitor will find a table full of bread like snacks including m semen baghrir and other stuffed breads These are served with honey rosewater or olive oil nbsp M semen usually served with honey mint tea or coffee can also be stuffed with meatThere are also many different cookies and cakes included accompanied by plates with different kinds of nuts Mint tea is often served with it in a traditional Maghrebian teapot Dinner guests edit In the Maghreb region a guest may find a table with different kinds of stews called marqas or tajines Dishes such as couscous and other semolina based foods are also to be found These main dishes are accompanied by smaller mezze like plates with salads sauces and dips Breads such as m semen khobz and baguette are used to eat the stews nbsp Tajine with lamb and mangoLevantine edit Coffee tea ceremony edit In an average Arab Levantine household a visitor might expect a table full of mezzes breads topped with spices including za atar and nuts In the Levant Arabic coffee is a much loved beverage but Arabic tea is also much enjoyed in Jordan and Palestinian culture Dinner guests edit In the Levant a guest will find a table with different kinds of mezzes nuts dips and oils Mezzes include hummus baba ghanoush falafel kibbeh kafta smoked vegetables and tabouli salads The nuts can differ from almonds to walnuts with different spice coatings The dips and oils include hummus and olive oil nbsp Hummus with chickpeas sesame seeds and oilRegional differences edit There are many regional differences in the Arab cuisine For instance mujadara in Syria and Lebanon is different from mujadara in Jordan and Palestinian culture Some dishes such as mansaf the national dish of Jordan are native to certain countries and rarely if ever make an appearance in other countries nbsp Traditional mansaf served on flatbreadUnlike most Western recipes cinnamon is used in meat dishes as well as in sweets such as baklava Dishes such as tajine and couscous can differ from Morocco to Libya each having their own unique preparation Other dishes such as the Andalucian Moorish bastilla and albondigas have different traditional spice mixes and fillings nbsp Bastilla Moroccan meat pieMany Arabic food words are borrowed from Aramaic the language spoken by the Christian Nabataean inhabitants of Iraq and Syria 11 Regional Arab cuisines editArabian Peninsula edit See also Bahraini cuisine Emirati cuisine Kuwaiti cuisine Omani cuisine Qatari cuisine Saudi Arabian cuisine and Yemeni cuisine nbsp Camel meat is popular in the Arabian Peninsula nbsp Dates are a staple in Arabian cuisine nbsp KabsaSouth Arabian and Eastern Arabian cuisine today is the result of a combination of diverse influences incorporating Levantine and Yemeni cuisines 13 Bukhari rice رز بخاري Ruz al Bukhari is a very popular dish eaten in the Hejaz district of Saudi Arabia It is made with spicy tomato sauce flavoured chicken and a fresh salad nbsp Kabsa is also known as machbusKabsa Arabic كبسة kabsah or makbus machbus مكبوس مچبوس Gulf pron mɑtʃˈbuːs is an Arab mixed rice dish that originates from Yemen 14 It is commonly regarded as a national dish in all the countries of the Arabian Peninsula It can also be found in regions such as southern Iran Gaza in Palestine 15 and the Malabar Coast of India The cuisine of Yemen is in some ways distinct from other Arab cuisines As in most Arab countries chicken goat and lamb are eaten more often than beef and fish is eaten mostly in coastal areas However cheese butter and other dairy products are less common especially in the cities and other urban areas As with other Arab cuisines the most widespread beverages are tea and coffee tea is usually flavored with cardamom clove or mint and coffee with cardamom Karakaden Naqe e Al Zabib and diba a are the most widespread cold beverages Although each region has their own variation saltah سلتة is considered the national dish of Yemen The base is a brown meat is called maraq مرق a dollop of fenugreek froth and sahawiq سحاوق or sahowqa a mixture of chili peppers tomatoes garlic and herbs ground into a salsa nbsp Bowl of saltahRice potatoes scrambled eggs and vegetables are common additions to saltah It is eaten with flat bread known as mulawah which serves as a utensil to scoop up the food Other dishes widely known in Yemen include aseed fahsa thareed samak mafi mandi fattah shakshouka shafut bint al sahn kabsa jachnun harees and Hyderabadi haleem 16 17 18 nbsp Luqmat al qadiMashriq edit nbsp Typical popular traditional Arab mealLevantine cuisine is the traditional cuisine of the Fertile Crescent Although now divided into Syria Lebanon Jordan Iraq Egypt and Palestinian culture the region has historically been more united and shares many culinary traditions Although very similar there is some variation within the Levantine area Dishes include olive oil za atar and garlic and common dishes include a wide array of mezze or bread dips stuffings and side dishes such as hummus falafel ful tabouleh labaneh and baba ghanoush nbsp TabboulehIt also includes copious amounts of garlic and olive oil often seasoned with lemon juice almost no meal goes by without including these ingredients Most often foods are either grilled baked fried or sauteed in olive oil butter and cream are rarely used other than in a few desserts Vegetables are often eaten raw or pickled as well as cooked While the cuisine does not boast a multitude of sauces it focuses on herbs spices and the freshness of ingredients Bedouin cuisine edit The Bedouins of the Arabian Peninsula Middle East and North Africa rely on a diet of dates dried fruit nuts wheat barley rice and meat The meat comes from large animals such as cows sheep and lambs They also eat dairy products milk cheese yoghurt and buttermilk labneh Bedouins also use many different dried beans including white beans lentils and chickpeas Vegetables that are commonly used are those that could be dried such as pumpkins but also vegetables that are more heat resistant such as aubergines They drink a lot of fresh verbena tea Arabic tea Maghrebi mint tea or Arabic coffee A daily break to freshen up with drinks is a much loved tradition Common breads in the Maghreb are khobz and khaleej Traditional dishes such as marqa and tajines stews are also regularly prepared Breakfast consists of baked beans bread nuts dried fruits milk yoghurt and cheese with tea or coffee Snacks also include nuts and dried fruits Levant edit Main article Levantine cuisine See also Lebanese cuisine Syrian cuisine Jordanian cuisine and Palestinian cuisine nbsp Maqluba a rice and eggplant or cauliflower casserole often with lamb nbsp Sfiha comes from Baalbek flatbread with a minced meat topping often lamb nbsp Musakhan a Palestinian dish chicken with onions spices and pine nuts on taboon bread nbsp Mujaddara nbsp Mansaf traditional lamb dish in yogurt sauce served with rice or bulgurIn Palestinian culture and in Jordan the population has a cooking style of their own involved in roasting various meats baking flatbreads and cooking thick yogurt like pastes from goat s milk Musakhan is a common main dish famous in northern Jordan the city of Jerusalem and northern West Bank The main component is taboon bread which is topped with pieces of cooked sweet onions sumac saffron and allspice For large dinners it can be topped by one or two roasted chickens on a single large taboon bread The primary cheese of the Palestinian mezze is Ackawi cheese which is a semi hard cheese with a mild salty taste and sparsely filled with roasted sesame seeds It is primarily used in kenafah Maqluba is another popular meal in Jordan and central Palestine Mujaddara another food of the West Bank as well as in the Levant in general consists of cooked green lentils with bulghur sauteed in olive oil Mansaf is a traditional meal and the national dish of Jordan having roots in the Bedouin population of the country It is mostly cooked on special occasions such as Ramadan Eid ul Fitr a birth or a large dinner gathering nbsp A variant of mansaf in Amman JordanMansaf is a leg of lamb or large pieces of mutton on top of a markook bread that has been topped with yellow rice A type of thick dried yogurt made from goat s milk called jameed is poured on top of the lamb and rice to give it its distinct flavor and taste The dish is garnished with cooked pine nuts and almonds Levantine cuisine is also famous for its wide range of cheeses including shanklish halloumi and arisheh Kishk is a famous Syrian soup alongside many soups made of lentils Lebanese food also has a wide range of dips including hummus baba ganoush and labneh and offers many raw meat dishes Syrian food can be either extremely vegetarian or a meat lover s paradise Lemon oregano za atar paprika and various other Mediterranean spices and herbs are used in Syrian cuisine Levantine cuisine also incorporates wines made in Lebanon Syria Jordan and Palestine and the Levantine equivalent of the Greek ouzo known as arak Iraq Mesopotamia edit Main article Iraqi cuisine Iraq is home to the first cookbook ever recorded in history historically in Baghdad and Mesopotamia The Kitab al tabikh is the oldest surviving Arabic cookbook written by al Warraq in the 10th century It is compiled from the recipes of the 8th and 9th century courts of the Abbasid Caliphate in Baghdad Due to its location Iraq shares similarities in cooking and cuisines between both the surrounding regions of the Arab world as well as Turkish and Persian cuisine Iraqi cuisine mainly consists of meat rather than appetizers In Iraqi cuisine the most common meats are chicken and lamb The national dish of Iraq is the Masgouf fish usually enjoyed with grilled tomatoes and onions Iraqi cuisine uses more spices than most Arab cuisines Iraq s main food crops include wheat barley rice vegetables and dates Vegetables include eggplant okra potatoes and tomatoes Pulses such as chickpeas and lentils are also quite common Common meats in Iraqi cuisine are lamb and beef fish and poultry are also used Soups and stews are often prepared and served with rice and vegetables Biryani although influenced by Indian cuisine is milder with a different mixture of spices and a wider variety of vegetables including potatoes peas carrots and onions Dolma is also one of the most popular dishes The Iraqi cuisine is famous for its extremely tender kebab as well as its tikka A wide variety of spices pickles and amba are also extensively used Egypt edit Main article Egyptian cuisine nbsp Kushari an Egyptian dish nbsp Falafel deep fried balls of ground chickpeas or fava beans is a common dish in Egypt 19 and the Levant Egypt has a very rich cuisine with many unique customs These customs also vary within Egypt itself for example in the coastal areas like the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and Canal the diet relies heavily on fish In the more rural areas reliance on farm products is much heavier Duck geese chicken and river fish are the main animal protein sources While Egyptians eat a lot of meat Egyptian cuisine is rich in vegetarian dishes three national dishes of Egypt ful medames ta miya also known in other countries as falafel and kushari are generally vegetarian Fruits are also greatly appreciated in Egypt mangos grapes bananas apples sycamore guavas and peaches are very popular especially because they are all domestically produced and are available at relatively low prices A famous dessert from Egypt is called om ali which is similar to a bread and butter pudding made traditionally with puff pastry milk and nuts It is served all across the Middle East and is also made on special occasions such as Eid 20 Bread is a staple in Egypt the most common breads are eish baladi Africa edit Sudan edit Main article Sudanese cuisine nbsp Shahan ful presented alongside olive oil berbere various vegetables and a roll of breadIn comparison to its Maghreb and Levantine neighbors the cuisine of Sudan tends to be generous with spices Sudanese cuisine has a rich variety in ingredients and creativity Simple everyday vegetables are used to create stews and omelettes that are healthy yet nutritious and full of energy and flair These stews are called mullah One could have a zucchini mullah spinach riglah mullah etc Popular dishes include ful medames shahan ful hummus bamya a stew made from ground sun dried okra and gurasa pancake as well as different types of salads and sweets Maghreb edit Main article Maghreb cuisine See also Libyan cuisine Algerian cuisine Moroccan cuisine Tunisian cuisine and Mauritanian cuisine nbsp Couscous a characteristic dish of the Maghreb is made of steamed balls of crushed durum wheat semolina about 3 millimetres 0 12 in across 21 traditionally served with stew spooned on top Maghreb cuisine is the cooking of the Maghreb region the northwesternmost part of the Arab world along the Mediterranean Sea consisting of the countries of Algeria Libya Morocco Tunisia and Mauritania In Maghrebi cuisine the most common staple foods are wheat for khobz bread 22 and couscous 23 24 fish seafood goat 25 lamb 25 beef 25 dates almonds olives and various vegetables and fruits 26 Moroccan cuisine has long been considered one of the most diverse in the world This is because Morocco has interacted extensively with the outside world for centuries Over the centuries chefs in Moroccan cuisine in Fes Meknes Marrakech Rabat and Tetouan have been the basis for what is known as Moroccan cuisine today Moroccan cuisine also ranked first in the Arab world and Africa and second in the world in 2012 after France nbsp Tajine is a Maghrebi dish which is named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked It is also called maraq or marqa Tunisian cuisine is the style of cooking used by the Tunisian people and is part of the Maghreb and Mediterranean cuisine Assa on mush clarification needed spices olive oil chili red pepper kodaid wheat flour lamb garlic fish and many other vegetables and spices are common Tunisian cuisine offers what is known as a solar kitchen that relies heavily on olive oil spices tomatoes fish species and meat Bread is an essential ingredient in Tunisian cuisine as it accompanies almost all dishes and is usually used by dipping for broth Libyan cuisine derives much from the traditions of Maghreb and Mediterranean cuisines One of the most popular Libyan dishes is bazin an unleavened bread prepared with barley water and salt 27 Bazin is prepared by boiling barley flour in water and then beating it to create a dough using a magraf which is a unique stick designed for this purpose 28 Pork consumption is forbidden in accordance with Sharia the religious laws of Islam 29 Tripoli is Libya s capital and the cuisine is particularly influenced by Italian cuisine 29 Pasta is common and many seafood dishes are available 29 Southern Libyan cuisine is more traditionally Arab and Berber Common fruits and vegetables include figs dates oranges apricots and olives 29 nbsp Rechta is a Maghrebi dish of fine noodles consumed particularly in Algeria and Libya and to a lesser extent in Tunisia and Morocco Libyan cooking like Tunisian includes hot spices Typical foods are bazin Libyan bread bsisa couscous harissa hassaa lebrak filled grape leaves with rice and minced meat Libyan boureek Libyan summer salad marqa or tajine madrouba and mbatten Mbekbka is a unique Libyan soup with pasta or spaghetti rather than draining off the water pasta is boiled together with the sauce It can be made with any type of pasta and the simplest dish involves frying onions in oil throwing in the tomato puree chili powder turmeric then adding water and salt and leaving to boil before adding the pasta Another way involves adding lamb chops chickpeas and garlic to the sauce before serving hot with a sprinkle of extra virgin olive oil lemon fresh chili and optional crusty bread Other vegetables such as pumpkin potato and green pepper can be added citation needed Maglouba shakshouka sherba usban zumita and asida Desserts and beverages include makroudh Libyan tea ghoriba maakroun mafruka and mhalbiya Algerian cuisine is characterized by a wealth derived from land and sea production a Mediterranean Maghreb cuisine It offers a variety of dishes depending on the region and season which gives a very varied plate This cuisine is still based on vegetables and cereals that have always been produced in abundance in the country which was formerly called Roma bakery and then Bakery Europe citation needed In addition Algeria s rich history has contributed to the abundance of food from different periods and regions of the world Among all the culinary specialties available in Algeria couscous remains the most famous recognized as a national dish as well as the traditional pastry called Oriental pastry in Western countries Despite its historical transmission from generation to generation there are many books devoted to Algerian cuisine Algerian cuisine combines a variety of ingredients including vegetables fruits spices meat fish seafood vegetables and dried fruits Vegetables are often used for salads soups casserole couscous and sauces Carrots pumpkins potatoes green beans beans kale eggplant and truffles are widely used Gallery editDishes nbsp Kebbeh كبة كبيبة nbsp Baba Ghanoush بابا غانوج nbsp Hummus حمص nbsp Labneh لبنة nbsp Ka ak كعك كحك nbsp Coffee قهوة nbsp Halva حلاوة nbsp Shish taouk شيش طاوك nbsp Toum تومية nbsp Awameh عوامة nbsp Sfouf صفوف nbsp Limonana ليمون نعناع nbsp Harees هريسSee also editList of Arab saladsPortal nbsp FoodReferences edit Flandrin Jean Louis Montanari Massimo Sonnenfeld Albert Botsford Clarissa 1999 Food A Culinary History from Antiquity to the Present New York Penguin Books ISBN 0 231 11154 1 Nasrallah Nawal 2007 Annals of the Caliphs Kitchens Brill pp 121 122 Nasrallah Nawal 2007 Annals of the Caliphs Kitchens Brill pp 182 184 The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets Oxford University Press April 2015 ISBN 978 0 19 931361 7 Archived from the original on 2022 10 31 Retrieved 2020 06 06 Nasrallah Nawal 2007 Annals of the Caliphs Kitchens Brill p 129 Nasrallah Nawal 2007 Annals of the Caliphs Kitchens Brill p 221 Nasrallah Nawal 2007 Annals of the Caliphs Kitchens Brill p 220 Nasrallah Nawal 2007 Annals of the Caliphs Kitchens Brill p 229 Mishan Ligaya 12 February 2020 The Rise of Palestinian Food The New York Times Archived from the original on 3 August 2020 Retrieved 6 August 2020 Nabeel Y Abraham Arab Americans Encarta Encyclopedia 2007 Archived 2009 10 31 a b Zaouali Lilia 2007 Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World University of California Press Desserts amp Sweets in Arabia Archived 2019 03 28 at the Wayback Machine Daily Traditional Gulf Cuisine food recipes Shahiya com Archived from the original on 2016 01 11 Retrieved 2016 01 07 Helou Anissa 2018 10 04 Feast Food of the Islamic World Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN 978 1 5266 0556 6 Helou Anissa 2018 10 04 Feast Food of the Islamic World Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN 978 1 5266 0556 6 Hadhramaut continues to highlight Arabic presence in Malaysia Culture amp Art 13 12 2013 KUNA net 2013 12 13 Archived from the original on 2015 12 25 Retrieved 2016 01 07 KUNA Hadhramaut continues to highlight Arabic presence in Malaysia Culture amp Art 13 12 2013 158 50 10 7 2013 12 13 Archived from the original on 2016 01 11 Retrieved 2016 01 07 Grace Chen 2012 07 07 Middle Eastern restaurants thriving in Malaysia The Star Malaysia Archived from the original on 2017 03 03 Retrieved 2016 01 07 National Dish of Egypt Falafel archived from the original on 2019 09 22 retrieved 2019 09 22 Umm Ali Recipe Egyptian Bread Pudding Archived from the original on 2016 12 13 Retrieved 2013 08 14 Shulman Martha Rose 23 February 2009 Couscous Just Don t Call It Pasta The New York Times Archived from the original on 25 February 2009 Retrieved 12 June 2017 Qarooni Jalal 1996 Flat Bread Technology Springer pp 84 ISBN 978 0 412 08111 8 Smith Andrew 2013 The Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America Oxford University Press pp 567 ISBN 978 0 19 973496 2 MacVeigh Jeremy 2008 International Cuisine Cengage Learning pp 273 ISBN 978 1 111 79970 0 a b c North African Cuisine Archived 2016 04 03 at the Wayback Machine Jamaica Observer Archived 2011 02 22 at the Wayback Machine Accessed June 2011 Mourad Mazouz The Momo Cookbook Archived 2011 09 19 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