33 Middle Eastern Recipes Featuring Feta, Phyllo, and Fragrant Spices (2024)

FAQs

Which are three major ingredients that dominate Middle East cuisine? ›

Falafel. Made with ground chickpeas and fava beans, falafel is hailed as the most popular Middle Eastern dish, aside from hummus. Sometimes served with salads and hot sauce, falafel is most often stuffed inside pita bread to make a healthy, vegetarian sandwich.

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.

The difference between Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine is an exploration of two distinct culinary worlds. Middle Eastern cuisine entices with its rich spices, aromatic dishes, and use of flatbreads. In contrast, Mediterranean cuisine captivates with its fresh, simple ingredients and a strong focus on seafood.

The edible meat market is largely dominated by poultry, mainly due to the religious affiliation of Bahraini consumers. The demand for poultry is rising in the United Arab Emirates. It registered a growth of 6.92% by value from 2020 to 2022.

Also referred to as kubbeh, kibbeh is a mixture of ground lamb, camel, or beef with bulgur wheat, onions, nuts, and traditional Middle Eastern spices. The mix is then rolled into balls or football shapes and deep-fried to perfection. The texture is fairly similar to falafel, but the inclusion of meat makes it richer.

In Saudi Arabia, traditional breakfast options include dishes like Ful Medames, a hearty fava bean stew, and Shakshuka, eggs poached in a spicy tomato and pepper sauce. Flatbreads like Khubz are also common, served alongside creamy hummus or labneh, a tangy strained yogurt.

High-aroma rice and meat dishes are staples for almost every household meal in Arab countries. Dishes in which meat is served with rice and cooked for a long time with aromatics such as turmeric, saffron, ginger, grated black lime, bay leaf, kammon hoot, and ras el hanout bare different names from country to country.

The fermented foods are reviewed with reference to the traditional processes adopted for their manufacture. These products comprise sour milk, Karish cheese, Mish cheese, Laban Zeer, Kishk, Zabady, Shamsy bread and some Sudan fermented foods.

What is the staple food in the Middle East? ›

Since ancient times, grains formed the staple food of Middle Eastern people and still hold a prominent position in the diet. Wheat and rice are the most common grains along with barley. Wheat has two variations – bulgur and couscous and is often consumed in the form of flatbreads like lavash or pita.

Arab countries typically favor finger foods, so utensils are not always used. Areas such as Turkey do use utensils. Arab countries also avoid using the left hand while dining, as it is culturally the hand used to do unhygienic tasks. Floor cushions and low tables are also common in some regions.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner: Watch What Three Meals A Day Can Do.

A three-course meal will generally contain an appetizer or salad, a main dish, and a dessert. While there's some debate on the components of a five-course meal, it often contains hors d'oeuvres, an appetizer, a salad, an entrée, and a dessert.

Arabic dishes like hummus, falafel, and kebabs are popular worldwide and a staple of meals in the Middle East. These all come from Levantine cuisine, the traditional food of the Bilad ash-Sham region. The most distinctive aspect of Levantine cuisine is mezze, small dishes served at the beginning of a multi-course meal.

Food & Drink in the Medieval Village

Everyday food for the poor in the Middle Ages consisted of cabbage, beans, eggs, oats and brown bread. Sometimes, as a specialty, they would have cheese, bacon or poultry. All classes commonly drank ale or beer. Milk was also available, but usually reserved for younger people.