Arayes are a Lebanese dish of grilled pitas stuffed with meat. Meat choices are typically lamb or beef, flavored with herbs and spices. The pita bread is sliced and the meat is stuffed into its pocket, then the pita is placed on the grill to cook the meat, where it develops a toasty crust. Lamb …
Oman is an Arab country located in Western Asia on the Arabian Peninsula. The country is bordered by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, while sharing maritime borders with Iran and Pakistan. The countries’ southern and eastern sides are bordered by the Arabian Sea. Like its neighbors, Oman’s climate is dry and hot. …
Kuwait is a small Middle Eastern country wedged between Iraq and Saudi Arabia. On the eastern side of the country is the Persian Gulf, which is part of the Indian Ocean. Across the gulf is the country of Iran. It takes approximately 5 hours to cross the gulf via boat commuting between the two countries. …
Musakhan is a chicken and onion dish served on a flat bread. Traditionally an entire chicken would be roasted then broken down to make Mushakan. The chicken is flavored with spices, with sumac being the predominant one. As the chicken roasts, sliced onions are cooked in the same spices as the chicken. Taboon bread is …
Zereshk Polo (or Zereshk Polow) is a saffron flavored rice dish topped with barberries, popular in Iran. The rice is cooked in a pot, letting the bottom develop a crust. This crispy layer is called tahdig. The rice is then carefully flipped onto a plate keeping its shape intact. The top of the rice is …
Toum is a garlic sauce condiment from Lebanon made by mixing garlic, oil, lemon and salt together. The texture of toum is not very saucy, rather, it’s like a light fluffy paste. The best texture is attained by using fresh garlic rather than canned or previously frozen. Young garlic has a milder garlic flavor than …
Hamine, also known as beid hamine or beid haouzi in Egypt, are long-simmered eggs that belong to the Sephardic Jewish cuisine. The eggs are allowed to simmer gradually in their broth till they attain a browned flavour. Unlike traditional hard-boiled eggs that are a little rubbery and dry, hamine eggs are soft and creamy in …
Amba is a fermented mango condiment made from firm unripe mangoes, spices and peppers placed in a jar. A salty brine is poured over the ingredients and the jar is sealed and set aside to ferment for over a week. Once it has fermented sufficiently, the amba is pureed to the desired level of chunkiness. …
Cyprus is an island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, south of the Anatolian Peninsula. The country is best known for the Limassol carnival, wreck diving, Haloumi cheese and its dessert wine (also known as Commandaria). The population of Cyprus is made up of two major ethnicities, including Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots. Cypriot …
Palestine is an area in the eastern Mediterranean region, including parts of contemporary Israel, the Palestinian territories of the Gaza Strip (along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea) and the West Bank (west of the Jordan River). The area is considered a holy land in three of the world’s greatest religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. …
Yemen is located in the Middle East at the Southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. On its north is the country of Saudi Arabia and the country of Oman is located to its east. The west and south borders of Yemen are entirely coastal. The climate is dry, hot and humid. Over half of Yemen’s …
Locusts are a group of specific species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae, consisting of a swarming phase. Of all the other species, the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is perhaps the most common owing to its extensive distribution (North Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent) and its capability to migrate over long …
Iran, also known as Persia, is a country in Western Asia in the Middle East, bordered by Iraq, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, the Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Gulf of Oman, and the Persian Gulf. Iran is the fifth-largest country in Asia and is known for being the birthplace of one of the world’s earliest …
Ghormeh Sabzi is a traditional Iranian herb and meat stew dish. While recipes vary slightly, most recipes will consist of parsley, fenugreek, cilantro, dried Persian lime, onion, kidney beans and meat. The herbs are cooked separately from the beans and meat. Near the end of the cooking time all the ingredients are combined. Ghormeh Sabzi …
Koshary, Egypt’s national dish, consists of chickpeas, pasta, rice and brown lentils, smothered in a spicy tomato sauce and topped with delicious crispy onions. This dish is a hearty Egyptian comfort food, found in most Egyptian restaurants and homes. Koshary can be served from a large platter or the individual components can be served in …
Israel is a land of the eternal sun, sandy deserts and amazing foods. Created a little over 70 years ago, it is a country of contradictions, traditional values, gastronomical values and modern technologies. Israel is known for its holy places and the healing Dead Sea that awaits tourists all year round. Most Popular Israeli Foods …
Ayran is a Turkish yogurt-based drink and is prepared using yogurt, chilled or iced water, and salt. Often, ingredients like black pepper, lime juice, and herbs such as dried mint are also added to enhance the flavor. One can also find some carbonated versions of ayran. The Turkish delicacy is known by many other names …
Gaz is a type of Iranian nougat candy, originating in the Isfahan region. The main ingredients of Gaz are sugar or corn syrup, pistachio, almond kernels, rosewater and egg whites. In the United States and Europe, it is commonly referred to as Persian Nougat. Typically gaz is accompanied by tea or sherbet and is eaten …