1. Hummus
Hummis is a mashed chickpea dip made with tahini, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. It is an enticing appetizer, served with pita bread.
2. Tahini
Tahini is the foundation of many good Middle Eastern recipes. The paste can also be used as a spread on bread and crackers.
3. Falafel
Perhaps the most widely recognized Middle Eastern food is falafel. The fried balls made of chickpeas, onions and spices make for a tasy appetizer or light vegetarian meal. Falafel makes a great sandwich inside pita bread with veggies.
4. Tabouleh
Tabouleh is a salad that has a nice "kick". It makes a great alternative to a traditional salad; tabouleh is made of cracked wheat, mint, parsley and more.
5. Pita Bread
Pita bread is a staple in the Middle Eastern diet. It is served with just about every meal. Warm, toasted, stuffed, or dipped, pita bread is the most versatile food in Middle Eastern cooking. It's easy to make, too!
6. Baklawa
In the Middle East, baklava is called baklawa. The spelling may be different but the tastes are very similar. The Greeks use honey, while in the Middle East, orange blossom or rose water is used for the syrup. This delicious desert may be time consuming, but well worth the effort!
7. Baba Ghannouj
Baba ghannouj is a vegetarian favorite. It's smooth and creamy texture makes it ideal for dipping pita bread or vegetables.
8. Turkish Coffee
Turkish coffee is famed for its bold, rich taste. It has a hint a cardamom and is prepared carefully in an ibrik and allowed to sit a minute before serving to allow the coffee grains to fall to the bottom of the cup. According to a Turkish proveb "coffee should be black as hell, strong as death, and as sweet as love".
9. Foul Mudammes
Foul Mudammes is boiled fava beans with spices. Some people prefer them mashed, and foul is traditionally breakfast food eaten with pita bread.
10. Turkish Delight
Turkish Delight are sweet candies called lokum in the Middle East. Made from sugar and cornstarch, these candies are irresistible!
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I don't know about ya'll, but I could definitely go for some sweet and irresitable candies right about now. It's interesting to see how basically all the dishes contain simple ingrediants that can be found in everyday gardening or even at markets.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting how pita bread, falafel, and hummus are all found in the US. But these components to the middle eastern diet show that they use their resources well. There is a wide variety too, which is seen from the top of your list being hummus, to the bottom being turkish delight.
ReplyDeleteIts interesting to see the diversity and range of foods that the Middle Eastern diet contains. From the very mild taste of pita bread, to the often spicy tabouleh, the flavors and styles of the dishes greatly vary. I could definitely go for some pita bread right about now (:
ReplyDeleteWhen I read the Chronicles of Narnia, I never thought that Turkish Delight was actually from Turkey! Thank you for enlightening me, and better preparing me for my next geek fest!
ReplyDeleteAll these foods made me hungry. Thank you Jeff not only did I become hungry but I also learned the unique cultural foods that the Middle East offers.
ReplyDeleteTurkish Delight! Like in NARNIA!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you noticed that too Emilie, now we just need Nora to read this. Hahaha.
I've wanted to taste turkish delight ever since I read the book.