Arab cuisine

With Arab cuisine is defined as the kitchens belonging to the Arabian Peninsula countries, but also the cuisines of the entire region, which is called the Middle East and in some cases also as Orient. Their influence is also evident in the North African cuisine in the Maghreb. The term commonly used in Oriental cuisine cookbooks, however, we think mostly the Persian cuisine and Turkish cuisine, which each have separate kitchen traditions.

General

Although different countries cuisines of the Middle East certainly, there are numerous similarities that characterize the Arab cuisine. The staple foods include legumes such as lentils and beans, which are often processed into paste and varied uses in the kitchen. A well-known bean soup in the Maghreb ie baisar. Falafel are fried patties of pureed beans or chickpeas. Milk is rarely drunk pure - a large part of the population of the Arab region is lactose intolerant - but mostly processed into yogurt or Kajmak, partly also to ghee and cheese.

Is lamb - either prepared or cooked as kebabs - in the Arab world, most commonly eaten type of meat. All parts of the lamb are used including offal, head and feet. Is khouzi For the Court baked a whole lamb that is stuffed with chicken meat, eggs and rice and flavored with saffron and onions on the whole served on a bed of rice.

As popular foods are chicken, Egypt and North Africa in addition occasionally pigeons. Pork in Islam is subject to the taboo and is not and also enjoyed rarely of Muslims from the Christians of the region. In the coastal regions, fish plays an important role. Meat dishes are frequently gives by the addition of lemon, yogurt, vinegar, tamarind, pomegranate juice or sumac a sour taste. Baharat, a spice mixture, often found on meat dishes use.

Most vegetables to cook together with meat. For pure vegetable dishes vegetable filling often with rice. As a side dish in vinegar pickled vegetables plays a role. Frequently find fresh or dried fruit in cooked dishes, often as an accompaniment to meat use.

Wheat is the most important cereal in the region, although rice in some countries also plays a major role. Couscous is originally from North Africa and spread from there to Syria. In other Arab countries was used instead bulgur.

Bread is partially baked as a paper- thin flatbread is eaten called the Khubz and often topped with cooked meat and curled. Such a dish called Tharid to have been the favorite food of the Prophet Mohammed. Each country knows it variants. In Yemen, a filling of meat, liquid egg, honey and melted butter is called fatut.

The Arabic cuisine took over in the course of its development since the time of the Caliphs some elements of Persian cuisine, which is also reflected in the borrowing many Persian cuisine concepts. As in Iran is called pickled sour vegetables turshi, shurba soup, meatballs hot kufta ( kofte ) and mezze starters.

As a popular Arabic dessert applies Muhallabia, a sweet rice pudding. Widespread found stuffed with dates pastries as Ma'amoul. Known from the Turkish cuisine is baklava, which one associates but also Syrian or Greek origin. Many desserts are sweetened with Dibs, a syrup extracted from dates and honey.

Coffee is the most consumed beverage in the region, often flavored with cardamom. In second place in the East ( Mashreq ) mostly black and heavily sweetened tea, in the West, the countries of the Maghreb, Green tea with peppermint. Karkadeh is drunk hot or cold in Egypt and Sudan.

Bedouin

The living as nomadic Bedouin in Arab countries have developed their own food culture. The camels, the most important commercial property, they kill at most in old age or sickness, also supernumerary young bulls. In the near oases keeping sheep and goats milk and meat source.

The daily diet of the Bedouins traditionally consisted almost exclusively from milk of camels, goats or sheep, bread and dates. The thin bread was baked on a sheet over an open fire. Other staple foods are wheat, rice, and samn ( clarified butter ). Caught small game you also cooked whole in an open fire. However, for special feast to the meat prepared in a large copper saucepan ( Jidda ) and served it with rice ( in the form of Kabsa ).

From salted yogurt you prepared a sun-dried jamid (cheese), the man - rock hard dried after a long dry season - moisten before meals with water or had crushed in a mortar. This hard cheese is very durable.

The traditionally high status of hospitality press the Bedouins through various rituals, which also includes the entertainment of guests. Before the actual banquet guests coffee or buttermilk, and dates are served. The main dish in honor of the guest from mutton or camel meat on a bed of rice, Mansaf, it offers the guest first, then the men according to their rank, the residues remain for women and children.