In the Levant (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan), a hearty scoop of this dish is a favorite on the side of any main course, a mountain of goodness often served with a dollop of labanee (salty yogurt). There are four basic ingredients: lentils, white rice, onion, and olive oil. Salon.com’s The Peel Report has a very basic recipe — keep the water-to-rice ratio correct and it’s a breeze to make!
Sources: open.salon.com, theguardian.com
Hummus in the Arab world means, quite simply, chickpeas, and that’s the primary ingredient. Mashed chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, sometimes garlic, and that zeyt (olive oil) which flows like blood from the trees. Rest assured that you’re dining with the spirits of Saladin the Crusader Sultan of Syria and Egypt, liberator of the Levant. Yummly.com hosts a Williams-Sonoma simple instructional for hummus and grilled pita bread.
Sources: yummly.com, mideastfood.about.com, en.wikipedia.org
The Maghreb is Arab North Africa. Algeria is its largest country, and occupations by the Ottoman Turks and the French, as well strong Berber influence, have swirled together into sumptuous dishes. When the desert night drops to 25 degrees, Chakhchoukha is a classic hearty dish whose name translates to “torn flat bread,” and therein is half the recipe. The other half is the marqa soup, prepared with a tomato paste base, your choice of beef, lamb, or veggie, chickpeas, and tons of rich spices. This Food.com recipe seems pretty basic, and includes a link for the khobz ftir flatbread. Research your Maghreb seasoning if you want to make it authentic.
Sources: wisegeek.com, en.wikipedia.org
While you may never give yourself the chance to make a sojourn to Yemen, you could throw a Yemeni theme party and make this dish for your friends! This is a dish that glorifies a long line of Islamic conquerors. It’s eaten from the Eastern Arab peninsula all the way to Egypt. Fattah is layers of bread and other good stuff. In the Arab world, how it’s made is a family affair. The recipe varies with each household. Yemeni cuisine is always a little different from the rest of the Middle East, with Ottoman and Indian touches. Queen of Sheba has a nice fattah dish from Yemen (called susi) with some very attainable ingredients. Do try making fattah from other countries as well!
Sources: shebayemenifood.com, en.wikipedia.org
Speaking of familial particularities, in Palestine, every family is the boss of its own maqluba dish. It is an “upside-down” dish that comes to the table like a steaming birthday cake. Vegetables are integral to the plate, especially eggplant and tomato. It’s easy to add meat to any maqluba recipe. Allow for some oven and stove time, and make sure you have an adroit pot-flipper. Seriouseats.com hosts a definitive vegetarian recipe, and Arabiczeal.com has one with chicken. Tayib! (That’s “delicious” in Arabic).
Sources: arabiczeal.com, en.wikipedia.com, seriousseats.com
The conflict and misery in Libya has been ongoing. Here’s something sweet from this North African country. Magrood will probably be chalked up in the cookie category. A nice afternoon mint tea or Arabic coffee would go perfectly with sugar syrup-dipped pastries. Libyans traditionally make these three days before a wedding, and they also feature prominently during the Muslim Eid holiday. Libyana has a recipe that includes the dough and the filling.
Sources: celtnet.org.uk, libyana.org/food, marenthe1st.wordpress.com
Meals in Mauritania are typically served communal style with diners seated around a giant platter digging in with their hands. This is considered by many to be the country’s official dish, eaten mostly at lunchtime. Fishing on the Mauritanian coast yields some of the region’s richest catches, and fish is integrated into this saucy rice and vegetable dish. Some online recipes call for hoki fillets, others just say “fish of your choice.” It’s a one-pot affair, and a rice cooker is to your advantage. Eaten in neighboring Senegal as well, it’s usually served with hot green tea with mint. The Kitchn hosts a great Thieboudiene recipe.
Sources: thekitchn.com, elenamaximova.org
During the Islamic Golden Age, Islam spread from Morocco to Spain to Oman. Fesenjan (also known as Khoresh-e Fesenjan) is a Mesopotamian dish, a trademark of Arab and Persian history. It’s a tart walnut chicken or duck stew laced with pomegranate syrup. Pictures make it look like a good old Southern barbecue. Epicurious has just one of many recipes for the fesenjan.
Sources: shesimmers.com, en.wikipedia.org
Somalians named it bun soomaali and it may be an acquired taste, but for the Islamic East African nation it holds great significance. Coffee beans, or bun, represent a spiritual connection to the world, past and present. They are prominent in many Somalian ceremonies. During dhikr, chanting is done to honor God. A wooden bowl of fried coffee beans in vegetable oil is passed around for its aroma, chewing of the beans, and rubbing of the sacred oil on one’s face. This is also done in rituals where women pray for the safety of a pregnant friend or family member. Go to The Somali Kitchen for the recipe, with a link to a website with a ubiquity of Somali cuisine. Get spiritual yourself with some fried coffee.
Source: somalikitchen.com
War has plagued Sudan, splitting it into two. In the central region of Sudan, communal eating is necessary. The guest is prided in the Sudanese house, and is seated at a position of honor with the others on ostrich feather pillows surrounding a low table. Large trays of food come out, and everyone partakes. Thick, economical porridges or asseeda are staple, and go around well. Khoodra mafrooka is a classic dish of beef or chicken stewed with garlic and greens. Recipes Wikia has a great meat recipe for khoodra mafrooka, which is best served with kissra (corn bread).
Sources: africa.upenn.edu, sudanembassy.org
