Cooking Recipes Eastern Kingdoms
Middle Eastern food has come to be loved throughout Western culture. Most towns have at least one kebab shop, and any good grocery store should sell hummus. Learn here everything about the Middle Eastern cuisine.
The flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine are bold and complex, ranging from sweet and savory to spicy and tangy. The ingredients used are also very varied, with many dishes featuring a combination of fresh vegetables, herbs, spices, grains, and legumes. In this article, we’ll be exploring:
The location of the Middle East, in between Europe, Asia, and Africa, means that its cuisine is a delightful fusion of different traditions. The key passage for the spice trade from India to Europe was set through this region, among other international trade routes.
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What has been historically known as the Levant is a large part of the Middle East that stretches between Africa and Eurasia, on the eastern side of the Mediterranean. This area encompasses countries such as Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Israel, and Lebanon.
Food from this continental crossroads makes up the bulk of what we consider to be Middle Eastern cuisine. A staple of Levantine dining is the mezze.
This is a style of serving a combination of small dishes, similar to the Spanish tapas. Within a mezze spread, one might find hummus, falafels, olives, pita breads, and dolma, among many other specialties. If you’re unsure what dolma is, don’t worry – we’ll get to that later.
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Not only has Middle Eastern food been influenced by its neighbors, but it has also come to influence cuisine throughout the world. In France, the United Kingdom, the United States, and beyond, kebab joints are commonplace.
Within these can be found lamb cooked on a vertical rotisserie for use in doner kebabs, as well as falafels and a selection of fresh shredded salad ingredients.
Hummus has become one of the most well-loved dips worldwide, for its tasty simplicity and versatility. It can be found at most grocery stores but is also very simple to make at home from scratch.
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Halloumi has also taken over menus worldwide over the past decade. This squeaky fried cheese is unique in its salty flavor and chewy texture. It has become a favorite for vegetarians as a burger filling or breakfast ingredient.
Going down to your local doner kebab shop is a healthy choice for lunch that many Americans now go for. The doner kebab has also inspired the common wrap that many make at home and pack for a clean workday lunch. In this section, we take a close look at just how healthy Middle Eastern food is.
Salad is an integral component of the doner kebab. Shredded iceberg lettuce, carrot, and onion are the typical ingredients of such salad.
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Tabouleh is another type of salad that features heavily in kebabs and elsewhere throughout Middle Eastern cuisine. It is comprised of uncooked bulgur wheat and finely chopped parsley, mint, tomato, and onion.
These two forms of salad plus a protein of meat or falafel makes for a balanced, healthy, and tasty lunch or dinner. Pickled vegetables such as beetroot, cucumber, and onion are also common features in Middle Eastern cuisine. In this way, vegetables can be preserved for use out of season.
Butter and olive oil are the most commonly used fats in Middle Eastern cuisine. Ancient olive groves are plentiful across Levantine landscapes, and olives and their oil are treasured aspects of traditional cuisine.
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Not only is olive oil healthier than canola and sunflower oil, but it also provides a far superior taste. Because of this, olive oil is used generously as a dressing on its own or with a dash of lemon juice.
Due to religious influences throughout the Middle East, pork and beef are consumed at a much lower rate than in other parts of the world. Lamb and mutton are the preferred red meats in Middle Eastern cuisine.
These are often cooked upon vertical rotisseries and are packed with flavorful goodness. Not much meat is needed to create the perfect doner kebab or shawarma.
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The availability of chickpeas and the abundance of recipes containing them also reduces the need to consume red meat. Chickpeas are an excellent source of protein and are the key ingredient of both hummus and falafel.
Whole grains are more commonly consumed in the Middle East than the refined wheat products consumed in the United States and other Western nations.
Bulgar wheat is used in salads and with hot dishes, similar to pasta. However, it is far more beneficial health-wise. Sometimes it is even used in its uncooked form, such as in tabbouleh.
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In Western cuisine, pasta and other highly processed foods are often used as staples, however, Middle Eastern cuisine takes a different approach. Rather than using highly processed foods, dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine rely on food in its natural form.
This results in healthier dishes as the food has not been stripped of its nutrients through processing. This means that Middle Eastern dishes are packed with more vitamins and minerals than those of their Western counterparts.
Additionally, the natural flavors of the food are able to shine through without the added artificial flavorings or preservatives found in processed foods.
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A lot of Western food is flavored with sauces that contain high amounts of sugar or artificial flavoring. In Middle Eastern cooking, foods are skillfully flavored with traditional herbs and spices.
Simple condiments of yogurt, hummus, and tahini complement these spicy and bold flavors perfectly. These condiments are natural, packed with protein and probiotics, and do not contain any nasty ingredients.
Arabic cuisine is no slim category. Arabic culture spans across a wide geographical area and so there are many different forms of the cuisine and dishes that come under the category.
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Soups and salads are commonly found among mezze spreads, which are collections of small dishes that are usually served together. These dishes are typically served as part of a mezze spread as a light accompaniment to heavier dishes.
Red or yellow lentils are used as the protein in this traditional Lebanese dish. Cumin, garlic, and lemon juice are key ingredients to this very simple recipe.
Fried or toasted khubz, the common term for pita bread, is mixed with seasonal vegetables such as turnips and cucumber as well as salad greens. Herbs such as mint and parsley are generously mixed through.
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Uncooked bulgar wheat is combined with finely chopped mint, parsley, tomatoes, and onions. This makes for a fresh side salad that is a great filling for kebabs.
These are some typical items you might find within a mezze spread. Within this category, you’ll find dishes such as hummus, falafel, baba ganoush, and dolma. Most can also be found in grocery stores around the world, which goes to show the influence that Middle Eastern food has had across the globe.
This dip or condiment is made from chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and tahini. It is seasoned with salt and pepper, and additional spices such as cumin or sumac can also be a nice hint. Creamy and mellow, hummus is a perfect accompaniment to bold flavors or simply as a dip for your pita bread. It is naturally packed with protein and is a favorite among vegans the world over.
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Very similar to hummus in recipe and usage, baba ganoush is instead made with eggplant rather than chickpeas. The recipe contains all of the same ingredients otherwise. Eggplant is peeled, finely chopped, and roasted over an open flame to create a delectably smoky flavor.
Chickpeas are used again to make this Middle Eastern staple. They are blended with parsley, coriander, and cumin seeds, essentially, though there are endless variations to falafel, each as flavorsome as the next.
Mint and sesame are other ingredients commonly used, each transforming the flavor in different ways. Sesame seeds are my favorite addition, as they add a wonderful nutty flavor to the mix and aid in the creation of a crispy golden outer.
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This specialty is associated with Ottoman cuisine and is a rather unique dish. It consists of a grape leaf wrapper filled with a mixture that varies from recipe to recipe. Common ingredients to be found inside a dolma include fruit, rice, seafood, or minced meat. These can be on their own, though they are most commonly used in combination.
In this list, you might find some familiar names of dishes you have tried in your own hometown. The main stars of Middle Eastern cuisine include shawarma, kebabs, and musakhan. These dishes are commonly found at doner kebab shops and enjoyed as meals on their own.
This term actually refers to the thinly sliced meat that is stacked upon a cone-shaped vertical rotisserie. This is most often lamb or mutton. Meat is slow-grilled on the rotisserie, giving it that excellent characteristic flavor.
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The wraps in which shawarma is eaten are also commonly known as shawarma. In these wraps, meat is paired with fresh salad ingredients and simple (yet divine) sauces.
There are different variants that fall under the term kebab. Shish kebab and doner kebab are both popular street foods around the world – handy for eating on the go.
Shish kebabs are skewers of meat and vegetables such as bell pepper and onion cooked on
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