Arab cuisine
Is define as the various regional cuisines across the
Arab World,
from Tunisia
to Saudi Arabia,
and incorporating the Levantine, Egyptian,
and other civilization.
History
firstly, the Arabs of the Arabian
Peninsula relied heavily on a diet of dates,
wheat,
barley,
rice, and meat, with little variety
and heavy emphasis on yoghurt products, such as labneh (لبنة) (yoghurt without butterfat). There is a strong emphasis on
the subsequent items in Arab cuisine:
- Meat: lamb and chicken are the most worn with beef and camel used to a lesser level. Other poultry is used in some regions, and in coastal areas, pork is completely prohibited for Muslim Arabs, being both a cultural taboo and prohibited under Islamic law; many Christian Arabs also avoid pork as they have never acquired a taste for it, even if this is often not the case in Lebanon, where cold cuts of ham are normally consumed in Christian neighborhoods.[1]
- Dairy products: dairy products are widely used, especially yoghurt and white cheese. Butter and cream are also used extensively.
- Herbs and spices: mint and thyme (often in a mix called za'atar) are widely and almost universally used; spices are used much less than in Indian cuisine, but the amount and types in general varies from region to region. Some of the included herbs and spices are sesame, saffron, turmeric, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and sumac. Spice mixtures include baharat.
- Beverages: hot beverages are used more than cold, coffee being on the top of the list, mostly in the Gulf countries. conversely, tea is also served in many Arab countries. In Egypt and Jordan, for example, tea is a more important hot beverage than coffee.
- Grains: rice is the staple and is used for most dishes; wheat is the main foundation for bread. Bulgur and semolina are also used extensively.
- Legumes: lentils are generally used as well as fava beans and chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
- Fruits and vegetables: Arabic cuisine also favors vegetables such as cucumbers, eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgette), okra, onions, and fruits (primarily citrus), which are often used as seasonings for entrees. Olives as well as dates, figs, and pomegranates are also widely used. Dates are a particularly important staple in the Arab diet, often eaten with coffee.
- Nuts: almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts are often included.
- Greens: parsley and mint are popular as seasonings in a lot of dishes, while spinach and mulukhiyah (leaves of plants of the Corchorus genus) are used in cooked dishes.
- Dressings and sauces: the most well-liked dressings include different combinations of olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and/or garlic, and tahini (sesame paste). Labaneh (thinned yoghurt) is often seasoned with mint, onion, or garlic, and served as a sauce with various dishes.
- Notably, many of the same spices used in Arab cuisine are also those emphasized in Indian cuisine. This is a result of heavy trading and historical ties connecting the two regions, and also because many South Asian expats live in the Arab Gulf states.
