Middle-Eastern cuisine

Labneh and Hummus, served with pita bread. All are common Middle Eastern foods.

Middle-Eastern cuisine, West Asian cuisine, or in some place in the United States, Persian-Mediterranean cuisine is the cuisine of the various countries and peoples of the Middle East (Western Asia). The cuisine of the region is diverse while having a degree of homogeneity.^[1] Some commonly used ingredients include olives and olive oil, pitas, honey, sesame seeds, dates,^[1] sumac, chickpeas, mint and parsley. Some popular dishes include kibbeh and shawarma.

Elements

Many Middle-Eastern dishes are made with a paste called tahini. Tahini is a sesame paste made with hulled seeds, unlike its Asian counterpart. It is used to make such popular meze, or appetizers, as baba ghanoush and hummus along with pungent dipping sauces served with falafel, keftes or kofta and vegetables.^[2] Hummus is made from chickpeas, which are staples of the diet.

History and influences

Fatayer, a meat pie in Middle-Eastern cuisine

The Middle East was where wheat was first cultivated, followed by barley, pistachios, figs, pomegranates, dates and other regional staples. Fermentation was also discovered here to leaven bread and make beer. As a crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa, this area has long been a hub of food and recipe exchange. During the Persian Empire (ca. 550–330 BCE) the foundation was laid for Middle-Eastern food when rice, poultry and fruits were incorporated into their diets. Figs, dates and nuts were brought by Arabian warriors to conquered lands.

The area was also influenced by dumplings from Mongol invaders; turmeric, cumin, garlic and other spices from India; cloves, peppercorns and allspice from the Spice Islands^{[disambiguation needed ]}; okra from Africa; and tomatoes from the New World, via the Moors of Spain. Religion has also changed the cuisine as neither Jews nor Muslims eat pork, making lamb the primary meat. Since the Qur'an forbids alcohol consumption, the region isn't noted much for its wine.^[1][3]

During Turkey's Ottoman Empire the sweet pastries of paper thin phyllo dough and the dense, sweet coffee was brought to the area; coffee is now consumed throughout the Middle East.

Beverages

A typical Arak bottle

Aside from the ever-popular Middle-Eastern coffee, there is also an alcoholic drink called arak. Arak has a high alcohol content, so water and ice is almost always added, producing the drink nicknamed "the milk of lions."^[4]

Etiquette

See also: Etiquette in the Middle East

In some areas in the Middle East, it is common for people to take their food from a common plate in the center of the table. Rather than employing forks or spoons, people may scoop up hummus and other foodstuff with pita bread. Among Muslims in particular, the left hand is reserved for bodily hygiene and considered unclean. Thus, the right hand should be used for eating; shaking hands or handing over an item with one's left hand is an insult.

Geographical varieties

• Armenian cuisine
• Azerbaijani cuisine
• Assyrian cuisine
• Bahraini cuisine
• Cypriot cuisine
• Emirati cuisine
• Georgian cuisine
• Irani cuisine
• Iraqi cuisine
• Israeli cuisine
• Jordanian cuisine
• Kurdish cuisine
• Kuwaiti cuisine
• Egyptian cuisine
• Lebanese cuisine
• Omani cuisine
• Palestinian cuisine
• Saudi Arabian cuisine
• Syrian cuisine
• Turkish cuisine
• Yemeni cuisine

See also

	Middle East portal
	Food portal

• Arab cuisine
• Greek cuisine
• Caucasian cuisine
• Central Asian cuisine
• Islamic dietary laws
• Jewish dietary laws
• Levantine cuisine
• Mediterranean cuisine
• Ottoman cuisine

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "The Middle East: Background.", Globalgourmet.com. Accessed January 2007.
2. ^ Tahini: The Taste of Healthy Middle Eastern Cuisine, The New York Times, October 19, 2009. Last visited January 29, 2010.
3. ^ Middle Eastern cuisines: gain ground, Bnet UK, January 2003
4. ^ Arak: Middle Eastern Alcoholic Beverage, About.com,