Middle Eastern
Middle Eastern cuisine
'Middle Eastern' covers a vast geographic area, and a broad variety of national cuisines that are historically linked and culturally interwoven - from bold North African meaty stews to subtle Iranian rice dishes...
Major cooking styles
Middle Eastern cuisine can be divided into four main branches: Persian, Levantine, Turkish and North African. Persian cooking is dominated by rice, which grows in abundance in the region. Subtly flavoured, it is often considered the haute cuisine of the Middle East.
Levantine cuisine covers the Middle East at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. Here the food is vegetable-based with rice and cracked wheat as the main staples. The cooking from this region is the most popular cuisine of the Arab world
The history of the Ottoman Empire ensured that Turkish food became enormously influential, and therefore has much in common with food in European countries like Greece, Yugoslavia and even Russia. Kebabs, wheat dishes, savoury pies, yogurt salads, and puff pastries drenched in honey or syrup are favourite dishes.
Moroccan cuisine is particularly magnificent, spreading its influence over Algeria and Tunisia. Though this region displays the influence of Spain and even France, it also shows the most affinity with Persian cooking. It makes use of dried fruits and sweet flavours in meat stews, and the staple grain is couscous.
Muslim dietary laws
Islam has played a major role in shaping the cultures of the Middle East, and this is reflected in its food.
Food and hospitality play an important role in Muslim culture, and Islam requires its faithful follow a number of dietary laws. The following are the main restrictions:
· Animals that are dead before slaughter or that have been killed for reasons other than food
· Blood
· Pig's flesh
· Animals slaughtered in the name of a Pagan deity
· Alcohol or fermented liquids
Middle Eastern cuisine can be divided into four main branches: Persian, Levantine, Turkish and North African. Persian cooking is dominated by rice, which grows in abundance in the region. Subtly flavoured, it is often considered the haute cuisine of the Middle East.
Levantine cuisine covers the Middle East at the eastern edge of the Mediterranean: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. Here the food is vegetable-based with rice and cracked wheat as the main staples. The cooking from this region is the most popular cuisine of the Arab world
The history of the Ottoman Empire ensured that Turkish food became enormously influential, and therefore has much in common with food in European countries like Greece, Yugoslavia and even Russia. Kebabs, wheat dishes, savoury pies, yogurt salads, and puff pastries drenched in honey or syrup are favourite dishes.
Moroccan cuisine is particularly magnificent, spreading its influence over Algeria and Tunisia. Though this region displays the influence of Spain and even France, it also shows the most affinity with Persian cooking. It makes use of dried fruits and sweet flavours in meat stews, and the staple grain is couscous.
Muslim dietary laws
Islam has played a major role in shaping the cultures of the Middle East, and this is reflected in its food.
Food and hospitality play an important role in Muslim culture, and Islam requires its faithful follow a number of dietary laws. The following are the main restrictions:
· Animals that are dead before slaughter or that have been killed for reasons other than food
· Blood
· Pig's flesh
· Animals slaughtered in the name of a Pagan deity
· Alcohol or fermented liquids
