Foul mudammas is a bean-based dish, very popular throughout the Middle East, but mainly in Egypt, the country from which it originates and where it’s considered the national dish. The cooked broad beans are crushed until a creamy texture is achieved and seasoned in a very “Mediterranean” way with lemon, garlic, cumin, chili and olive oil, and are accompanied with vegetables and herbs such as tomato, onion, parsley, mint, etc.
Tag: middle east
Falafel recipe with all its secrets and tricks
If we talk about Middle Eastern food, these little croquettes are for sure one of the first options that come our to mind. Falafel is often made with a chickpea base paste, but originally in Egypt they used broad beans (foul in Arabic, the word from which the name of this recipe derives). It is also possible to use a mixture of these two ingredients, in variable proportions.
Pickled turnips, the most striking Middle-Eastern pickle
Among the numerous pickles of all kinds of vegetables found on a mezze table, pickled turnips are undoubtedly the most distinctive, both for the flavor and for the very pronounced pink color. Here all the secrets are revealed to prepare it easily at home and, as usual, to achieve a much better version than the commercial ones.
Okra with meat stew recipe
This is a delicious dish from the Levant, where it is called “bamieh bil lahme”, literally okra with meat. This vegetable combines very well with beef or lamb, but the variant with chicken is also very common, especially in Greece or Turkey.
How to make Lahmacun (oriental pizza with meat)
This a classic that rivals the Italian pizza Margherita, and consists of a very thin dough on which a mixture of ground meat, tomato, onion, pepper and spices is spread. The name derives from Arabic and means “meat with dough”. Lahmacun is a classic of Turkish fast food, and despite being available everywhere (or precisely because of it), it is not a recipe that people normally know how to prepare at home.
Shakshuka (oriental-style eggs with tomato)
Shakshuka is a dish that can be found in different versions from the Maghreb region to Israel. It’s basically eggs prepared over a spicy tomato sauce and is eaten with in pita bread, usually accompanied by plain yogurt.
Muhammara, an exquisite red pepper and walnut spread
There is life beyond hummus! This red pepper and walnut spread, called muhammara, is an elegant and tasty recipe from Levantine cuisine, usually presented as a “mezze”. The flavor combines the smokiness of the peppers, sweet or hot depending on the type we choose, the characteristic touch of the walnuts and the bittersweet point of the pomegranate molasses.
How to prepare stuffed vine leaves
“Dolmadakia” in Greece, “yaprak sarma” in Turkey, “wanak enab” in Arabic, “dolma” in other countries, “niños envueltos” for Latinos, or simply stuffed vine leaves. Vegetarian or stuffed with meat. Whatever you want to call them, and in any of its variants, this recipe is always a guaranteed success.
Authentic Syrian-Lebanese tabbouleh salad
“Tabbouleh” salad is probably the most famous of the Levant region. It’s simple and admits some variations, but it’s often offered in a completely distorted way. For example, some supermarkets sell a ready-made version presented as a couscous salad, which is completely different from the traditional recipe.
Amazing oriental aubergine spread “baba ganoush” or “mutabbal”
Baba ganoush (sometimes called mutabbal, depending on the region), is another classic mezze of Middle Eastern cuisine, which preparation is very easy, and served with a good pita bread is a guaranteed success.