This is a list of dishes found in Middle Eastern cuisine, a generalized term collectively referring to the

cuisine A cuisine is a style of cooking characterized by distinctive ingredients, techniques and dishes, and usually associated with a specific culture or geographic region. Regional food preparation techniques, customs, and ingredients combine to ...

s of the Middle East and the Maghreb region. The Middle East is home to numerous different cultural and ethnic groups. This

diversity Diversity, diversify, or diverse may refer to: Business *Diversity (business), the inclusion of people of different identities (ethnicity, gender, age) in the workforce * Diversity marketing, marketing communication targeting diverse customers ...

is also reflected in the many local culinary traditions in choice of

ingredients An ingredient is a substance that forms part of a mixture (in a general sense). For example, in cooking, recipes specify which ingredients are used to prepare a specific dish. Many commercial products contain secret ingredients that are purport ...

, style of preparation, and

cooking techniques This is a list of cooking techniques commonly used in cooking and food preparation. Cooking is the art of preparing food for ingestion, commonly with the application of heat. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely across the world, refle ...

Middle Eastern dishes

} ''salat turki''). , - ,

Méchoui Méchoui ( ar, مشوي}) or ''Meshwi'' is a whole sheep or lamb spit-roasted on a barbecue in Maghrebi cuisine. The word comes from the Arabic word ''šawā'' (, "grilling, roasting"). This dish is very popular in North Africa. In Algeria and ...

, North Africa, Cameroon , A whole sheep or a lamb spit roasted on a barbecue. It is popular in North Africa and among the Bamileke people of Cameroon. , - ,

Merguez Merguez () is a red, spicy mutton- or beef-based fresh sausage in Maghrebi cuisine. Since the late 20th century, it has been popular in France and Great Britain due to the large Algerian populations. Merguez is a sausage made with uncooked lamb ...

, North Africa , A very spicy, red sausage of mutton or beef. , - , Mesfouf , , Tunisia , Similar to couscous, with butter added. , - , Mrouzia , IB tajine 02

, Morocco , Sweet and salty

tajine A tajine or tagine ( ar, طاجين) is a North African dish, named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. It is also called or . Etymology The Arabic () is derived from the Berber 'shallow earthen pot', from Ancient Greek () 'f ...

with honey,

cinnamon Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus '' Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, break ...

and almonds. , - , Msemen , Rghaif (detalle)

, Maghreb , Traditional pancakes in Maghreb. These pancakes are usually used as an accompaniment to a cup of aromatic morning mint tea or of creamy coffee. Msemen can also be stuffed with vegetables or meat fillings. , - ,

Mulukhiyah Mulukhiyah, also known as molokhia, molohiya, or ewedu, ( ar, ملوخية, mulūkhiyyah) is a dish made from the leaves of ''Corchorus olitorius'', commonly known in English as denje'c'jute, nalta jute, tossa jute, jute mallow or Jew's Mallo ...

, Egypt , The leaves of the ''

Corchorus ''Corchorus'' is a genus of about 40–100 species of flowering plants in the family Malvaceae, native to tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. Different common names are used in different contexts, with jute applying to the ...

'' species are used as a vegetable in Middle Eastern, East African,

North African North Africa, or Northern Africa is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region, and it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of Mauritania in t ...

, and

South Asian South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; T ...

cuisine. Mulukhiyyah is rather bitter, and when boiled, the resulting liquid is a thick, highly mucilaginous broth; it is often described as "slimy," rather like cooked okra. , - ,

Pastilla Pastilla ( ara, بسطيلة, basṭīla, also called North African pie) is a North African meat or seafood pie made with ''warqa'' dough (), which is similar to filo. It is a specialty of Morocco and Algeria. It has more recently been sprea ...

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

and Morocco , A traditional Moroccan dish, an elaborate

meat pie A meat pie is a pie with a filling of meat and often with other savory ingredients. They are found in cuisines worldwide. Meat pies are usually baked, fried, or deep fried to brown them and develop the flavour through the Maillard reaction. Ma ...

traditionally made of

squab In culinary terminology, squab is an immature domestic pigeon, typically under four weeks old, or its meat. The meat is widely described as tasting like dark chicken. The term is probably of Scandinavian origin; the Swedish word ''skvabb'' means ...

(fledgling

pigeon Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

s). As squabs are often hard to get, shredded chicken is more often used today; pastilla can also use fish or

offal Offal (), also called variety meats, pluck or organ meats, is the organs of a butchered animal. The word does not refer to a particular list of edible organs, which varies by culture and region, but usually excludes muscle. Offal may also refe ...

as a filling. , - ,

Qatayef Qatayef or katayef or qata'if ( ar, قطايف, ), is an Arab dessert commonly served during the month of Ramadan, a sort of sweet dumpling filled with cream or nuts. It can be described as a folded pancake, similar to a Scottish crumpet. Etymo ...

, , Egypt , An Arab dessert commonly served during the month of Ramadan, a sort of sweet

dumpling Dumpling is a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of dough (made from a variety of starch sources), oftentimes wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, flour, buckwheat or potatoes, and may be filled with meat, fish ...

filled with cream or nuts. It is usually prepared using

Akkawi Akkawi cheese ( ar, جبنة عكاوي, jubna ʿakkāwī, also Akawi, Akawieh and Ackawi) is a white brine cheese named after the city of Akka (Acre, present-day Israel). Etymology Akkawi cheese is named after the port city of Akka ( ar, ع� ...

cheese as a filling. , - ,

Sfenj Sfenj (from the Arabic word ar, السفنج, Safanj, meaning sponge) is a Maghrebi doughnut: a light, spongy ring of dough fried in oil. Sfenj is eaten plain, sprinkled with sugar, or soaked in honey. It is a well-known dish in the Maghreb and ...

, North Africa , Donuts cooked in oil then soaked in honey or sprinkled with sugar. , - , Shakshouka , Shakshuka 011

, Northwest Africa , A dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes,

chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for t ...

s, and onions, often spiced with

cumin Cumin ( or , or Article title
) (''Cuminum cyminum'') is a

Tunisian origin. , - ,

Shawarma Shawarma (; ar, شاورما) is a popular Middle Eastern dish that originated in the Ottoman Empire, consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. Traditional ...

, Levant , A dish consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie or spit. , - ,

Shish taouk Shish taouk or shish tawook (; ; ) is a traditional marinated chicken shish kebab of Ottoman cuisine that later became part of Middle Eastern cuisine. It is widely eaten in the Middle East and Caucasus. A similar dish in Persian cuisine is the tra ...

, North Africa , Marinated cubes of chicken are skewered and grilled. , - , Tabil , , Tunisia , A Tunisian spice mixture consisting of ground

coriander Coriander (;

seed,

caraway seed Caraway, also known as meridian fennel and Persian cumin (''Carum carvi''), is a biennial plant in the family Apiaceae, native to western Asia, Europe, and North Africa. Etymology The etymology of "caraway" is unclear. Caraway has been ...

, garlic powder, and

chili powder Chili powder (also spelled chile, chilli, or, alternatively, powdered chili) is the dried, pulverized fruit of one or more varieties of chili pepper, sometimes with the addition of other spices (in which case it is also sometimes known as chili ...

. The term can also refer to coriander by itself. , - ,

Tabbouleh Tabbouleh ( ar, تبولة, translit=tabbūla; also tabouleh, tabbouli, tabouli, or taboulah) is a Levantine salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur (soaked, not cooked), and seasoned with olive oil, lemon ...

, Levant , A Levantine salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur (soaked, not cooked), and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sweet pepper. , - ,

Tajine A tajine or tagine ( ar, طاجين) is a North African dish, named after the earthenware pot in which it is cooked. It is also called or . Etymology The Arabic () is derived from the Berber 'shallow earthen pot', from Ancient Greek () 'f ...

, North Africa , A Maghrebi dish from North Africa, that is named after the special earthenware pot in which it is cooked. A similar dish, known as tavvas, is found in the

cuisine of Cyprus Cypriot cuisine is mainly influenced by Greek and Turkish cuisines, whilst also sharing similarities with the cuisines of Italy and France. Food preparation Frequently used ingredients are fresh vegetables such as zucchini, olives, okra, gree ...

. The traditional tajine pot is formed entirely of a heavy clay, which is sometimes painted or glazed. Tajines in

Moroccan cuisine Moroccan cuisine () is the cuisine of Morocco, fueled by interactions and exchanges with many cultures and nations over the centuries. Moroccan cuisine is usually a mix of Arab, Berber, Andalusi, and Mediterranean cuisines, with minimal European ...

are slow-cooked stews

braised Braising (from the French word ''braiser'') is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats: typically, the food is first browned at a high temperature, then simmered in a covered pot in cooking liquid (such as wine, broth, coc ...

at low temperatures, resulting in tender meat with aromatic vegetables and sauce. , - ,

Toum Salsat toum or toumya (Arabic pronunciation of 'garlic') is a garlic sauce common to the Levant. Similar to the Provençal aioli, there are many variations, a common one containing garlic, salt, olive oil or vegetable oil, and lemon juice, tra ...

, Levant , A garlic sauce as prepared in Lebanon,

the Levant The Levant () is an approximate historical geographical term referring to a large area in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Western Asia. In its narrowest sense, which is in use today in archaeology and other cultural contexts, it is equ ...

, and Egypt similar to the European

aioli Aioli, allioli or aïoli ( or ; Provençal oc, alhòli or ''aiòli'' ; ca, allioli ; es, alioli ) is a cold sauce consisting of an emulsion of garlic and olive oil; it is found in the cuisines of the northwest Mediterranean, from Andalusia ...

. It contains garlic, salt, olive oil or vegetable oil, and lemon juice crushed using a wooden mortar and pestle. There is a variation popular in many villages, such as

Zgharta Zgharta ( ar, زغرتا, syc, ܙܓܪܬܐ), also spelled Zghorta, is a city in North Lebanon, with an estimated population of around 50,000. It is the second biggest city in Northern Lebanon after Tripoli. Zgharta is about 150 metres above se ...

, where

mint MiNT is Now TOS (MiNT) is a free software alternative operating system kernel for the Atari ST system and its successors. It is a multi-tasking alternative to TOS and MagiC. Together with the free system components fVDI device drivers, XaAE ...

is added, called "Zeit and Toum". , - , Usban , عصبان تونسي 1

, Libya and Tunisia , A traditional kind of Tunisian sausage, stuffed with a mixture of rice, herbs,

lamb Lamb or The Lamb may refer to: * A young sheep * Lamb and mutton, the meat of sheep Arts and media Film, television, and theatre * ''The Lamb'' (1915 film), a silent film starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr. in his screen debut * ''The Lamb'' (1918 ...

, chopped liver and

heart The heart is a muscular organ in most animals. This organ pumps blood through the blood vessels of the circulatory system. The pumped blood carries oxygen and nutrients to the body, while carrying metabolic waste such as carbon dioxide to ...

. This dish is usually served alongside the main meal of rice or

couscous Couscous ( '; ber, ⵙⴽⵙⵓ, translit=Seksu) – sometimes called kusksi or kseksu – is a Maghrebi dish of small steamed granules of rolled durum wheat semolina that is often served with a stew spooned on top. Pearl millet, sorghum, bu ...

, often on special occasions. , -

References

{{Reflist, 30em Middle Eastern cuisine

Middle Eastern dishes

See also

References