SumacSumac or sumach ( , UK also )—not to be confused with poison sumac—is any of the roughly 35 species of flowering plants in the genusRhus (and related genera) of the cashew and mango tree family, Anacardiaceae. However, it is Rhus coriaria that is most commonly used for culinary purposes. Sumac is prized as a spice—especially in Middle Eastern cuisine—and used as a dye and holistic remedy.
PitaPita ( or US: ; Greek: πίτα; Hebrew: פִּיתָּה) or pitta (British English), also known as Greek bread (Greek: Ελληνικό ψωμί, romanized: Ellinikó psomí), Arabic bread, Arab bread (Arabic: خبز عربي, romanized: khubz ʿArabī), Syrian bread, Lebanese bread, and pocket bread, is a family of yeast-leavened round flatbreads baked from wheat flour, common in the , Middle East, and neighboring areas.
ParsleyParsley, or garden parsley (Petroselinum crispum), is a species of flowering plant in the family Apiaceae that is native to Greece, the Balkans, Algeria and Morocco. It has been introduced and naturalized in Europe and elsewhere in the world with suitable climates, and is widely cultivated as a herb and a vegetable. It is believed to have been originally grown in Sardinia, and was cultivated around the 3rd century BC.
Olive oilOlive oil is a vegetable oil obtained by pressing whole olives (the fruit of Olea europaea, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin) and extracting the oil. It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods, as a condiment, or as a salad dressing. It can also be found in some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuels for traditional oil lamps. It also has additional uses in some religions.
OliveFruit of a cultivated plantThe cultivated olive (botanical nameOlea europaea subsp. europaea) is a subspecies of subtropical evergreen tree in the family Oleaceae. Modern cultivars are traced primarily to the Near East, Aegean Sea, and Strait of Gibraltar. Olea europaea is the type species for its genus, Olea, which lends its name to the Oleaceae plant family. The olive fruit is classed botanically as a drupe, similar in structure and function to the cherry or peach.
RiceRice is a cereal grain and, in its domesticated form, is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Africa and Asia. Rice is the seed of the grass species Oryza sativa (Asian rice)—or, less commonly, Oryza glaberrima (African rice). Asian rice was domesticated in China some 13,500 to 8,200 years ago; African rice was domesticated independently in West Africa about 3,000 years ago.
KebabKebab (UK: kib-AB, US: kib-AHB), kebap, kabob (alternative North American spelling), kebob, or kabab (Kashmiri) is a variety of roasted meat dishes that originated in the Middle East. Kebabs consist of cut-up meat, sometimes with vegetables and various other accompaniments according to the specific recipe. Although kebabs are typically cooked on a skewer over a fire, some kebab dishes are oven-baked in a pan, or prepared as a stew such as tas kebab.
MenthaMentha, also known as mint (from Greekμίνθαmíntha, Linear Bmi-ta), is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is estimated that 18 to 24 species exist, but the exact distinction between species is unclear. Hybridization occurs naturally where some species' ranges overlap. Many hybrids and cultivars are known. The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution, growing best in wet environments and moist soils.
ChickpeaThe chickpea or chick pea (Cicer arietinum) is an annual legume of the family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae, cultivated for its edible seeds. Its different types are variously known as gram, Bengal gram, chana (চানা), garbanzo, garbanzo bean, or Egyptian pea. It is one of the earliest cultivated legumes, the oldest archaeological evidence of which was found in Syria. Chickpeas are high in protein.
SesameSesame (; Sesamum indicum) is a plant in the genus Sesamum, also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for its edible seeds, which grow in pods. World production in 2024 was 6.7 million tonnes (7.4 million short tons), with India, Myanmar, and Sudan as the largest producers.
Date palmPhoenix dactylifera, commonly known as the date palm, is a flowering-plant species in the palm family Arecaceae, native to the region from the Gulf States and Iraq to Pakistan and India. It is cultivated for its edible sweet fruit called dates. The species is widely cultivated across northern Africa, the Middle East, Australia, South and Southeast Asia, the coastal , and Southern California. It is naturalised in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide.
HoneyHoney is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primarily floral nectar) or the secretions of other insects, like the honeydew of aphids.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.