Arabic Food
Popular Arabic Cuisine
Popular Arabic Cuisine
While Arabic cuisine differs greatly from region to region, there is one ingredient that no meal can go without: hospitality. Most meals in this area are as much about being hospitable and generous with others as they are about the actual menu. There are some customs at the table, too, and when you learn the Arabic language you’ll know just what to say (and how to say it) to make sure you enjoy the whole experience. Of course, over the years, Arabic cuisine has developed a very unique flavor that features the best of Mediterranean, Middle Easten, and Indian influences. Many of the most common dishes served in this area make use of ingredients not often used in the United States. This could include everything from lentils and fava beans to sesame seed oil and saffron. Some of these ingredients are just starting to become more popular in the west, but experiencing real Arabic cuisine is an experience you don’t want to miss. 
Common Foods and Dishes A lot of the cuisine in these areas will be filled with various fruits and vegetables. Most of the fruits are of the citrus variety, but the vegetables can include everything from cucumbers and eggplant to green beans and zucchini. Meats are also common in many dishes, but it is most often lamb or chicken. (Muslim Arabs don’t eat pork or drink alcohol, so you won’t see those very often except in the regions where other denominations live.) Tea is usually the most popular beverage in the area and is consumed quite regularly. Of course the exact type of tea is also dependent on the region, with places like Egypt serving a black and sweet tea while in Yemen you might be more likely to enjoy a milk tea. On the dairy side, you are likely to see a lot of yoghurt and white cheese. The yogurt of the region is made from sheep, cow, or goat milk, and it might be diluted with water to create a refreshing beverage or thickened to make it a tasty condiment. Most importantly, though, is the delicious bread which is pretty much an essential element of any table setting. There are a huge variety of breads, and they may be mixed in with other dishes or simply set out as a side, but it is almost always there and always tasty.
Some Regional Differences Arabic cuisine has been influenced by many different cultures, and the resulting specialty dishes of these regions have their own unique characteristics. In Egypt, for example, the cuisine leans vegetarian, and you can try the classic falafel or kushari. Sudan, on the other hand, usually goes pretty heavy on the spices, and their “mullah” is a very flavorful stew you won’t forget. And in Yemen you’ll find less emphasis on dairy, and you can try the saltah, a meaty dish filled with many different ingredients.
A Cultural Experience One of the best ways to start experiencing a culture is to sample the cuisine. Your Arabic course will get you started, teach you the language and some of the history, but don’t miss out on your chance to try something from the region for yourself. A lot of people are hesitant to try foods that are a little different from their everyday menu, but it’s a great first step into a different culture and some incredibly tasty cuisine.
Posted in Arabic Food, Arabic Lessons, Discover Egypt | 
Tags: Arabic Culture, Arabic Food, Arabic Lessons, Egypt, Fava Beans, Learn Arabic | Comments »
Our Students Have Fun Cooking While They Learn Arabic
Eid al-Adha
During the last week of October, Muslims all around the world will celebrate Eid al-Adha (the Greater Eid). Eid al-Adha is an important religious feast celebrated annually on the 10th day of the Islamic Month Dhu al Hijjah; it starts after the Hajj (the annual pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims) and lasts for 4 days. Islamic and Arab countries announce official holiday during those days.
Muslims and Arabs keep several traditions during this Islamic festival; they dress up with their finest clothes and go to mosques to pray the Eid prayer and visit their families and friends. Those Muslims who can afford, sacrifice an animal and distribute third of its meat on the poor, usually it is a cow or a goat or sheep depending on the region. Distributing meat amongst people, making contributions to the poor, charity work and families’ visits are prominent traditions of this festival.
In Egypt it is no different than any other Muslim country, however there is one special thing that is common in all Egyptian homes but not anywhere else which is the iconic meal of “Egyptian Fatta”. Egyptian Fatta is a ruling dish in Eid al-Adha, and consists of meat, rice, bread and red sauce.
You can uncover more about Islam, Arabic culture and traditions when you learn Arabic. Learning the Arabic language will open you up to the deep and rich world of Islam. You can spend a summer, semester, or full year abroad practicing your Arabic language skills and learning firsthand about Arab culture. At Arab Academy, our on-campus students had the chance to live this formidable Islamic festival while taking Arabic lessons. They learnt how to cook the Egyptian fatta on the hands of one of Egypt’s many talented chefs.
Kunafa
Kunafa is a traditional dessert during Ramadan. It is usually served with Iftar. Kunafah is made by drizzling a row of thin streams of flour-and-water batter onto a turning hot plate, so they dry into long threads resembling shredded wheat. The pastry is mixed with butter and filled with any of various options.
Foul Recipe
Soak one cup of Egyptian fava beans overnight then cook the drained beans in fresh water. Make sure the water well covers the beans. You may add a handful of yellow lentils. Boil for a few minutes then let it simmer on very low heat. Cover the pot thouroughly. It takes about 4-6 hours for the foul to become soft. Check every while to make sure there is enough water covering the foul.
There are dozens of recipes for serving foul but the most traditional is to add olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper, cumin and crushed garlic. You may also add some chopped parsley if you wish.
Belhana wel shefa! (Bon appetit!)
So7our السحور
So7our is the meal we eat in Ramadan a couple of hours before dawn. The main dish is the “foul”. It is economical and delicious.
Foul is rich in protein and various minerals. It is not easily digested and we do not feel hungry for a while, this is why it is preferred for so7our.
Foul is rich in protein and various minerals. It is not easily digested and we do not feel hungry for a while, this is why it is preferred for so7our.
Adventures in Alexandria: Seafood adventure
Adventures in Alexandria: Sea Food
Although students come to Arab Academy with the intention of studying Arabic in Egypt, experiencing the culture is also very important. A very special part of that culture is Egyptian food with all its spices and tastes. With a true AA spirit, we left the Fort of Qaytbay bound to experience some of that famous Alexandrian sea food.
We headed to the Fish Market/ Tikka restaurants which are located right on top of each other. Students who are not into seafood had the option of ordering chicken from Tikka. It wasn’t very far from Qaytbay and its setting was very beautiful by the sea. The restaurant was all glass windows that overlooked a small port with fishermen and their boats. Although the restaurant had a low ceiling, it was well lit because of all the windows and the atmosphere was charming.
We started out with really yummy salads that included marinated tomatoes, aubergines and mixed salads. The salads are typically Egyptian and go with the usual grilled fish orders along with freshly baked hot white bread.
Most of us ordered grilled fish and accompanying sayadeyya rice, which is brown rice cooked with onions and spices and bits of seafood (optional). Everything was delicious and very hot and spicy. The high light of the meal was the grilled shrimps. Medium sized, the shrimps were absolutely delicious hot from the grill with a tasty garlic, lemon and parsley marination. In a true Egyptian fashion, most of us opted to peel and eat our shrimps by hand. The combination of dips and salads with fish and shrimps was a harmonious celebration of spices.
We had our meal over extended conversations. It was good to see everyone enjoying themselves and commenting about the new experiences they were having so far from home.
We didn’t really have room for desert after that meal but drank boiled fresh mint to help in digestion, then we were happy to head back to our hotel and look forward to our next adventure the following day…it was going to be a royal and scenic one too, along the gardens of Montazah.
Ramadan Diaries: Best Ever Konafa with Ricotta and Cream Filling
Ramadan Recipes: Best ever Konafa with Ricotta and Cream
With such a steep history, it’s not surprising that Egypt also has colorful and sweet recipes. Konafa is one of the most favored deserts in ramadan. It ‘s done in all sorts of ways, with nuts, with cream, with honey, and even with fruits such as mangoes. My favorite one is konafa filled with cream and ricotta cheese. It’s so easy to make and isabsolutely delicious. Bel Hana wil Shifa.
Ingredients:
1/2 kilo konafa
250 gm butter
200 gm cream
200 ricotta cheese
Syrup
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup water
juice of 1/2 lemon
Method
warm oven to 350. Melt or soften butter in pan. Shred the konafa either by hand or with scissors then mix well with butter. Divide konafa in half. Lay one half in round or rectangular pan then press gently with palm of hand on the surface. Save the other half. Meanwhile mix ricotta and cream in bowl. (some people prefer to put a little less cheese then the cream). With a spoon spread cheese mixture on the konafa laying out evenly with the back of the spoon. Lay the other half of the konafa on top of the filling then again press down gently with the palm of your hand and push into the oven. Depending on the pan you use,(I use tefal), I get it out when its sides shrink and turn into a dark golden color. Flip on prepared serving plate with golden bottom side up, leave it to cool for a minute then pour cold syrup all over.
If your pan is aluminum its surface might turn gold first ( I haven’t tried- I’d appreciate it someone lets me know what happens in an aluminum pan).
Syrup
Heat mixed sugar and water until sugar completely dissolves. Add lemon juice. Leave to boil until mixture thickens. Test that it is the right thickness by putting a drop on a tilted surface, if it’s runny, then leave it some more. If it’s kind of heavy and doesn’t really run then you are done. Leave mixture to cool completely before adding to konafa.
Hints:
-dip the spoon in a glass of water before spreading the cheese mixture, otherwise the filling will stick to the spoon along with the konafa.
-Either the syrup or the konafa must be very hot when combining, other wise things will get soggy.
-You don’t have to use all the syrup, but pour enough to make it moist/ or to tast. You could always heat the syrup and add later when konafa cools to adjust to our taste.
Learn Arab Cooking: Mahshi Day At Arab Academy
Mahshi/ Dolma Day at AA
يوم طبيخ المحشي في الاكاديمية
Learning Arab cooking proved a great way to learn about the local Food and culture. The ingredients were fresh, the smell great and the students at AA seemed to enjoy the tasty activity of making Dolma.
Going beyond the delicious smell, and the bright colors, Dolma or mahshi, as it is called in the colloquial Egyptian Arabic, has quite a history to be proud of. This dish of stuffed vegetables goes back all the way to the Ottoman empire and is popular in countries such as Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, the Balkans, middle Eastern countries and Iran. These stuffed vegetables include zucchini, eggplant, tomato, pepper and vine leaves.
What many foreigners don’t know about the making of this dish is that its usually a communal activity. Often baladi (or local) women who intend to do Mahshi gather together around a table with huge pot of rice stuffing and another one of vegetables and start emptying and stuffing the vegetable or rolling and stuffing in the vine leaves. Because its a time consuming activity, mahshi is often made while chatting.
My favorite thing about this dish is that it could be purely vegetarian, although some include minced meat in the stuffing. if it includes meat, then the Mahshi is served warm with a tomato sauce, if not then usually it is served at room temperature. Both are frequently eaten with yoghurt.
Here’s the Mahshi recipe below. Highly recommendable to try. Arab Academy smelled absolutely delicious for the whole day!
Ingredients: For mahshi variations, the same recipe could be applied to green peppers, hard tomatoes, and eggplant
- 1 kg (32 oz) medium zucchini
- 200 g (7 oz) minced meat (optional)
- 1 cup short grain rice, washed
- 1 kg (32 oz) red tomatoes, peeled and grated
- 2 tspns salt
- a dash of ground allspice and black pepper (as desired)
- a dash of ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tbls shortening or butter
- 5 cloves garlic, crushed with a dash of salt
- 2 cups water
- 4 tbls lemon juice
- 1/4 cup dill
- 1/4 cup parsely
Preparation:
- Wash well zucchini. Remove stems using a knife. Hollow out using an apple corer. Wash zucchini inside and out. Drain. Filling: Mix minced meat with rice. Stir in salt and spices.
- Stuff zucchini, shake each after filling it so that the filling is well distributed (don™t over stuff). Arrange in a pot. Invert a plate on top.
- Strain tomatoes using a colander. Add 2 cups of water, shortening, and a dash of salt. Place tomato juice in a pot over medium heat. When it boils, add to zucchini. Cook for 1 hour, or until tender. Add crushed garlic and lemon juice. Cook for 5 minutes.
- Serve zucchini and sauce hot separately or together in a large bowl.
