Cuisine of the Middle East: Middle Eastern Cuisine

1. Cuisine of the
Middle East

2. History
▪ Wheat, barley, pistachios, figs, & pomegranates were first
cultivated in the Middle East
▪ Middle Easterners began to incorporate fruits, poultry, & rice into
their diets while under the rule of the Persian Empire (550BCE –
330BCE)
▪ Because of the Middle East's location in the center of the Silk
Road, recipes and spices were frequently exchanged with other
cultures.
▪ This includes yogurt from Russia, dumplings from Mongolia, &
various spices from India & Africa

3. Beverages
⚫ Alcohol is generally unpopular in the Middle
East due to the Quran's rejection. It is banned
in most of the region's countries such as
Saudi Arabia & Kuwait
⚫ Turkish coffee remains a popular beverage.
⚫ It is prepared by adding finely grounded
coffee beans and sugar into a pot of cold
water, the mixture is then stirred until the
sugar dissolves before being placed on heat.
When finished, a rich foam will emerge.

4. Beverages
⚫ Arak is a distilled alcoholic beverage, mixed with water and ice,
it's known as “the milk of lions”
⚫ Arak or araq (Arabic: ‫ﻋﺮﻕ‬
) is a distilled Levantine spirit of the
anise drinks family. It is translucent and unsweetened.
⚫ Arak is traditionally made of
grapes and aniseed (the seeds of
the anise plant); when crushed,
their oil provides arak with a slight
licorice taste. Dates, figs, and
other fruits are sometimes added

5. Etiquette
▪ Traditionally, dinner is served with all food on the table, or a
blanked on the floor. Utensils are not used, instead a slice of pita
bread or a bare hand is used for taking food. Only the right hand is
used for eating, as the left is considered the unclean hand.
▪ The Islam faith encourages generous hospitality towards guests,
coffee and figs are commonly served. And hosts allow the guests to
take the first bite of a meal.

6. Utensils
▪ An ibrik (top), is the traditional container in
which Turkish coffee is served
▪ It is a Middle Eastern container with a
spout used for storing and pouring liquid
contents. The term IBRIK is often used in
English to mean a Turkish coffee pot,
which is known in Turkish as a cezve.
▪ The mortar and pestle (bottom) is a device
used for grinding ingredients such as
spices and herbs

7. Meat & Poultry
Kebabs include grilled meat and sometimes vegetables placed on
skewer. Lamb and beef is most commonly used. Or, they are
sometimes rolled in pita bread and mixed with vegetables and
sauce, this variation is known as a shawarma.

8. Fruit & Vegetable Dishes
⚫ Falafel (top left), is a fried ball of chickpeas or
fava beans. It's commonly sold by street
vendors
⚫ Tabouleh (middle) is a type of Middle Eastern
salad
⚫ Baba ghannouj (bottom) is a dip made of
eggplant and tahini. Traditionally, it's ate with
pita bread.

9. Wheat & Grain
⚫ Pita bread, also known as flatbread, is very common in a
Middle Eastern diet.
⚫ Slices of bread are used as eating utensils as well as
wrapping kebabs. The bread is prepared by being baked at
very high temperatures (450-850°F). Which gives the
dough it's puffed-up appearance.
⚫ Pita or pitta is a family of yeast-
leavened round flatbreads baked
from wheat flour, also known as
Arabic bread.

10. Desserts
⚫ Phyllo dough is used in recipes such as
baklava (top). A type of pastry which can
have it's taste enhanced with ingredients
such as chocolate, syrup, or chopped nuts.
⚫ Turkish delight (bottom) is a soft treat
made from starch and sugar and formed
into cube-shaped pieces.
⚫ Turkish delights come in a variety of
flavors and a popular accommodation for
Turkish coffee.

11. Celebrations
The Islamic holiday of Ramadan involves fasting. Which is viewed
as a method of promoting patience, modesty, & spirituality. During
the ninth month of the Islamic Calendar, participants will refrain
from eating, drinking & smoking each day of the month from dusk till
dawn. Ramadan's end is signaled by a celebration called Eid ul-Fitr,
in which feasting is promoted and food is donated to the poor.

12. THANK YOU