Middle Eastern Food

Bulgur wheat is a delicious, high-fiber whole grain, traditionally used in Middle Eastern recipes such as tabbouleh and pilaf. You also can use bulgur wheat in soups, salads, side dishes,...

Jameed is a popular ingredient found most commonly in the Jordanian dish called "mansaf." Jameed is a dehydraded, defatted yogurt that is hardened into small balls, and then reconstituted when...

Bulgar wheat is made from whole wheatberries. The wheatberries are cooked until tender and then crushed or rolled into smaller granules. Bulgar is one of our oldest grains, with evidence...

Limu-omani are low-acid limes that are salted and dried. A standard in Persian cooking, they add an earthy flavor to stews and meats. Dried Persian limes are available in many specialty cooking...

Prepared dishes are essential to proper Turkish hospitality, especially because guests will commonly visit unannounced expecting tea and some refreshments. Cold rice and pine nut sarma is an...

Both nutritious and simplistic, the daily Turkish breakfast features the country's staple bread, typically made and purchased fresh daily from a local bakery, dipped in various fruit jams or...

Yayla Corbasi or High Plateau Soup is a Turkish staple soup that combines yogurt, rice and mint. Filling and refreshing, Yayla soup is excellent as an appetizer or an accompaniment to sandwiches....

Sarma is a Turkish word that means wrapped. The dish sarma is a delicious mixture of meat and rice tightly wrapped in grape leaves and boiled in water and olive oil. Both the preparation and...

Manti is a traditional Turkish dish made of small meat dumplings cooked in beef broth and topped with different sauces and spices. While time consuming to create, manti offers all the best flavors...

Tahini paste is a very versatile food and is used in a variety of dishes including hummus, sandwich spreads, soups, and in many other recipes. It is commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking and is...

Egypt is both a desert as well as an oasis. The Nile River, and the fertile Nile River Valley and Delta, allowed the Ancient Egyptians to cultivate crops, raise livestock and ultimately exist in...

Olive plants and trees are from the family Oleaceae in the order Gentianales. Olives are native to Syria but are now cultivated in regions surrounding the Mediterranean. The olive is the most...

Moroccan meatballs are as sensual to the palate as Moroccan decor is to the eyes. The blend of spices is surprising to the Western palate, with sweet spices added to meats as easily as garlic and...

Falafel is SO good and SO good for you. Many people try making it but it falls apart in the pan and they can't figure out why. It's a simple remedy - so simple, I will post a great falafel...

Sweet almond oil is primarily derived from the white-flowered, sweet almond tree (Prunus amygdalus). The dried seeds of the sweet almond tree are pressed to produce the essential oils of the...

Ethnic foods are usually economical, tasty and nutritious! If you are tired of eating the same things over and over, it never hurts to try something new. If you like it, you have an interesting...

This article will teach you to make the delicious Persian dish called Gormeh Sabzi. This dish will not look appetizing, but once you take the first bite, it will quickly become one of your favorites!

Yogurt is a great compliment to many Middle Eastern dishes. It also has many healthy benefits. Yogurt can be mixed with fruit and granola for a snack, or blended with ice and fruit to make a cool...

This recipe of Buharat (A.K.A Baharat) is used in mainly Gulf cuisine (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, U.A.E, and Oman) in the Middle East. It is used in most savory dishes. It varies from...

Lebanese cuisine contains a healthy mix of ingredients such as flat breads, whole grains, herbs, roasted vegetables, olive oil, yogurt, sesame seed paste, chickpeas and lamb. Lebanese like to...

Hummus is a Middle Eastern spread made from garbanzo beans, garlic, sea salt and olive oil. Traditionally, it is served as a dip or as part of a mezze platter. From there, its flavor changes...

Turkey is a country known for its natural resources. From apricots to copper, "made in Turkey" is appearing more and more frequently on specialty items throughout the world. Some of the most...

A tagine is a ceramic, cone-shaped cooking instrument used in Moroccan cooking. With its iconic dome-shaped lid, the tagine is used to cook couscous with vegetables, and various cuts of meat like...

Hummus is a tasty, healthy food with high nutritional content and high calories.

Bulgar wheat is a wheat grain that has already been boiled, dried and cracked so that it has a shorter cooking time than many other grains. Bulgar is also spelled bulgur and is best-known for...

This interesting Mediterranean spice blend is often used as a spice to use when dipping bread in good olive oil…I share it here since it’s a great addition to have in your cupboard, adding to...

When eating Sharjah cuisine, one can expect both Middle Eastern and local United Arab Emirates ingredients. Sharjah is located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and is the third largest emirate of...

Turkish coffee is a delicious - and difficult to make - drink, perfect for a little pick-me-up. Although it's not the easiest to make, once you get the hang of it, you'll have to fend off friends...

Caesar salad dressing actually originated in Mexico, almost 100 years ago. It was created by Italian chef Caesar Cardini, in his Tijuana, Mexico kitchen. If you love the taste of homemade Caesar...

In the US, Garbanzo beans, also known as chick peas, are most commonly seen served uncooked as an addition to a cold Italian-style salad. They're certainly delicious served that way, but the firm...

In Morocco, it is common to find preserved lemon and blood oranges in dishes like tagines and slow-cooked stews. These condiments can now be found in gourmet food stores and high-end grocers....

Halva is a sweet and dense confection found throughout the world. It basically encompasses a large range of sweets found in Central Asia, the Middle East, parts of the Mediterranean and the...

Halal food, like kosher food, is food that is prepared according to religious dietary rules. Halal food follows Islamic dietary instructions.

Health issues have led me to modify my diet in numerous ways, including the elimination of sugar and high-glycemic foods, and going gluten-free. In the Middle Eastern spread hummus I discovered a...

Looking for a quick and simple - yet delicious - marinade for your fresh (or frozen) swordfish steaks? Believed to have originated in Morocco, the following marinade contains five easy to find...

With the growth of the Middle Eastern population in our country the number of Middle Eastern Restaurants has mushroomed. There are many advantages to preparing Middle Eastern foods, most...

Maklooba (or Maklouba/Makloubeh) is a Middle Eastern rice dish. It varies slightly from country to country, but the main ingredients are rice, lamb or chicken, cauliflower and eggplant. All the...

It seems like no matter where you go, you will find some form of flat bread. There are pancakes in the United States, tortillas in Mexico, crepes in France and pita bread in the Middle East. In...

Afghan lentil soup is a hearty, thick soup originating in the cold mountains of Afghanistan. Lentil soup is a popular dish during Ramadan, a monthlong Islamic holiday that celebrates the prophet...

Lebanese food is characterized by plenty of vegetables, lean meats, healthy grains, nutritional nuts and rich oils. As many people seek alternatives to fast food and heavy Western fare, healthy...

Do you want to try a spinach dip different from the regular spinach and cheese dip. The recipe is really easy making and so delicious. In Middle East it's eaten most of the time with rice, but we...

The following recipe is for pilaf made with bulgur (bulghur) wheat. Although the recipe is the same as for rice pilaf, the taste and texture is different with the bulgur. Bulgur wheat is...

The following recipe for Armenian rice pilaf is the one used by my grandmother, my mother and myself for making delicious pilaf. It is a simple recipe that yields great results. I have provided...

The people of the Middle East are famous for being strong coffee drinkers but in Egypt the classic drink of choice is black tea. Most Egyptians like to add mint to their tea. It gives the tea a...

First mentioned in a 13th century recipe book of Northern Africa, couscous has become popular in the U.S. because it's quick-cooking and versatile. Readily available in most supermarkets, the...

These are sweet and simple things to make that especially appeal to children.

This is a very healthy Lebanese dish that will warm the hearts of your family everytime they smell it cooking.

You cannot have truly eaten lebanese food until you have eaten kibbi, made with lamb.

This is a wonderful spread that can be use with hot bread or as a salad dressing or on rice! You can also use it as a marinade for chicken.

The best Dolma EVER !! This is my Mothers recipe, she was born and raised in Iraq and is an excellent cook..