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Bahrain

Bahrain is a small island nation in the Persian Gulf, and is known for its oil wealth, modern infrastructure, and as a financial hub in the Middle East. Manama, the capital, reflects Bahrain's blend of old and new with its traditional souks and towering skyscrapers. Bahrain has been promoting itself as a cultural and tourism destination, with efforts to preserve its pearl diving heritage and hosting Formula 1 races. Despite its small size, Bahrain plays a significant role in regional politics, balancing between various Middle Eastern powers.

Bahrain

Featured Dishes from Bahrain

Adai

Adai

Dosa may refer to:

Balaleet

Balaleet

Balaleet is a traditional sweet and savoury dish popular in the Arabian Gulf countries and especially Kuwait. A popular breakfast choice, it traditionally consists of vermicelli sweetened with sugar, cardamom, rose water and saffron, and served with an overlying egg omelette. It is sometimes served with sautéed onions or potatoes. The dish is especially served during the Islamic holidays of Eid al-Fitr as the first meal of the day.

Balela

Balela

Balila is a Levantine dish consisting of chickpeas that have been boiled along with lemon juice, garlic, and various spices. It is served as a hot mezze dish. The name is also used for a different Egyptian dish made of whole wheat berries, milk, nuts, and raisins.

Bibingka

Bibingka

Bibingka is a type of baked rice cake in Filipino cuisine that is cooked in a terracotta oven lined with banana leaves and is usually eaten for breakfast or as merienda (mid-afternoon snack), especially during the Christmas season. It is also known as bingka in the Visayas and Mindanao islands. Bibingka can also be various other Filipino baked rice cakes, for example, those made with cassava flour (bibingkang cassava / bibingkang kamoteng kahoy), glutinous rice (bibingkang malagkit), or plain flour.

Egg bhurji

Egg bhurji

Egg bhurji, also known as Anda Bhurji or Ande ka Khagina, is a scrambled eggs dish which is a popular street food and a breakfast, lunch or dinner recipe. Originating from the Indian subcontinent, it is sometimes compared with the Parsi dish akuri. The Parsi dish Akoori or Akuri is very similar to egg bhurji with a few differences. Just like bhurji, akuri is filled with many aromatics like ginger, onion and other spices. However, bhurji eggs are cooked until dry, whereas akoori eggs are cooked less while still runny. The difference lies in its preparation and addition of sautéed chopped onions, chilies and optional spices. Bhurji can be found at highway rest stops and street food stalls across India, sometimes served alongside slices of white bread.[failed verification] Heavy with tomatoes, chilies, onion, and fragrant spices, these scrambled eggs make for a substantial and satisfying meal, in a matter of minutes. Egg bhurji goes well with hot chapati, paratha, dinner rolls or buttered toast.

Fattet hummus

Fattet hummus

A dip made with bread that is soaked in broth, hummus, tahini and lemon juice

Ful medames

Ful medames

Ful medames , or simply fūl, is a stew of cooked fava beans served with olive oil, cumin, and optionally with chopped parsley, garlic, onion, lemon juice, chili pepper and other vegetables, herbs, and spices. Ful medames is traditionally made in and served out of a large metal jug. It is notably a staple food in Sudan and Egypt and is considered a national dish, especially in the northern cities of Cairo and Gizah.[citation needed] Fava beans can also sometimes be found in other cuisines in the Middle East, and Africa, though cooked differently. The name of this culinary dish is transcribed fūl medammis, ful medammes, foul mdammes, etc. Some modern dictionaries suggest that its Coptic name is ⲫⲉⲗ phel or fel, but this is a term derived from Arabic (after the Arabization of Egypt). [citation needed]

Idli

Idli

Idli or idly or iddali or iddena is a type of savoury rice cake, originating from South India, popular as a breakfast food in Southern India and in Sri Lanka. The cakes are made by steaming a batter consisting of fermented de-husked black lentils and rice. The fermentation process breaks down the starches so that they are more readily metabolised by the body. Idli has several variations, including rava idli, which is made from semolina. Regional variants include sanna of Konkan.

Kebda

Kebda

Spiced and fried liver (beef, lamb, goat), serve with flatbread, tahini, rice

Khabees

Khabees

Khabees is a traditional sweet dish popular in Gulf Arab States, and common in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It is made of flour and oil and is commonly served as a traditional dish for breakfast, especially during Eid days. Khabees خَبِيصْ (or more uncommonly, khabeesa خبيصة) from The root خَبَصَ (“to mix”) is denominal. A recipe for Khabees was mentioned in a 10th century Arabic cookbook, Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ (the book of dishes) by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq.[citation needed]

Laban

Laban

The term Leben, variously laban, liben, lben // ⓘ in the Middle East and North Africa, refers to a food or beverage of fermented milk. Generally, there are two main products known as leben: The yogurt variant for the Levant region and the buttermilk variant for parts of Arabia and North Africa (Maghreb). Leben can be served at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Leben as a drink is traditionally prepared by letting milk ferment for around 24 hours, then churning and removing the butter. The remaining buttermilk can keep for several days at room temperature. In modern times, it is produced industrially.[citation needed] Leben in parts of the Middle East is traditionally prepared by boiling milk, usually whole milk, then adding yogurt (or previously made, left over/store-bought leben), and then cooled overnight.[citation needed]

Manakish

Manakish

Manakish , or in singular form man'ousheh, or other spellings, is a popular Levantine food consisting of dough topped with za'atar, cheese, or ground meat. It can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch. Traditionally, women would bake dough in a communal oven in the morning, to provide their family with their daily bread needs, and would prepare smaller portions of dough with different toppings for breakfast at this time.

Masala dosa

Masala dosa

Masala dosa is a dish of South India originating in the town of Udupi, Karnataka. While there is variation in the recipe from town to town, the basic recipe typically starts with a fermented batter of parboiled rice, poha, and various legumes (black gram, pigeon peas, chickpeas), and incorporates various spices for flavour, such as fenugreek and dry red chilli. Traditionally served with potato curry, chutneys, and sambar, it is a common breakfast item in South India, though it can also be found in many other parts of the country and overseas. One common variant is the paper masala dosa, which is made with a thinner batter, resulting in a crisper, almost paper-thin final product. The dosa is made by soaking rice and lentils overnight in water and then grinding them into a batter. The batter is fermented overnight. To make the dosa the batter is spread on a hot tava using a ladle or a bowl. It is pan-roasted until crispy and served with potato curry, chutneys or sambar.

Pandesal

Pandesal

Pandesal, also written as pan de sal , is a staple bread roll in the Philippines commonly eaten for breakfast. It is made of flour, yeast, sugar, oil, and salt. Pandesal is a popular yeast-raised bread in the Philippines. Individual loaves are shaped by rolling the dough into long logs (bastón, Spanish for "stick") which are rolled in fine bread crumbs. These are then portioned, allowed to rise, and baked.

Paratha

Paratha

Paratha is a flatbread native to the Indian subcontinent, with earliest reference mentioned in early medieval Sanskrit, India; prevalent throughout the modern-day countries of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Mauritius, Fiji, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago where wheat is the traditional staple. It is one of the most popular flatbreads in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East. Paratha is an amalgamation of the words parat and atta, which literally means layers of cooked dough. Alternative spellings and names include parantha, parauntha, prontha, parontay, paronthi (Punjabi), porota (in Bengali), paratha (in Odia, Urdu, Hindi), palata ( pronounced [pəlàtà]; in Myanmar), porotha (in Assamese), forota (in Chittagonian and Sylheti), faravatha (in Bhojpuri), farata (in Mauritius and the Maldives), prata (in Southeast Asia), paratha, buss-up shut, oil roti (in the Anglophone Caribbean) and roti canai in Malaysia and Indonesia. The word paratha is derived from Sanskrit (S. पर, or परा+स्थः, or स्थितः). Recipes for various stuffed wheat puran polis (which Achaya (2003) describes as parathas) are mentioned in Manasollasa, a 12th-century Sanskrit encyclopedia compiled by Someshvara III, a Western Chalukya king, who ruled from present-day Karnataka, India. References to paratha have also been mentioned by Nijjar (1968), in his book Panjāb under the Sultāns, 1000–1526 AD when he writes that parathas were common with the nobility and aristocracy in the Punjab.

Pongal

Pongal

Pongal is a South Indian and Sri Lankan dish of rice cooked in boiling milk. Its preparation is the main custom associated with the Pongal festival. It is also eaten as a breakfast food. A part of Tamil cuisine, varieties include venn (hot) pongal, sakkarai (sweet) pongal, kozhi (chicken) pongal, and sanyasi pongal. It has been described as "very dear to (the) Tamil people." Pongal is associated with the Pongal festival, whose name means "to boil over" or "overflow." The festival thanks the Sun deity for the sunlight that makes the rice harvest possible. Therefore, the tradition calls for offering the fresh harvest of rice cooked in boiling milk to the deity. While the pongal is cooking, onlookers sometimes shout with joy, "Pongalo pongal!" ('Let the pongal rise up!').

Shakshouka

Shakshouka

Shakshouka , also spelled shakshuka or chakchouka, is a Maghrebi dish of eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion, and garlic, commonly spiced with cumin, paprika and cayenne pepper. Shakshouka is a popular dish throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Shakshuka is a word for "mixture" in Algerian Arabic and "mixed" in Tunisian Arabic. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as being of multiple origins, an onomatopoeic Maghribi Arabic word, related to the verb shakshaka meaning "to bubble, to sizzle, to be mixed up, to be beaten together," and the French word Chakchouka, which was borrowed into English in the nineteenth century. Chakchouka was borrowed into French from Algerian Arabic. Gil Marks, while noting some similarities with the Ottoman dish menemen, suggests that shakshouka evolved from şakşuka which spread to the Maghreb through the influence of the Ottoman Empire. Anthony Buccini noted similarities between a wider range of vegetable stews. He and Noam Sienna conclude that both shakshouka and menemen, among other dishes like piperade and ratatouille, are members of a wider family of vegetable stews of common ancestry appearing throughout the western Mediterranean.

Adhirasam

Adhirasam

Athrasa in Kannada , or Adhirasam (Tamil: அதிரசம்), kajjaya ariselu in Telugu, anarasa in Marathi, Airsa in Chhattisgarhi or Arisa pitha in Odia) is a type of Indian sweet made out of rice, jaggery, ghee and sometimes coconut and with spices like cardamom, sesame, pepper and ginger powder from Tamil cuisine, Karnataka cuisine, Telugu cuisine, Marathi cuisine and Odia cuisine. The doughnut-like fried dough has a long history of popularity in Kannada, Telugu, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Tamil civilization. They are similar in shape to vada, but are not savoury and are eaten as a sweet. Athrasa is a popular as an offering to the relatives during Deepavali and Ganesha Chaturthi festivals, both at home and in temples in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Aish as-Saraya

Aish as-Saraya

Aish as-Saraya is an Arab dessert eaten regularly in the Levant and Egypt, consisting of syrup-soaked breadcrumbs topped with clotted cream and pistachios, and contains neither eggs nor butter. It is popular in the Arab world.

Asida

Asida

Asida iːdə]) is a common dish in the Arab world. It is a lump of dough, obtained by stirring wheat flour into boiling water, sometimes with added butter or honey. Similar in texture to fufu, it is eaten mainly in Middle East and African countries. It is considered one of the most popular desserts and traditional dishes in many Arab countries. Asida is particularly popular in Sudan, Morocco, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and the rest of the Middle East. Often served during religious holidays such as Mawlid and Eid, it is also served during other traditional ceremonies, for example accompanying the birth of child, such as the ‘aqīqah, the cutting of the hair of a newborn seven days after birth. A simple, yet rich dish, often eaten without other complementary dishes, it is traditionally served at breakfast and is also given to women in labor.

Baklava

Baklava

Baklava is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine. There are several theories for the origin of the pre-Ottoman version of the dish. In modern times, it is a common dessert among cuisines of countries in West Asia, Southeast Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. It is also enjoyed in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where, although not a traditional sweet, it has carved out a niche in urban centers. The word baklava is first attested in English in 1650, a borrowing from Ottoman Turkish: باقلاوه /bɑːklɑvɑː/. The name baklava is used in many languages with minor phonetic and spelling variations. The earliest known reference to baklava is in a poem by the 15th century mystic Kaygusuz Abdal.

Balaleet

Balaleet

Balaleet is a traditional sweet and savoury dish popular in the Arabian Gulf countries and especially Kuwait. A popular breakfast choice, it traditionally consists of vermicelli sweetened with sugar, cardamom, rose water and saffron, and served with an overlying egg omelette. It is sometimes served with sautéed onions or potatoes. The dish is especially served during the Islamic holidays of Eid al-Fitr as the first meal of the day.

Barfi

Barfi

Barfi[a] or burfi is a milk-based sweet from the Indian subcontinent with a fudge-like consistency. Its name comes from the Persian and Urdu word for snow. Barfi is consumed throughout India and Pakistan and is especially popular in North India. It is often served at celebrations and religious festivals such as Diwali and Holi. Barfi originated in Persia and was introduced to India by the Mughal Empire in the 16th century. Through indentured workers it was brought to Trinidad in the mid-19th century and became popular there.

Basbousa

Basbousa

Basbousa is a sweet, syrup-soaked semolina dessert that is typically associated with cuisines of Egyptian cuisine, Similar but slightly different dishes are also popular in the wider region. The semolina batter is baked in a sheet pan, then sweetened with sugar syrup and typically cut into diamond (lozenge) shapes or squares. The Oxford Companion to Food (3rd edition) suggests that basbousa might have developed from a dish called ma'mounia, which was created around the 10th century. Ma'mounia was made by cooking rice in fat and syrup. This recipe was later adapted to use semolina, with the batter being cooked first and then soaked in syrup. Another take on its origin suggests that basbousa was first made during the 16th century in the Ottoman Empire, likely in what is modern-day Turkey, to celebrate the conquest of Armenia.

Bibingka

Bibingka

Bibingka is a type of baked rice cake in Filipino cuisine that is cooked in a terracotta oven lined with banana leaves and is usually eaten for breakfast or as merienda (mid-afternoon snack), especially during the Christmas season. It is also known as bingka in the Visayas and Mindanao islands. Bibingka can also be various other Filipino baked rice cakes, for example, those made with cassava flour (bibingkang cassava / bibingkang kamoteng kahoy), glutinous rice (bibingkang malagkit), or plain flour.

Biko

Biko

Biko, also spelled bico, is a sweet rice cake from the Philippines. It is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and sticky rice. It is usually topped with latik . It is a type of kalamay dish and is prepared similarly, except the rice grains are not ground into a paste. They are also sometimes packaged and sold as suman. It is also known as inkiwar in Ilocano Northern Luzon and sinukmani or sinukmaneng in the Southern Luzon area. In the Muslim regions of the Philippines, it is known as wadjit in Tausug; wadit in Maranao; and wagit in Maguindanao.

Binignit

Binignit

Binignit is a Visayan dessert soup from the central Philippines. The dish is traditionally made with glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk with various slices of sabá bananas, taro, ube, and sweet potato, among other ingredients. It is comparable to various dessert guinataán dishes found in other regions such as bilo-bilo. Among the Visayan people, the dish is traditionally served during Good Friday of Holy Week. Binignit is also called giná-tan in Bikolano, tabirák in Mindanao Cebuano, alpahor in Chavacano, wit-wit in Hiligaynon, ginettaán, tambo-tambong, and paradusdos in Ilokano, ginat-an (or ginat-ang lugaw) in Waray and Hiligaynon/Ilonggo, kamlo in western Iloilo, scramble in Tuguegarao City, linugaw in Bacolod, and eangkuga by Akeanons in Aklan.

Blancmange

Blancmange

Blancmange is a sweet dessert popular throughout Europe commonly made with milk or cream and sugar, thickened with rice flour, gelatin, corn starch, or Irish moss (a source of carrageenan), and often flavoured with almonds. It is usually set in a mould and served cold. Although traditionally white, blancmanges are frequently given other colours. Blancmange originated at some time during the Middle Ages from the older Middle Eastern muhallebi, and usually consisted of milk or almond milk, rice, and sugar; it was considered to be an ideal food for the sick.[citation needed]

Crepe

Crepe

A crêpe or crepe is a dish made from unleavened batter or dough that is cooked on a frying pan or a griddle. Crêpes are usually one of two varieties: sweet crêpes (crêpes sucrées) or savoury galettes (crêpes salées). They are often served with a wide variety of fillings such as cheese, fruit, vegetables, meats, and a variety of spreads. Crêpes can also be flambéed, such as in crêpes Suzette. The French term "crêpe" derives from crispa, the feminine version of the Latin word crispus, which means "curled, wrinkled, having curly hair."

Falooda

Falooda

A falooda is a Mughlai cold dessert made with vermicelli. It has origins in the Persian dish faloodeh, variants of which are found across West, Central, South and Southeast Asia. Traditionally it is made by mixing rose syrup, vermicelli, and sweet basil seeds with milk, often served with ice cream. The vermicelli used for preparing falooda is made from wheat, arrowroot, cornstarch, or sago. The origin of falooda goes back to Iran , where a similar dessert, faloodeh, is still popular. The dessert came to late Medieval India with the many Central Asian dynasties that invaded and settled in South Asia in the 16th to 18th century. The present form of falooda was developed in the Mughal Empire and spread with its conquests. The Persianate rulers who succeeded from the Mughals patronized the dessert with their own adaptations, specifically in Hyderabad Deccan and the Carnatic areas of present-day India. This beverage is now a part of Pakistani cuisine, Afghan cuisine, Burmese cuisine, Indian cuisine, Bangladeshi cuisine and Sri Lankan cuisine and is served on weddings and other occasions. In Sri Lanka, Falooda (ෆලුඩා / ஃபலூடா) is often consumed as a popular dairy refreshment.

Gajar ka halwa

Gajar ka halwa

Gajar ka halwa, also known as Gajorer halwa, Gajarno halwo, Gajrela, Gajar pak, and carrot pudding, is a sweet Indian dessert made by placing grated carrots in a pot containing a specific amount of water, milk, sugar, and cardamom and then cooking with ghee while stirring regularly. It is often served with a garnish of almonds and pistachios. The nuts and other items used are first sautéed in ghee, a type of clarified butter from the Indian subcontinent. It is generally served hot during the winter. The dessert is traditionally eaten during all of the festivals in the Indian subcontinent, mainly on the occasion of Diwali, Holi, Raksha Bandhan, and Eid. It is served hot during the winter.

Gers ogaily

Gers ogaily

Sponge cake made with cardamom, saffron, vanilla, rose water, serve with tea

Halawet el jibn

Halawet el jibn

Halawet el-jibn (cheese sweet) is a Syrian dessert made of a semolina and cheese dough, filled with cream. Its origin is from [Homs] in Syria. It is found in other regions in the Middle East, and has been brought by Syrian immigrants to other countries such as Turkey and Germany. This dessert is primarily made of a cheese dough (containing Akkawi cheese, mozzarella, or some mix of cheeses), a sugar syrup, and orange blossom water or rose water. It is normally filled with cream (Qoshta, Arabic: قشطة) and decorated with pistachio.

Halva

Halva

Halva is a type of confectionery that is widely spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa, the Balkans, Central Asia, and South Asia. The name is used for a broad variety of recipes, generally a thick paste made from flour, butter, liquid oil, saffron, rosewater, milk, turmeric powder, and sweetened with sugar. The word halva entered the English language between 1840 and 1850 from Romanian, which came from Ottoman Turkish: حلوى, romanized: helva, itself ultimately derived from Arabic: حلوى, romanized: ḥalwā, a sweet confection. The root in Arabic: ح ل و, romanized: ḥ-l-w, means "sweet". The original name for the confection was Persian: روغن خورديگ, romanized: rōɣn khordīg, meaning "oil food".

Hininy

Hininy

Hininy is a traditional food in Saudi Arabia, especially in Najd. It is a mixture of date paste, wheat flour, milk, ghee, sugar and cardamom, and is common during Ramadan

Jaggery

Jaggery

Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal cane sugar consumed in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, North America, Central America, Brazil and Africa. It is a concentrated product of cane juice and often date or palm sap without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in colour. It contains up to 50% sucrose, up to 20% invert sugars, and up to 20% moisture, with the remainder made up of other insoluble matter, such as wood ash, proteins, and bagasse fibres. Jaggery is very similar to muscovado, an important sweetener in Portuguese, British and French cuisine. Jaggery comes from Portuguese terms jágara, jagra, borrowed from Malayalam ശർക്കര , which is borrowed from Sanskrit शर्करा (śarkarā). It is a doublet of sugar.

Jalebi

Jalebi

Jalebi [a] is a popular sweet snack in the Indian subcontinent, West Asia and some parts of Africa. It goes by many names, including jilapi, zelepi, jilebi, jilipi, zulbia, zoolbia, jerry, mushabak, z'labia, or zalabia. The south Asian variety is made by deep-frying maida flour batter in pretzel or circular shapes, which are then soaked in sugar syrup. Jalebi is eaten with curd or rabri (in North India) along with optional other flavors such as kewra (scented water).

Kanafeh

Kanafeh

Knafeh is a traditional Arab dessert made with kadayif (spun pastry dough) layered with cheese and soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup called attar. Knafeh is a popular throughout the Arab world, especially in the Levant, and is often served on special occasions and holidays. The most common variant of knafeh in Jordan and Palestine, Knafeh Nabulseyeh, originated in the Palestinian city of Nablus. The English language borrows the word "knafeh" from Levantine and Egyptian Arabic, and widely transliterates it as kanafeh, kenafeh, knafeh, kunafah, kunafeh, konafa, knéfé, kunafa, and similar variations.

Khanfaroosh

Khanfaroosh

Small fried rice and wheat flour cakes with cardamom, saffron, serve with coffee, tea

Kheer

Kheer

Kheer, also known as payasam or payesh, is a pudding or porridge popular in the Indian subcontinent, usually made by boiling milk, sugar or jaggery, and rice. It can be additionally flavoured with dried fruits, nuts, cardamom and saffron. Instead of rice, it may contain cracked wheat, vermicelli , sago or tapioca (sabudana). In Southern India, it is known as payasam and it is made in various ways. The most popular versions are the ones made with rice and vermicelli (semiya).

Kulfi

Kulfi

Kulfi is a frozen dairy dessert from the Indian subcontinent. It is often described as "traditional Indian ice cream". Kulfi originated in 16th-century Delhi during the Mughal era. It is part of the national cuisines of India and Pakistan.[citation needed] It is also popular in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Middle East.[better source needed]

Laddu

Laddu

Laddu or laddoo is a spherical sweet from the Indian subcontinent made of various ingredients and sugar syrup or jaggery. It has been described as "perhaps the most universal and ancient of Indian sweets." Laddus are often served during celebrations and religious festivals, especially those associated with the Hindu deity Ganesha.

Lokma

Lokma

Lokma is a dessert made of leavened and deep fried dough balls, soaked in syrup or honey, sometimes coated with cinnamon or other ingredients. The dish was described as early as the 13th century by al-Baghdadi as luqmat al-qādi , "judge's morsels". The Arabic word luqma (لُقْمَةٌ) (plural luqmāt), means morsel, mouthful, or bite. The dish was known as luqmat al-qādi (لُقْمَةُ ٱلْقَاضِيِ) or "judge's morsels" in 13th-century Arabic cookery books, and the word luqma or loqma by itself has come to refer to it. The Turkish name for the dish, lokma, is derived from the Arabic, as is the Greek name loukoumádes (λουκουμάδες). The recipe for Luqmat al-Qadi, yeast-leavened dough boiled in oil and doused in honey or sugar syrup with rosewater, dates back to at least the early medieval period and the 13th-century Abbasid Caliphate, where it is mentioned in several of the existent cookery books of the time. It is also mentioned in the One Thousand and One Nights, in the story The Porter and the Three Ladies of Baghdad. The explorer and scholar Ibn Battuta in the 14th century encountered the dish he knew as Luqaymat al-Qadi at a dinner in Multan, during his travels in medieval India, where his hosts called it al-Hashimi.

Mahalabia

Mahalabia

Muhallebi is a milk pudding commonly made with rice, sugar, milk and either rice flour, starch or semolina, popular as a dessert in the Middle East. While the dessert is called muhallebi in Turkey and Iraq, in the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine) and Egypt, it is called mahalabiyeh or mahalabia. Legend has it that muhallebi (Arabic: مهلبية) was introduced into Arab cuisine in the late seventh century by a Persian (Iranian) cook from what was then the Sasanian Empire (224–651), who served it to an Arab general by the name of Al-Muhallab ibn Abi Sufra. He liked it so much, he named it after himself. The earliest recipes, dating to the 10th century, featured three versions: milk thickened with ground rice, milk with rice grains and chicken, and an egg custard without rice. Early recipes for muhallabiyya include a work attributed to Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq of Baghdad and two 13th-century Arab cookbooks, one by al-Baghdadi and another from Al Andalus that have a spiced pudding variation made with mutton instead of chicken. In the Middle Ages, muhallebi and its European counterpart blancmange were made with shredded chicken. There are records from the Ottoman Empire for two versions of muhallebi: a version with shredded chicken (tavuk göğsü) served during the reign of Mehmed the Conqueror, and a later recipe dating to 1530 for a meatless version flavored with rose water.

Meghli

Meghli

Meghli, moghli, meghleh, , or karawiyah, is a Levantine dessert based on a floured rice pudding and spiced with anise, caraway, and cinnamon. The dish is often garnished with dried coconut flakes and various nuts including almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, and pistachios. Meghli is commonly served to celebrate the birth of a child. It is also a popular Christmas dessert in Lebanon as a celebration of the birth of Jesus. The name 'meghli' means “boiled” in Arabic, referring to the long time (up to an hour) it must be continuously stirred while boiling. The dish was traditionally served to celebrate the birth of a male heir, but has now become a dessert to celebrate any newborn. The caraway is thought to assist the new mother in lactating

Mushabak

Mushabak

Zalabiyeh is a fritter or doughnut found in several cuisines across the Arab world, West Asia and some parts of Europe influenced by the former. The fritter version is made from a semi-thin batter of wheat flour which is poured into hot oil and deep-fried. The earliest known recipe for the dish comes from a 10th-century Arabic cookbook and was originally made by pouring the batter through a coconut shell. The earliest known recipes for zalabiya comes from the 10th century Arabic cookbook Kitab al-Tabikh. In the old Al-Baghdadi book of recipes of the Arabs; the dough was poured through a coconut shell. This style of fritter is similar to the Indian jelabi and a 16th-century recipe from German cuisine for strauben made using a funnel.

Om ali

Om ali

Om Ali, Omali, Umm Ali, or Oumm Ali , meaning "Mother of Ali", is a traditional Egyptian dessert, and is a national dessert of Egypt. There are numerous variations with different composition. The dish, which is traced back to as far as Medieval Egypt, is named after the wife of the Sultan of Egypt. It is commonly eaten during Ramadan as part of the iftar or sunset feast. There multiple versions of the origin of the dish. The most often cited version is that it originated as a celebration of the death of Shajar al-Durr, who had been married to Egypt's final Sultan from the Ayyubid dynasty, As-Salih, and subsequently to the first of Egypt's Mamluk Sultans, Izz al-Din Aybak. Shajar al-Durr plotted the murder of Aybak, after which she became ruler of Egypt. Ultimately, she was herself killed in retribution, whereafter Aybak's first wife, who was known as Om Ali, asked to have a dessert prepared in celebration. The dessert was popularised throughout the country, and was named after Om Ali. Another version is that Om Ali celebrated the death of her husband, Aybak, and asked the cooks to come up with the most delicious dessert. The cooks used what was at hand: bread, milk and sugar.

Qatayef

Qatayef

Qatayef or qata'if is an Arabic dessert. It is a type of sweet dumpling filled with cream or nuts, or a folded pancake, similar to a Scottish crumpet. The Arabic word qaṭaːyif (Arabic: قطايف) is derived from the Arabic root q-ṭ-f, meaning to pick up or to pluck. Qatayef is believed to be of Fatimid origin. Some believe that qatayef are the creation of the Fatimid Dynasty, however, their history dates back to the Abbasid Caliphate, 750–1258 CE. Qatayef was mentioned in a tenth century Arabic cookbook dating back to the Abbasid Caliphate by Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq called Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ (Arabic: كتاب الطبيخ, The Book of Dishes). The book was later translated by Nawal Nasrallah under the name Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. The traditional stuffing of Qatayef, as evident in a number of Medieval Arabic cookbooks, is crushed almond and sugar. In these recipes, once the pancake was stuffed, it would sometimes be fried in walnut oil or baked in the oven. Qatayef was traditionally prepared by street vendors as well as households in Egypt and the Levant. It is usually filled with akkawi cheese, crushed walnuts, as well as crushed pistachios. Diverse fillings, such as Nutella, are also used.

Qurabiya

Qurabiya

Qurabiya also ghraybe, ghorayeba, ghoriba, ghribia, ghraïba, gurabija, ghriyyaba,, kurabiye, or kourabiedes (Greek: κουραμπιέδες) and numerous other spellings and pronunciations, is a shortbread-type biscuit, usually made with ground almonds. Versions are found in most Arab, Balkan and Ottoman cuisines, with various different forms and recipes. They are similar to polvorones from Andalusia. In the Maghreb and Egypt, they are often served with Libyan tea, Arabic coffee or Maghrebi mint tea. A recipe for a shortbread cookie similar to ghorayebah but without almonds, called in Arabic khushkanānaj gharīb (exotic cookie), is given in the earliest known Arab cookbook, the 10th-century Kitab al-Ṭabīḫ. Kurabiye appears in the Ottoman cuisine in the 15th century.

Ras malai

Ras malai

Ras malai, also known as rasamalei, or roshmalai, is a dessert that originated in the Bengal region of Indian subcontinent. The dessert is called roshmalai in Bengali, ras malai in Hindi, and rasa malei in Odia. It is popular in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The original term for ras malai is "rosh malai which derived from the Classical Bengali word "rosho malai" with the same meaning.

Sab alqafsha

Sab alqafsha

Fried dough with syrup, saffron and cardamom

Suman

Suman

Suman, or budbud, is an elongated rice cake originating in the Philippines. It is made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, often wrapped in banana leaves, coconut leaves, or buli or buri palm leaves for steaming. It is usually eaten sprinkled with sugar or laden with latik. A widespread variant of suman uses cassava instead of glutinous rice. There are numerous varieties of suman, with almost every town or locality having its speciality. Some are described below:

Tamrieh

Tamrieh

Thin pastry dough wrapped around semolina pudding, then fried and coated with powdered sugar

Ube halaya

Ube halaya

Ube halaya or halayang ube is a Philippine dessert made from boiled and mashed purple yam (Dioscorea alata, locally known as ube). Ube halaya is the main base in ube/purple yam flavored-pastries and ube ice cream. It can also be incorporated in other desserts such as halo-halo. It is also commonly anglicized as ube jam, or called by its original native name, nilupak na ube. The Philippines shows the highest phenotypic diversity of ube (Dioscorea alata), making it one of the likely centers of origin of ube domestication. Remains of ube have been recovered from the Ille Cave archaeological site of Palawan (c. 11,000 BP).

Arabic coffee

Arabic coffee

Arabic coffee, also called Qahwa , is a version of the brewed coffee of Coffea arabica beans. Most Arab countries throughout the Middle East have developed distinct methods for brewing and preparing coffee. Cardamom is an often-added spice, but it can alternatively be served plain or with sugar. There are several different styles to brewing the coffee depending on the preference of the drinker. Some methods keep the coffee light whereas others can make it dark. Arabic coffee is bitter, and typically no sugar is added. It is usually served in a small cup that is adorned with a decorative pattern, known as a finjān. Culturally, Arabic coffee is served during family gatherings or when receiving guests. Arabic coffee originated in South Arabia, beginning in the port city of Mokha in Yemen and eventually travelling to Mecca in Hejaz, Egypt, the Levant, and then, in the mid-16th century, to Turkey and from there to Europe where coffee eventually became popular as well. Arabic coffee is an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Arab states confirmed by UNESCO. Every year on March 3, Yemenis celebrate the "Yemeni Coffee Day," a national festival to encourage coffee cultivation.

Arak

Arak

Arak or araq 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.

Coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask the bitter taste or enhance the flavor.

Doogh

Doogh

Ayran[a] is a cold savory yogurt-based beverage that is consumed across Central Asia, and the Balkans, in Turkey and Iran. The principal ingredients are yogurt, water and salt. Herbs such as mint may be optionally added. Some varieties are carbonated. Ayran (cf. airag in Mongolian: 'mare milk', uyran (уйран) in Chuvash: 'buttermilk') is mentioned in Mahmud al-Kashgari's 11th century Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, although he did not give any information how ayran was made. The word is derived from the Old Turkic root adır- ("to separate"), cf. Turkish ayır- ("to separate").

Jallab

Jallab

Jallab or Jellab is a type of fruit syrup popular in the Middle East made from carob, dates, grape molasses, and rose water. Jallab is very popular in Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt. It is made mainly of grape molasses, grenadine syrup, and rose water, then smoked with Arabic incense. It is usually sold with crushed ice and floating pine nuts and raisins.

Karak

Karak

Masala chai is a popular beverage originating from South Asia. It is made by brewing black tea (usually crush, tear, curl) in milk and water, and then by sweetening with sugar. Adding aromatic herbs and spices creates masala chai. The term chai originated from the Chinese word for tea, cha (see Etymology of tea) via the Hindi chai (चाय). In English, this spiced tea is commonly referred to as chai tea, or simply chai. Originating in India, the beverage has gained worldwide popularity, becoming a feature in many coffee and teahouses, with many using the term chai latte or chai tea latte for their version to indicate that it is made with steamed milk, much like that used to make a latte but mixed with a spiced tea concentrate instead of espresso.

Karkade

Karkade

Hibiscus tea is a herbal tea made as an infusion from crimson or deep magenta-colored calyces of the roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa) flower. It is consumed both hot and cold and has a tart, cranberry-like flavor. The roselle hibiscus used to make the tea likely originated in Africa. In Africa, hibiscus tea is commonly sold in markets and the dried flowers can be found throughout West and East Africa. Variations on the drink are popular in West Africa and parts of Central Africa. In Senegal, bissap is known as the "national drink of Senegal". Hibiscus tea is often flavored with mint or ginger in West Africa. In Ghana it is known as "sobolo", and "zobo" in Nigeria.

Laban

Laban

The term Leben, variously laban, liben, lben // ⓘ in the Middle East and North Africa, refers to a food or beverage of fermented milk. Generally, there are two main products known as leben: The yogurt variant for the Levant region and the buttermilk variant for parts of Arabia and North Africa (Maghreb). Leben can be served at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Leben as a drink is traditionally prepared by letting milk ferment for around 24 hours, then churning and removing the butter. The remaining buttermilk can keep for several days at room temperature. In modern times, it is produced industrially.[citation needed] Leben in parts of the Middle East is traditionally prepared by boiling milk, usually whole milk, then adding yogurt (or previously made, left over/store-bought leben), and then cooled overnight.[citation needed]

Lemon juice

Lemon juice

The lemon is a species of small evergreen tree in the Citrus genus of the flowering plant family Rutaceae. The lemon is a hybrid of the citron and the bitter orange. Its origins are uncertain, but some evidence suggests lemons originated during the 1st millennium BC in what is now northeastern India. The yellow fruit of the lemon tree is used throughout the world, primarily for its juice. The pulp and rind are used in cooking and baking. The juice of the lemon is about 5–6% citric acid, giving it a sour taste. This makes it a key ingredient in drinks and foods such as lemonade and lemon meringue pie.

Mint juice

Mint juice

Mint juice in Bahrain, often referred to as lemon mint juice, is a refreshing drink made by blending lemon juice with fresh mint leaves and ice. It's popular for its zesty flavor and is commonly enjoyed in cafes and restaurants throughout the region.

Qamar al din

Qamar al din

Qamar al-Din[fn 1] is an apricot fruit leather, which is popularly made into apricot juice or a nectar beverage from Arab cuisine famously consumed during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. It originates from Syria and was first produced in the Ghouta, where the variety of apricots most suitable for qamar al-din was first grown. Qamar al-din is enjoyed across the Middle East and North Africa as well as in Somalia, though Syrian qamar al-din is still believed to be the best because the variety of apricots most suitable for making qamar al-din grows only in Syria and southwestern Turkey. Several theories have been proposed for the origin of qamar al-din's name. One theory holds that it was named for its inventor, a Syrian man named Qamar al-Din. He was said to have been so handsome that he resembled the moon (qamar, Arabic: قمر), hence his name. Another theory holds that apricot season coincided with the sighting of the new moon marking the beginning of Ramadan in the year when qamar al-din was invented. A similar theory, widespread in Egypt, traces the name's origin to a Caliph who was known to celebrate with qamar al-din upon seeing the crescent moon during Ramadan.

Salep

Salep

Salep, also spelled sahlep or sahlab,[note 1] is a flour made from the tubers of the orchid genus Orchis . These tubers contain a nutritious, starchy polysaccharide called glucomannan. Salep flour is consumed in beverages and desserts, especially in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire, notably in the Levant where it is a traditional winter beverage. An increase in consumption is causing local extinctions of orchids in parts of Turkey and Iran. The word salep ultimately comes from Arabic saḥlab (سَحْلَب), through French and Turkish salep in the mid 18th century. The Arabic word is perhaps shortened from ḵuṣā aṯ-ṯaʕlab (Arabic: خُصَى الثَعْلَب, lit. 'fox's testicles'). The Ancient Romans used ground orchid bulbs to make drinks, which they called by a number of names, especially satyrion and priapiscus. As the names indicate, they likewise considered it to be a powerful aphrodisiac. Of salep, Paracelsus wrote: "behold the Satyrion root, is it not formed like the male privy parts? No one can deny this. Accordingly, magic discovered it and revealed that it can restore a man's virility and passion".

Soft drinks

Soft drinks

A soft drink is any water-based flavored drink, usually but not necessarily carbonated, and typically including added sweetener. Flavors used can be natural or artificial. The sweetener may be a sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice, a sugar substitute (in the case of diet sodas), or some combination of these. Soft drinks may also contain caffeine, colorings, preservatives and other ingredients. Soft drinks are called "soft" in contrast with "hard" alcoholic drinks. Small amounts of alcohol may be present in a soft drink, but the alcohol content must be less than 0.5% of the total volume of the drink in many countries and localities if the drink is to be considered non-alcoholic. Types of soft drinks include lemon-lime drinks, orange soda, cola, grape soda, cream soda, ginger ale and root beer.

Tamr hindi

Tamr hindi

Tamarind is a leguminous tree bearing edible fruit that is indigenous to tropical Africa and naturalized in Asia. The genus Tamarindus is monotypic, meaning that it contains only this species. It belongs to the family Fabaceae. The tamarind tree produces brown, pod-like fruits that contain a sweet, tangy pulp, which is used in cuisines around the world. The pulp is also used in traditional medicine and as a metal polish. The tree's wood can be used for woodworking and tamarind seed oil can be extracted from the seeds. Tamarind's tender young leaves are used in South Indian and Filipino cuisine. Because tamarind has multiple uses, it is cultivated around the world in tropical and subtropical zones.

Tea

Tea

Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by pouring hot or boiling water over cured or fresh leaves of Camellia sinensis, an evergreen shrub native to East Asia which probably originated in the borderlands of south-western China and northern Myanmar. Tea is also made, but rarely, from the leaves of Camellia taliensis. After plain water, tea is the most widely consumed drink in the world. There are many different types of tea; some have a cooling, slightly bitter, and astringent flavour, while others have profiles that include sweet, nutty, floral, or grassy notes. Tea has a stimulating effect in humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. An early credible record of tea drinking dates to the third century AD, in a medical text written by Chinese physician Hua Tuo. It was popularised as a recreational drink during the Chinese Tang dynasty, and tea drinking subsequently spread to other East Asian countries. Portuguese priests and merchants introduced it to Europe during the 16th century. During the 17th century, drinking tea became fashionable among the English, who started to plant tea on a large scale in British India.

Vimto

Vimto

Vimto is a British mixed fruit soft drink containing the juice of grapes, raspberries and blackcurrants, flavoured with herbs and spices. Originating in Manchester, northern England, it was first manufactured as a health tonic in cordial form then decades later as a carbonated drink, and the recipe was invented in 1908 by John Noel Nichols of Blackburn. Produced domestically by Nichols plc, it is available in cans and bottles in carbonated, still, cordial , and energy forms and it has also been made into a sweet, ice lolly and other items. Vimto is traditionally most popular in the north of England and is also sold globally under license, and enjoys high popularity in the Persian Gulf countries and in The Gambia and Senegal. Vimto was created in 1908 in Manchester by John Noel Nichols (1883–1966), a wholesaler of herbs, spices and medicines. He saw the market opening for soft drinks due to the temperance movement and the passage of the Licensing Act 1904. It was originally sold under the name Vim Tonic, which Nichols shortened to 'Vimto' in 1912. Vimto was originally registered as a health tonic or medicine, which was then re-registered in 1913 as a cordial.

Aloo gobi

Aloo gobi

Aloo gobhi, aloo gobi or alu gobhi is a vegetarian dish from the Indian subcontinent made with potatoes (aloo), cauliflower (gobhi), and Indian spices. It is popular in Indian cuisine. It is yellowish in color due to the use of turmeric, and occasionally contains black cumin and curry leaves. Other common ingredients include garlic, ginger, onion, coriander stalks, tomato, peas, black pepper, asafoetida and cumin. There are a number of variations and similar dishes. A traditional dish with origins in Northern India, it is very popular throughout the country and is also well known in the cuisines of Nepal, Bengal and Pakistan.

Baingan bharta

Baingan bharta

Baigan bharta, also spelled baingan bharta or baigan chokha [a] is an Indian dish prepared by mashing or mincing grilled eggplant (baigan) with tomato, onion, herbs and spices, with variations being common from chef to chef.[b] Traditionally, cooking the eggplants over charcoals, inside of a tandoor, barbecue grill or oven, or even directly applying flame to the outside of the fruit infuses the dish with a smoky flavour; the blackened skin is then easily peeled and the eggplant may be further prepared. Baigan bharta is most often grilled, minced eggplant stewed with chopped tomato, browned onion or shallots, ginger, garlic, cumin, and topped with lime or lemon juice, fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) and sliced fresh green chili pepper. Depending on region and personal tastes, ghee (clarified butter) may be used in preparation of the dish. In some regions where mustard oil is popular, this may be used, though it possesses a powerful flavour and aroma. Most chefs use a neutral, high-smoking-point vegetable oil like canola or sunflower oil. Traditionally, the dish is eaten by hand with flatbread (specifically roti, naan or paratha), and can also be served with a variety of rice dishes, like biryani, khichdi or pulao. The meal will usually be rounded-out with various pickles (mango, lime, lemon, etc) as well as raita, a palate-cooling yogurt dish/condiment (similar to Greek tzatziki) with many forms, including mint, mango or cucumber preparations. In Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, it is served hot with litti or baati.

Bamia

Bamia

Bamia is an Arab and Central Asian main dish, a stew made with okra, lamb, and tomatoes as primary ingredients. It is commonly made in the following countries and cultures: Afghani, Albanian, Armenian, Assyrian, Azerbaijani, Egyptian, Greek, Iranian, Iraqi, Kurdish, Lebanese, Palestinian, Romanian, Somali, Sudanese, Syrian, Tanzania, and Turkish. Additional ingredients used can include tomato sauce or tomato paste, onion, garlic, cilantro , pomegranate molasses, vegetable oil, cardamom, salt and pepper. The word "bamia" itself simply means "okra", and it is etymologically an Arabic word. In dish name in Arabic: بامية, romanized: bamia bi-lahm, lit. 'okra stew', or Arabic: البامية باللحم أو شوربة البامية, lit. 'okra with meat'; in Persian: خورش بامیه, romanized: khoresh-e bāmieh, lit. 'okra stew'; in Kurdish: بامێ, romanized: bāmieh; in Greek: μπάμια; and in Turkish: bamya.

Bharta

Bharta

Bhurta, vorta, bhorta, bharta or chokha is a lightly fried mixture of mashed vegetables in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. Some variations of this dish are baingan bhurta and aloo bhurta.

Biryani

Biryani

Biryani is a mixed rice dish popular in South Asia, made with rice, meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef) or seafood (prawns or fish), and spices. To cater to vegetarians, the meat or seafood can be substituted with vegetables or paneer. Sometimes eggs or potatoes are also added. Biryani is one of the most popular dishes among the South Asian diaspora, although the dish is often associated with the region's Muslim population in particular. Similar dishes are also prepared in Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. Biryani is the single most-ordered dish on Indian online food ordering and delivery services, and has been labelled as the most popular dish overall in India.

Brik

Brik

Brik or burek is the north African version of borek, a stuffed malsouka pastry which is commonly deep fried. The best-known version is the egg brik, a whole egg in a triangular pastry pocket with chopped onion, tuna, harissa and parsley. With a slightly different shape, but with identical ingredients and method of preparation, the brik is known in Algeria and Libya as bourek (بوراك). It is often filled with a raw egg and herbs or tuna, harissa and olives and is sometimes served in a pita. This is also known as a boreeka. It is also widespread in Eastern Algeria in the cities of Annaba and Costantina. Brik pastry is made by slapping a sticky lump of dough onto a hot non-stick surface in overlapping circles to produce the desired size and cooked for a short amount of time. The brik dough sheets are called malsouka or warka. Typical fillings include tuna, ground meat, raw egg, chicken, or anchovies garnished with harissa, capers, or cheese. Although the food's origins are hard to trace directly, it dates back at least 500 years in the past. In addition to its unclear origins, it is also not known by a singular name; across the Middle East even now, the popular food can be referred to as bric, börek, burek, warqa or malsouka. The common ingredients in every brik – regardless of what it is called – include the deep fried pastry crust and proteins (like tuna or egg) encased within the wrapping, such as the common French spin known as brik a l'oeuf.

Chicken 65

Chicken 65

Chicken 65 is a spicy, deep-fried chicken dish originating from Hotel Buhari, Chennai, India, as an entrée, or quick snack. The flavour of the dish can be attributed to red chillies, but the exact set of ingredients for the recipe can vary. It is prepared using boneless chicken and is usually served with an onion and lemon garnish. Vegetarian variants like "Paneer 65" or "Gobhi 65" use paneer or cauliflower instead. While the name "Chicken 65" is universally used to refer to the dish, there are many different theories claiming its origins. Although Chicken 65 is well established as being the invention of A. M. Buhari of the Buhari Hotel chain, its popularity as a dish has spawned several myths about its origin and name. One account claims that the dish emerged as a simple meal for Indian soldiers in 1965. Another account claims that it is a dish containing 65 chili peppers devised by an enterprising hotelier. It is also claimed to relate to a requirement for the meat to be from 65-day-old chickens. Still others claim that it means 65 pieces of chicken.

Chicken curry

Chicken curry

Chicken curry or curry/curried chicken is a South Asian dish originating from the Indian subcontinent. It is common in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, Caribbean, Southeast Asia, Great Britain, and South Africa. A typical curry from the Indian subcontinent consists of chicken stewed in an onion- and tomato-based sauce, flavoured with ginger, garlic, tomato puree, chilli peppers and a variety of spices, often including turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cardamom. Outside of South Asia, chicken curry is often made with a pre-made spice mixture known as curry powder. Indian cuisine has a large amount of regional variation, with many variations on the basic chicken curry recipe. Indian chicken curry typically starts with whole spices, heated in oil. A sauce is then made with onions, ginger, garlic, and tomatoes, and powdered spices. Bone-in pieces of chicken are then added to the sauce, and simmered until cooked through. In south India, coconut and curry leaves are also common ingredients. Chicken curry is usually garnished with coriander leaves, and served with rice or roti. In south India, chicken curry may be thickened using coconut milk.

Chicken tikka

Chicken tikka

Chicken tikka is a chicken dish popular in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and the United Kingdom. It is traditionally small pieces of boneless chicken baked using skewers on a brazier called angeethi or over charcoal after marinating in Indian spices and dahi —A flavorful and tender, essentially a boneless version of tandoori chicken. The word tikka (tike in Turkish, and tikə in Azerbaijani) is a Persian word, meaning "bits" or "pieces". It is also a chicken dish served in Punjabi cuisine. The Kashmiri version of the dish, however, is grilled over red-hot coals, and does not always contain boneless pieces. The pieces are brushed with ghee (clarified butter) at intervals to increase its flavour, while being continuously fanned. It is typically eaten with green coriander and tamarind chutney served with onion rings and lemon, or used in preparing an authentic chicken tikka masala. A chicken tikka sizzler is a dish where chicken tikka is served on a heated plate with onions. The dish is also popular in Afghanistan, though the Afghan variant (like many other Persian, Turkish, and Arab dishes) is less spicy compared to the variants in the Indian subcontinent and uses beef and lamb in addition to chicken.

Chicken tikka masala

Chicken tikka masala

Chicken tikka masala is a dish consisting of roasted marinated chopped chicken in a spiced sauce (masala). The sauce is usually creamy and orange-coloured. The origins of the dish are debated, with many believing it was created by South Asian cooks in Britain. It is offered at restaurants around the world and is similar to butter chicken. Chicken tikka masala is composed of chicken tikka, boneless chunks of chicken marinated in spices and yoghurt that are roasted in an oven, served in a creamy sauce. A tomato and coriander sauce is common, but no recipe for chicken tikka masala is standard; a survey found that of 48 different recipes, the only common ingredient was chicken. The sauce usually includes tomatoes (frequently as purée), cream, coconut cream and a masala spice mix. The sauce and chicken pieces may be coloured orange using foodstuffs such as turmeric, paprika, tomato purée or with food dye.

Couscous

Couscous

Couscous is a traditional North African dish of small[a] steamed granules of rolled semolina that is often served with a stew spooned on top. Pearl millet, sorghum, bulgur, and other cereals are sometimes cooked in a similar way in other regions, and the resulting dishes are also sometimes called couscous.: 18 Couscous is a staple food throughout the Maghrebi cuisines of Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco, and Libya.: 250 It was integrated into French and European cuisine at the beginning of the twentieth century, through the French colonial empire and the Pieds-Noirs of Algeria.

Dajaj mashwi

Dajaj mashwi

Grilled chicken

Dal makhani

Dal makhani

Dal makhani is a dish originating in Punjab region. A relatively modern variation of traditional lentil dishes, it is made with urad dal (black beans) and other pulses, and includes butter and cream (makhani is a Punjabi word for butter). Dal means lentils or pulses. Makhan is the Hindi word for butter. Makhani means buttery.

Eggah

Eggah

Eggah is an egg-based dish in Egyptian cuisine that is similar to a frittata. It is also known as Egyptian omelet. Eggah is commonly seasoned with spices such as pepper, cinnamon, cumin, coriander seeds, turmeric, nutmeg and fresh herbs. It is generally thick, commonly filled with vegetables and sometimes meat and cooked until completely firm. It is usually circle-shaped and served sliced into rectangles or wedges, sometimes hot and sometimes cold. Eggah can be served as an appetizer, main course or side dish. Variations of the eggah can include fillings such as; parsley, onion, tomato, bell pepper, and leek. There is a similar dish in Indonesia called martabak, which involves creating an egg skin (or sometimes a thin dough) to cook it from within; it is also served with a dipping sauce. Eggah is also similar to a frittata, Spanish omelette, Persian kuku or a French-style omelette.

Falafel

Falafel

Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter of Egyptian origin, featuring in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly Levantine cuisines, and is made from broad beans, ground chickpeas, or both.

Fasolada

Fasolada

Fasolada or fasoulada (Greek: φασουλάδα) is a Greek, Mediterranean, and Cypriot soup of dry white beans, olive oil, and vegetables. It is sometimes called the "national food of the Greeks". Fasolada is made by simmering beans with tomatoes and other vegetables such as carrots, onion, parsley, thyme, celery, and bay leaf. Lima beans are sometimes used instead of white beans. Recipes vary considerably, often including meat like bastırma and olive oil. Its counterparts are Italian fagiolata, the Portuguese and Brazilian feijoada, Romanian fasole, Albanian fasule, and Spanish fabada. A similar dish in Turkish cuisine is called kuru fasulye. The Arabic version is called fasoulia (Arabic: فاصوليا) and is found in Egypt, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

Fatat batinjan

Fatat batinjan

Minced meat and eggplant casserole

Fatayer

Fatayer

Fatayer are meat pies that can alternatively be stuffed with spinach or cheese such as feta or akkawi. They are part of Levantine cuisine and are eaten in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen.[citation needed] Fatayer are also popular in Argentina, where they are considered a variety of empanada under the name empanadas árabes (sg. empanada árabe), and in Brazil, where they are known as esfihas fechadas ("closed sfihas", sg. esfiha fechada).[citation needed]

Fatteh

Fatteh

Fatteh is an Egyptian and Levantine dish consisting of pieces of fresh, toasted, grilled, or fried flatbread covered with other ingredients that vary according to region. It is also some times referred to as shâmiyât (Arabic: شاميات "Damascene") in the Levant area. Fatteh is an ancient dish found in the Mashriq region of the Arab world, specifically Egypt and the Levant. Fetté dishes include a wide variety of regional and local variations, some of which also have their own distinct names.

Fish

Fish

Many species of fish are caught by humans and consumed as food in virtually all regions around the world. Fish has been an important dietary source of protein and other nutrients. The English language does not have a special culinary name for food prepared from fish like with other animals , or as in other languages (such as Spanish pez vs. pescado). In culinary and fishery contexts, fish may include so-called shellfish such as molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms; more expansively, seafood covers both fish and other marine life used as food. Since 1961, the average annual increase in global apparent food fish consumption (3.2 percent) has outpaced population growth (1.6 percent) and exceeded consumption of meat from all terrestrial animals, combined (2.8 percent) and individually (bovine, ovine, porcine, etc.), except poultry (4.9 percent). In per capita terms, food fish consumption has grown from 9.0 kg (19.8 lb) in 1961 to 20.2 kg (45 lb) in 2015, at an average rate of about 1.5 percent per year. The expansion in consumption has been driven not only by increased production, but also by a combination of many other factors, including reduced wastage, better utilization, improved distribution channels and growing consumer demand, linked with population growth, rising disposable incomes and urbanization.

Fish and chips

Fish and chips

Fish and chips is a hot dish consisting of battered and fried fish, served with chips. Often considered the national dish of the United Kingdom, fish and chips originated in England in the 19th century. Today, the dish is a common takeaway food in numerous other countries, particularly English-speaking and Commonwealth nations. Fish and chip shops first appeared in the UK in the 1860s, and by 1910 there were over 25,000 of them across the UK. This increased to over 35,000 by the 1930s, but eventually decreased to approximately 10,000 by 2009. The British government safeguarded the supply of fish and chips during the First World War and again in the Second World War. It was one of the few foods in the UK not subject to rationing during the wars, which further contributed to its popularity.

Fish curry

Fish curry

Fish cooked in a sauce or gravy with spices

Freekeh

Freekeh

Freekeh or farik (Arabic: فريكة / ALA-LC: farīkah; pronounced free-kah /ˈfɹiːkə/) is a cereal food made from green durum wheat (Triticum turgidum var. durum) that is roasted and rubbed to create its flavour. It is an ancient dish derived from Levantine and North African cuisines, remaining popular in many countries of the eastern Mediterranean Basin, where durum wheat originated. The wheat is harvested while the grains are green and the seeds are still soft; it is then piled and sun-dried. The piles are carefully set on fire such that only the straw and chaff burn. Under these conditions, the high moisture content of the seeds prevents them from burning. The roasted wheat is then threshed and sun-dried to achieve a uniform flavour, texture, and colour. This threshing or rubbing process of the grains gives this food its name, farīk or "rubbed". Finally, the seeds are cracked into smaller pieces that resemble green bulgur. Freekeh is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible under the term qalûy (Biblical Hebrew: קָל֤וּי‎, scorched or roasted) or carmel (Biblical Hebrew: כַּרְמֶל‎), indicating it was used in ancient Israelite cuisine. For instance, in the Book of Kings II, it is said that Elisha miraculously fed about a hundred people with some barley bread and carmel. The Syriac version of the Bible translates the term into froka, a cognate of the Arabic freekeh.

Gosht

Gosht

Gosht or ghosht refers to tender meat, cooked for a long time, and used as an ingredient in a number of Middle Eastern cuisine, Central Asian cuisine and cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. The word stems from the Persian word gosht گوشت, meaning "meat" or "flesh", especially that of goat. In India, most gosht dishes include goat or mutton. In India, the term mutton is more likely to refer to the meat of a goat rather than that of an adult sheep, as it does elsewhere in the English-speaking world. When Indian dishes are adapted for Western diners, lamb is the meat most often used in the adaptation. This has led to a common misconception that gosht means "lamb".[citation needed]

Haleem

Haleem

Haleem is a type of stew that is widely consumed in South Asia, the Middle East and Central Asia. Although the dish varies from region to region, it optionally includes wheat or barley, meat and lentils. It is made by slow cooking the meat in lentils and spices. It is served hot with flat breads or on its own. Popular variations of haleem include keşkek in Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and northern Iraq; harisa in the Arab world and Armenia; halim in Afghanistan, Iran, West Bengal, in Mauritius, Pakistan and Bangladesh; and khichra in India. Haleem is made of four main components:

Hamour

Hamour

The name "hamour" or "hammour" is used to describe a number of fish, mainly the goldspotted rockcod (Epinephelus coioides) and brown spotted reef cod (Epinephelus chlorostigma). At the same time, it is the name given to a variety of closely related fish species in the Persian Gulf. The Gulf Cooperation Council keeps fishery records on the fish caught in their territorial waters. Of the estimated 540 species of fish in the Persian Gulf, 11 different species are commonly referred to as "hamour". In records kept by the state of Qatar, there is a clear indication that the amount of "hamour" being caught is rapidly declining, and has dropped sharply since 2008. The decline of the culturally important and prized hamour fish prompted Qatar to start a program to farm the fish species, focusing on the most highly valued Epinephelus coioides. Yet the same states keep record on a "hamour group", roughly relating to the catch-all term "grouper". This includes the brown spotted reef cod, known in the Persian Gulf states as "souman", but also as "hammour". The words "hamour" and "soman" (Persian: سومان) are also used in Iran to describe similar species of fish, for example the Hamour-e Khaldar-e Qahvei (Persian: هامور خالدار قهوه‌ای), which is the Persian name for the brown-spotted reef cod,[citation needed] but which is known in Arabic simply as "hamour".

Haneeth

Haneeth

Haneeth is a slow-roasted lamb dish from Yemen. It is very popular dish throughout the Arabian Peninsula. It is cooked in a tannour oven and has a different spice rub.[clarification needed] Haneeth is usually served on a plate of rice. Haneed is prepared by bone-in lamb covered with leptadenia. The hole to put in the meat has to be lit on fire. The preferred kind of wood is the local racosperma dried wood. The meat is then cooked in the hole for 3.5 hours on a very low temperature. This ensures that the meat is succulent and tender.[citation needed]

Harees

Harees

Harees , boko boko, or harisa (Armenian: հարիսա, romanized: harisa) is a dish of boiled, cracked, or coarsely-ground cracked wheat or bulgur, mixed with meat and seasoned. Its consistency varies between a porridge and a gruel. Harees is a popular dish known throughout Armenia where it is served on Easter day, and the Arab world, where it is commonly eaten in Arab states of the Persian Gulf in the month of Ramadan, and in Iraq, Lebanon and Bahrain during Ashura by Shia Muslims. "Harisa", also transliterated as "horisa", derived from the Arabic verb "haras" meaning "to squish" to describe the action of breaking and pounding the grains before mixing it with water to create a porridge.

Hyderabadi biryani

Hyderabadi biryani

Hyderabadi biryani is a style of biryani originating from Hyderabad, India made with basmati rice and meat (mostly goat meat). Originating in the kitchens of the Nizam of Hyderabad, it combines elements of Hyderabadi and Mughlai cuisines. Hyderabad biryani is a key dish in Hyderabadi cuisine and it is so famous that the dish is considered synonymous with the city of Hyderabad. Hyderabad was conquered by the Mughals in the 1630s, and ruled by its Nizams. Mughlai culinary traditions joined with local traditions to create Hyderabadi cuisine. : 92 Local folklore attributes the creation of Hyderabadi biryani to the chef of the first Nizam, Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I, in the mid-18th century, during a hunting expedition. In 1857, when the Mughal Empire declined in Delhi, Hyderabad emerged as the center of South Asian culture, resulting in a mix of innovations in Hyderabadi biryani.: viii

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