Arab cuisine

Arab cuisine is a vast collection of regional culinary traditions from the Arab world. This includes the Maghreb, which is the west, and the Mashriq, which is the east. These traditions are centuries old and were shaped by a culture of trading. People exchanged ingredients, spices, herbs, and other commodities across many lands. This constant movement of goods helped create a shared food culture. However, local climates and specific ways of farming also created unique traditions in different areas.

Medieval history provides a deep look into how these recipes were prepared. Between the 9th and 16th centuries, Arab writers produced numerous cookbooks. These texts documented nearly 4,500 different recipes from regions like Al-Andalus, Egypt, Syria, the Maghreb, and Iraq. One staple was white bread made from high-quality wheat flour. This dough was fermented with yeast and "baker's borax" before being baked in a tandoor. Some varieties included soft, thin flatbreads or dry, thin bread flavored with tamarisk seeds.

Sauces and sweets represent highly skilled parts of the culinary tradition. Medieval recipes for sauces included complex mixtures of herbs and spices. For example, Ibrahim ibn al-Mahdi is credited with a mustard sauce using rue, caraway, thyme, asafetida, and cassia. Another recipe used vinegar-soaked raisins mixed with garlic, walnut, and mustard. Sweets were often called the "food of kings." A famous confection called lauzinaj was made from ground almonds. One version, called "drenched," involved filling thin pastry dough with almonds, rose water, and sometimes luxury items like musk or ambergris. This dish is believed to be an earlier version of the modern Ottoman baklava.

Vegetables and grains form the foundation of many daily meals. Common vegetables include leeks, okra, eggplant, and zucchini. Some, like asparagus, are often boiled with olive oil and murri, a fermented sauce. Cooking water for vegetables might even be sweetened with honey and seasoned with cilantro or anise to be used as a beverage. Grains like rice are a staple used in most dishes. Wheat is the primary source for bread, while bulgur and semolina are also used extensively. Until the 12th century, grains were mostly used for porridge and pasta-type dishes. These included itriya, a short dry noodle, and a hand-cut fresh noodle of Persian origin.

Proteins and dairy products are used in specific ways across the regions. Lamb and chicken are the most common meats, followed by beef and goat. In coastal areas near the Mediterranean, Atlantic, or Red Seas, fish is also widely eaten. Dairy products like yogurt and white cheese are used very often. Butter, buttermilk, and cream are also common. A specific cream called qishta is popular in desserts. For seasoning, cooks use a wide range of spices such as saffron, cumin, turmeric, and sumac. They also use spice mixtures like baharat, ras el hanout, za'atar, and harissa.

Meal structures change depending on the time of year and religious observances. Most of the year, breakfast is a quick meal of bread and dairy like labneh. Lunch is the main meal, often featuring meat with rice, lentils, and vegetables. Dinner is traditionally the lightest meal, though it is now often used for entertaining guests. During the month of Ramadan, the schedule changes for observant Muslims who fast from dawn until sunset. They break their fast at dusk with a meal called Iftar. This meal often begins with a single date and a soup, such as lentil or chicken soup. They also eat a meal called Suhur just before dawn to prepare for the day of fasting.

Hospitality is an essential concept that connects all aspects of Arab food culture. Meals are generally large family affairs meant for sharing and warmth. In the Persian Gulf region, a guest might be greeted with a table of dried and fresh fruits, nuts, and cakes. In the Khaleej al-Arab region, guests may be served a very large platter called kabsa. This dish consists of heavily spiced rice with lamb or chicken and stewed vegetables. Coffee and tea are central to this hospitality. Coffee is very prevalent in the Middle East, while tea is more common in the Maghreb, Egypt, and Sudan.