AROMATIC AND FLAVORFUL SPICES IN ABUNDANCE! FRESH INGREDIENTS AND VEGETABLES MAKE IT AS VISUALLY BEAUTIFUL AS IT IS DELICIOUS
For thousands of years, the Middle East has been a melting pot of different cultures, religions and strong influences from Europe, the Orient and North Africa. The kitchen is as versatile as life is complex where traditions mix with oriental flavors in centuries-old recipes. From the aromatic spices of Egypt to the fiery dishes of Persia.
From the deserts of Morocco to the mountains of Turkey. From the coastal regions of Lebanon to the hip emerging cuisines of Israel. Middle Eastern cuisine is an adventurous culinary journey, rich in aromatic taste experiences that have rightly established themselves as one of the most coveted trends in the world and you simply have to try!
All dishes in the Middle Eastern cuisine are prepared with passion and finesse, using ingredients carefully selected and freshly prepared, giving preference to food that can be grown locally to create a harmonious taste. These include dates, figs, almonds, pistachios, beans, chickpeas and lentils.
The basis of all oriental dishes includes olive oil, olives, garlic, onions, tomatoes, bulgur, couscous, eggplant, zucchini, mint, parsley and yogurt. Legumes also have an important role and are typically flavored with spices such as za’atar and harissa, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, nutmeg and saffron. They are the backbone that make oriental cuisine taste so spectacular.
There are no limits to creativity and variety, and it starts with the classic appetizers, the meze, a common way to enjoy Middle Eastern cuisine. Conviviality plays a major role here, so all dishes are served together and family and friends help themselves as they please. Characteristic of many regional cuisines is the typical pide flatbread, which is made from wheat flour.
These usually consist of a variety of lovingly arranged various cold and warm, wonderfully fragrant dips such as hummus and baba ganoush, as well as falafel and tabbouleh. The ease with which Middle Eastern foods can be adapted to suit a vegetarian or vegan diet makes them a great choice. In fact, some dishes are already vegan, and many traditional favorites can easily be made vegetarian by substituting vegetables for the meat.
Read the full article in Issue 24
