Middle Eastern cuisine

Tabule.

Middle Eastern cuisine is a mixture of different styles, including part Mediterranean cuisine and part
Maghreb cuisine. It is part of the so-called Arab cuisine, although some Middle Eastern cuisines are not
included in the Arab world: Iran and Armenia, Israel. These cuisines have the characteristic of having
many variants in their dishes, due to the proximity of the countries that compose it and the fact that the
majority of the population speaks the same language: Arabic. It can be said that the climate conditions and
unites this set of territorial gastronomies because it is fundamentally dry in most of the territory.

Ingredients

There are no ingredients that predominate and characterize the entire Middle East, but it is true that some
give character to certain parts: for example, couscous, which characterizes Maghreb cuisine. Cereals
include wheat, barley and rye, https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centenowhich are mainly eaten in different flat
breads (the most common). Some of the breads are stuffed, some are very popular like börek, and some
are made with strips like yufka. Rice is very popular and can be prepared in many different ways. Pasta is
often in the form of macaroni.

In the field of meat, poultry is appreciated, especially game, lamb and due to the religious abstinence
imposed by Islam and Judaism, pork is a minority in Middle Eastern dishes, the scarcity of pastures means
that beef is not very common. Dairy products are only frequently seen in southern cuisines: Türkiye and
Greece. The same can be said of such Mediterranean preparations as mezze (appetizers) that appear in
almost all Mediterranean cuisines: especially oriental ones. It is very common to see different dishes
prepared with pickles (Mekhalel) typical of the tribes that live in the desert.

Among the most typical spices that frequently appear in dishes from Middle Eastern cuisines are coriander
(seeds) or its leaves (cilantro), saffron, sumac, mint, etc. In some cases there are mixtures such as the
Iranian baharat (7 spices) or the Moroccan ras al hanut (27 spices).

Traditions
One of the customs that characterizes these cuisines is the hospitality with which food is offered to
travelers.

Countries

Map of the Middle East in which several definitions concur.

 Afghan cuisine
 1. Arabic gastronomy
2. Armenian cuisine
3. Syrian cuisine
4. Egyptian cuisine
5. Gastronomy of Greece (Partially)
6. Gastronomy of Israel
7. Iraqi cuisine
8. Gastronomy of Iran
9. Lebanese gastronomy
10. Moroccan gastronomy
11. North African cuisine
12. Gastronomy of Palestine
13. Gastronomy of Türkiye (Partially)
14. Yemeni cuisine
15. Arabic gastronomy

Arabic gastronomy

Arab cuisine is the set of cuisines belonging to the Arab countries. It can be said that it is the set of
traditional foods for the citizens of the Arab States of the Gulf, including all the countries of the Arabian
Peninsula, the countries of North Africa whose majority language is Arabic.

Arabic cuisine can easily be seen to be a balanced blend of Mediterranean and Indian cuisine
characteristics in the use of spices.

Ingredients
Arab cuisine is a rich combination of diverse cultures intertwined by a common language. It incorporates
the exoticism of Lebanese cuisine, the rigor and simplicity of Maghrebi cuisine, and exogenous elements
such as spices from India and Iran, thanks to a long tradition of trade and foreign relations (human, cultural
and political) between Arab countries and these Asian regions.

There are, however, common denominators among all these cuisines that we call Arabic cuisine, and they
are: the use of lamb, yogurt, mint, thyme (served in a mixture called zataar), the unforgettable tea
(preferably Ceylon), sesame, curry powder, saffron, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon, rice and in coastal areas
fish.

In this type of cuisine, vegetables are preferred over meat and cucumber, eggplant or onion are used in
most dishes. The use of fruit is mainly limited to citrus fruits. The spices are very similar to those used in
India.

Culture

It should be noted that the concept of food in Arab countries is closely linked to that of hospitality; in many
cases, serving a meal to a guest is an opportunity to honor them. It should not be forgotten that in most
countries Islam sets out precise rites regarding when one should eat (Ramadan or fasting days), and,
apart from the particularity of religion, the customs and worship of food are closer to those of each Arab
country.
Stores

In Western countries, the various ingredients used in Arab cuisine can be purchased in halal shops or
butcher shops.

The different cuisines

In theory it corresponds to the gastronomy of the countries of the Arab world and among others:

 Gastronomy of Saudi Arabia  Gastronomy of Libya

 Algerian gastronomy  Moroccan gastronomy
 Bahraini cuisine  Omani cuisine
 Egyptian cuisine  Qatari cuisine
 Iraqi cuisine  Syrian cuisine
 Gastronomy of Israel  Gastronomy of Sudan
 Jordanian cuisine  Tunisian cuisine
 Kuwaiti cuisine  Gastronomy of Palestine

 Lebanese gastronomy  Yemeni cuisine

By regions

 Mediterranean cuisine

Pastry of Arab origin

 Mouna
 Panellet

Syrian cuisine

Mujaddara, a typical Syrian dish.

Syrian cuisine refers to the culinary styles and customs of the inhabitants of Syria. It can be said that it has
certain influences from Mediterranean cuisine and especially Egyptian cuisine. The proximity of the border
with Türkiye means that some dishes and methods of preparation are very similar.

Famous dishes

One of the most common preparations is the use of flat pita bread (khubz), which is round and is usually
topped with a layer of hummus, thus creating a kind of dipping sauce. The other typical Syrian dish is Baba
ghanoush made from eggplant.

In the field of salads, one of the most popular dishes is tabbouleh and fattoush. There are dishes that
include vegetables such as stuffed cucumbers (mahshe), dolmas, kebabs, kibbeh, kibbeh nayyeh,
mujaddara, and snacks in the form of shawarma and shanklish. Before the main dishes, Syrians offer a
kind of tapas, called meze (very typical of eastern Mediterranean cuisine). Zataar, minced meat and
manakish cheese are popular as hors d'oeuvre. Syrians are well known for their Syrian Cheeses. A very
popular drink is arak. One of the most popular desserts is baklava, which is made from filo dough
sometimes filled with chopped walnuts or pistachios and then topped with honey.

Egyptian cuisine
Ful medames, the national dish of Egypt.

Egyptian cuisine is very varied due to its geographical position, which acts as a bridge between African
and Mediterranean cuisine. Egypt is a country with a large expanse of desert and this is reflected in some
of its culinary customs (such as the frugality of its dishes). However, being a Muslim country, many of the
culinary customs are governed by the laws of Islam.

Ingredients

Meats and fish

Fresh fish from the Mediterranean coast is used, and large prawns from Alexandria are very well known. In
the field of meat, the most common is lamb, which is stewed, roasted or boiled. Ox is rarely eaten as it is
usually used more for agricultural work.

Fruits and vegetables

Legumes are highly appreciated, especially the omnipresent bean, which is seasoned, roasted, mashed,
etc. in Egyptian cuisine. They can be seen in countless ways accompanying different dishes. The second
ingredient is rice. There are, however, dishes that use bamias and okra as ingredients. They use olive oil
both as a dressing and as an ingredient for frying.

Fruits are abundant, especially citrus fruits.

Bread

Many types of bread are made with different types of flour, most of them are flat. One of the most
characteristic is the Aish, which with different ingredients is used as an accompaniment to other dishes.

Characteristic dishes

Main dishes
 Ful medammes - Dish with cooked beans.
 Molokheya (mouloureija) - Soup made with different herbs to which chicken, rabbit and various
spices are added.
 Kushari - Streaked legumes
 rattlesnakes

Desserts

The desserts are similar to those of other Middle Eastern countries and loukoum and baklava are very
popular. Dates are often used, for example to make meneas, a type of almond paste ball filled with dates.

Drinks

It is very popular to drink flavoured water with different flavors such as orange blossom, rose, etc. There is
a small production of wine and beer.
Gastronomy of Israel

Falafel, Hummus and Israeli Salad Platter

Israeli breakfast

Eggplant salad with Israeli mayonnaise

Potato bourekas

Israeli cuisine consists of local dishes of the native people of Israel and dishes brought to Israel by
Diaspora Jews. Since before the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, and especially since the late
1970s, an Israeli Jewish fusion cuisine has developed. 1

Israeli cuisine has adopted, and continues to adopt, elements of various styles of Jewish cooking and
regional Levantine cuisine, particularly Mizrahi, Sephardic, and Ashkenazi styles of cooking. 1 It
incorporates many foods traditionally eaten in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, and foods such
as falafel, hummus, msabbha, shakshouka, couscous, and za'atar are widely popular in Israel today. 2
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-Gur2-3
3 the availability of foods common to the Mediterranean
region, especially certain types of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and fish; distinctive traditional dishes
prepared at times of festivals; kosher tradition is maintained; and specific customs for Shabbat and
different Jewish holidays, such as challah, chachnun, malawach, stuffed fish, hamin, and sufganiyot.

Origins

Israel's culinary traditions encompass foods and cooking methods spanning three thousand years of
history. During this time, these traditions have been modified by influences from Asia, Africa and Europe,
religious and ethnic influences that have resulted in a culinary melting pot. Biblical and archaeological
records provide a glimpse into the culinary life of the region as far back as 968 BC, to the days of the kings
of ancient Israel.5

During the Second Temple period (516 BC to AD 70), Hellenistic and Roman cultures strongly influenced
the cuisine, especially of the priests and aristocracy of Jerusalem. Elaborate meals were served and
included spicy appetizers and alcoholic beverages, fish, meat, pickled meat, fresh vegetables, olives,
cakes and sweet fruits.

The food of the ancient Israelites was based on several products that still play an important role in modern
Israeli cuisine. These were known as the seven species: olives, figs, dates, pomegranates, wheat, barley
and grapes.6 The diet based on local products was enhanced with imported spices, easily accessible due
to the country's position at the crossroads of east-west trade routes. 5

Following the destruction of the Second Temple and the exile of most Jews from the land of Israel, Jewish
cuisine continued to develop in the many countries where Jewish communities have existed since Late
Antiquity. Change influenced by the economy, agriculture and culinary traditions of those countries.

Olives with spices

Old Yishuv

The Jewish community that lived in Ottoman Syria before Zionist immigration beginning in 1881 was
known as the Old Yishuv. The community's cooking style was Sephardic cuisine, which developed among
the Jews of Spain before their expulsion in 1492, and in the areas to which they emigrated thereafter,
particularly in the Balkans and the Ottoman Empire. The Sephardim also established communities in the
Old Yishuv. Particularly in Jerusalem, where they continued to develop their culinary style, influenced by
Ottoman cuisine, creating a style that is known as Sephardic Jerusalem cuisine. 7 This cuisine includes
pastries such as sambousak and burekas, gratin vegetables, stuffed vegetables, bulgur rice and pilafs,
which are now considered Jerusalem classics.8

Groups of Hasidic Jews from Eastern Europe began establishing communities in the 18th century, and
brought with them their traditional Ashkenazi cuisine, developing distinct local variations, most notably a
spicy, caramelized noodle pudding known as kugel Yerushalmi.9

Beginning with the First Aliyah in 1881, Jews began to emigrate to Eastern Europe in larger numbers,
especially from Poland and Russia. These Zionist pioneers were motivated both ideologically and by the
Mediterranean climate to reject the Ashkenazi cooking styles they had grown up with, preferring to adapt
by using local produce, especially vegetables such as zucchini, peppers, eggplant, artichokes and
chickpeas. 8 The first Hebrew cookbook, written by Erna Meyer and published in the early 1930s by the
Palestinian Federation of Women's International Zionist Organization (WIZO), urged cooks to use
Mediterranean herbs, Middle Eastern spices, and local vegetables in their cooking. 7 The bread, olives,
cheese, and raw vegetables they adopted became the basis of the kibbutz breakfast, which in more
abundant forms is served in Israeli hotels, and in various forms in most Israeli homes today. 8 7

Early years of the State

The State of Israel faced major military and economic challenges in its early years, resulting in the period
1948-58 being a time of food rationing and austerity, known as Tzena. In this decade, more than a million
Jewish immigrants, mainly from Arab countries, and Holocaust survivors from Europe, flooded into the new
state. Only the staple foods that were available arrived and so ethnic dishes had to be modified with a
range of simulated foods, such as "liver" (chopped eggplant) and turkey as a substitute for veal schnitzel
for Ashkenazim, kubbeh made from frozen fish instead of ground beef for Iraqi Jews, and turkey instead of
lamb kebabs for Mizrahi Jews. These adaptations remain as a legacy of the times8 https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom
%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-Roden2-8 7

Substitutes, such as the wheat-based rice substitute, ptitim, were introduced, and versatile vegetables
such as eggplant were used as meat alternatives. Additional flavor and nutrition were provided from cheap
cans of tomato paste, hummus, tahini, and tubed mayonnaise. Meat was scarce, and it was not until the
late 1950s that beef cattle herds were introduced into the agricultural economy. 10

Khubeza, a local variety of the mallow plant, became an important source of food during the War of
Independence. During the siege of Jerusalem, when food convoys were unable to reach the city, residents
went out into the fields to collect khubeza leaves, which are high in iron and vitamins. 11 The Jerusalem
radio station, Kol Hamagen, broadcast cooking instructions; what was said in Jordan convinced the Arabs
that the Jews were starving and victory was at hand. 12 Over the past decade, Israeli food critics have
encouraged the population to prepare khubeza on Israel's Independence Day. 13 Local chefs have begun
serving khubeza and other wild plants gathered from the fields in upscale restaurants. 14 The Independence
War dish is called Ktzitzot Khubeza and is still eaten by Israelis today.

Impact of immigration

Immigrants to Israel have incorporated elements of the culinary traditions belonging to the countries and
cultures from which they came. 15 For approximately fifty years before 1948, there were successive waves
of Jewish immigration, bringing with them a whole range of foods and cooking styles. Immigrants arriving
from Central Europe brought foods such as schnitzel and strudel, while Russian Jews brought borsht and
herring.8

Ashkenazi dishes include chicken soup, schnitzel, smoked salmon, chopped liver, stuffed fish, knishes,
kishka and kugel. The first Israeli bakeries were opened by Ashkenazi Jews, who popularized Central and
Eastern European cakes and pastries, such as yeast cakes (babka), nut spirals (Schnecken), chocolate
buns and layer cakes.

After 1948, the greatest impact came from the great migration of Jews from Turkey, Iraq, Kurdistan and
Yemen, and Mizrahi Jews from North Africa, especially Morocco. Typically, the staff of army kitchens,
schools, hospitals, hotels and restaurant kitchens have been Mizrahis, Kurdish Jews and Yemenites,
which has had an influence on the country's cooking methods and ingredients. 8

Mizrahi cuisine, the cuisine of North African Jews, consists of meats, savory and sweet pastries, rice
dishes, stuffed vegetables, pita bread, and salads, sharing many similarities with Arabic cuisine. Other
popular North African dishes in Israel include couscous, shakshouka, matbuja, carrot salad, and chraime
(slices of fish cooked in a spicy tomato sauce). Sephardic dishes, which incorporate Balkan and Turkish
influences into Israeli cuisine, include burekas, yogurt and taramosalata. Yemenite Jewish foods include
jachnun, malawach, skhug, and kubane. Popular Iraqi dishes in Israel include both, various types of
kubba, stuffed vegetables (mhasha), kebab, sambusac, sabich and pickled vegetables (hamutzim).

Halva at the Mahane Yehuda market

Modern trends

As Israeli agriculture developed, new types of fruits and vegetables appeared on the market, allowing
cooks and chefs to begin experimenting with creating new dishes with them. 10

They also began to use "biblical" ingredients such as honey, figs and pomegranates, and indigenous foods
such as nopales (Tzabar) and chickpeas. Since the late 1970s, there has been a growing interest in
international cuisine, cooking with wine and herbs, and vegetarianism. 8 A sophisticated food culture began
to develop in Israel with the publication of cookbooks, such as "Cooking with Love" by Ruth Sirkis, this
book presented international cooking trends, and was published in 1974. Another factor was the opening
of restaurants serving Chinese, Italian and French cuisine, which encouraged more dining out. 7 16

The 1980s were a formative decade: there was a surge in optimism following the signing of the peace
treaty with Egypt in 1979, an economic recovery in the mid-1980s and increased foreign travel by ordinary
citizens were all factors that contributed to a greater interest in food and wine. In addition, the interest in
high-quality, locally produced ingredients has become increasingly accessible in terms of availability and
price. For example, private dairies began producing artisanal cheeses from goat, sheep and cow milk,
which quickly became very popular among chefs and the general public. In 1983, Golan Heights Winery
was the first of many new Israeli winemakers to help transform tastes, with its world-class production of
semi-dry and dry wines. Attention was paid to the production of artisanal breads and high-quality olive oil.
The successful development of aquaculture ensured a constant supply of fresh fish, and the agricultural
revolution in Israel led to an overwhelming choice and quality of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. 7

Ethnic culinary heritage, both Sephardic and Ashkenazi, has made a comeback with the growing
acceptance of heterogeneous society. In addition to home cooking, many ethnic foods are now available at
street markets, supermarkets and restaurants, or served at weddings and bar mitzvahs, and people are
increasingly eating foods from ethnic origins other than their own. Overlaps and combinations of foods
from different ethnic groups are becoming standard as a multi-ethnic food culture develops. 8 7

The 1990s saw a growing interest in international cuisine. Sushi, in particular, has established itself as a
popular style for dining out and as a main dish for events. In restaurants, fusion cuisine, mixing classic
cuisines such as French and Japanese with local ingredients, has become widespread. In the 2000s, the
trend of "clean eating," with an emphasis on organic whole grain foods, has become popular and medical
research has led many Israelis to re-embrace the Mediterranean diet, with its health benefits. 17

Hummus with ful and tehina

Characteristics

Lunch dishes

Geography has a major influence on Israeli cuisine, and foods common to the Mediterranean region such
as olives, wheat, chickpeas, dairy products, fish, and vegetables such as tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini
are prominent in Israeli cuisine. Fresh fruits and vegetables are abundant in Israel and are cooked and
served in many ways.18

There are several climatic zones in Israel and the settled areas allow for the cultivation of a variety of
crops. Citrus trees such as orange, lemon and grapefruit thrive in the coastal plain. Figs, pomegranates
and olives grow in the cooler mountainous areas.5 The subtropical climate near the Sea of Galilee and the
Jordan River Valley is suitable for mangoes, kiwis and bananas, while the temperate climate of the Galilee
and Golan Heights is suitable for grapes, apples and cherries.19

Israeli eating customs also conform to the Mediterranean region, with lunch, rather than dinner, being the
focal meal of a regular workday. "Kibbutz foods" have been adopted by many Israelis for their light dinners
as well as for breakfasts, and may consist of various types of cheeses, both soft and hard, yogurt, labneh,
sour cream, vegetables, salads, olives, hard-boiled eggs or omelets, pickled vegetables, herring,
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clupeaa variety of breads, fresh orange juice, and coffee.8

In addition, Jewish holidays influence cuisine, with the preparation of traditional foods at holiday times,
such as various types of challah (braided bread) for Sabbaths and Festivals, jelly doughnuts (sufganiyot)
for Hanukah, hamantaschen pastries (haman oznei) for Purim, charoset, a type of fruit paste for Passover,
and dairy products for Shavuot. Shabbat dinner, eaten on Friday, and to a lesser extent Shabbat lunch, is
an important meal in Israeli homes, along with holiday meals.18
Although not all Jews in Israel eat kosher, the tradition of kashrut strongly influences the availability of
certain foods and their preparation in homes, public institutions, and many restaurants, including
separating milk and meat, or avoiding the use of non-kosher foods, especially pork and seafood. During
Passover, bread and other leavened foods are forbidden to observant Jews, so they are replaced with
matzah and leavened foods. 20

Typical dishes - white cheese, cucumber and tomato - in a salad

Cymbals

Israel does not have a universally recognized national dish; however, many consider it to be falafel, deep-
fried balls of ground chickpeas. 21 22 Falafel is sold by street vendors all over Israel and is a favorite "street
food."10

Salads and appetizers

Stuffed vine leaves

Vegetable salads are eaten with most meals, including the traditional Israeli breakfast, which would
typically include eggs, bread, and dairy products such as yogurt or cottage cheese. For lunch and dinner,
the salad can be served as a side dish. Hummuschipsalat is a light version of salad ("Salat"), hummus and
chips ("chips") served in a pita bread.23

Israeli salad is typically made with finely chopped tomatoes and cucumbers tossed with olive oil, lemon
juice, salt and pepper. Variations include the addition of diced red or green peppers, shredded carrot,
finely shredded cabbage or lettuce, sliced radish, fennel, onion, scallions, chopped parsley, or other herbs
and spices such as mint, za'atar, and sumac.23 Although popularized by kibbutz members, there are
versions of this mixed salad brought to Israel from various places. For example, Indian Jews prepare it
with finely chopped ginger and green chilies, North African Jews add lemon peel and cayenne pepper, and
Bukharan Jews chop vegetables very finely and use vinegar, not oil, in the dressing. 24

Tabbouleh is a Levantine vegetarian dish (sometimes considered a salad) traditionally made from
tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, mint, bulgur and onion, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and
salt. Some Israeli variations of the salad use pomegranate seeds instead of tomatoes.

Sabich salad is a variation of the well-known Israeli dish Sabich, the ingredients of the salad are eggplant,
hard-boiled eggs, tahini, Israeli salad, potato, and parsley.

Kubba is a dish made from rice/semolina/bulgur (cracked wheat), finely chopped onions and lean ground
beef, lamb or chicken. The best-known variety is a fried torpedo-shaped croquette filled with minced meat,
chicken or lamb. It was brought to Israel by Jews of Iraqi, Kurdish and Syrian origin.
Sambusak is a semicircular pocket of dough filled with mashed chickpeas, fried onions and spices. There
is another variety stuffed with meat, fried onions, parsley, spices and pine nuts, which is sometimes mixed
with mashed chickpeas, the breakfast version is eaten with feta cheese or Tzfat cheese and za'atar. It can
be fried and cooked.

Boreca is soft minced meat with onion and spices or mashed potato wrapped in phyllo dough, and fried in
oil or cooked in the oven. They are usually served at weddings and other celebrations.

Roasted vegetables include peppers, chili peppers, tomatoes, onions, eggplant and sometimes also
potatoes and zucchini. It is usually served with grilled meat.

Tursu is a pickled vegetable dish made by immersing it in water and salt (sometimes with olive oil) in a pot
and removing the air. Ingredients may include: cucumber, cabbage, eggplant, carrot, turnip, radish, onion,
capers, lemon, olives, cauliflower, tomatoes, chili pepper, bell pepper, garlic and beans.

A wide variety of salads and sauces are made with roasted eggplant. 25 Baba Ganush, or called salat
ḥatzilim in Israel, is made with tahini and other seasonings such as garlic, lemon juice, onion, herbs and
spices. Eggplant is sometimes grilled over an open flame to give the flesh a smoky flavor. A particularly
Israeli variation of the salad is made with mayonnaise called salat ḥatzilim b'mayonnaise. 26 Eggplant
salads are also made with yogurt or with feta cheese, chopped onion and tomato, or in the style of the
Romanian Jews, roasted red with pepper.27

Tahini is often used as a topping for falafel,28 it serves as a sauce for cooking meat and fish, and it is also
used as a base for sweets such as halva.29

Israeli-style Avocado Salat, with lemon juice and chopped scallions (spring onions), was introduced by
farmers who planted avocado trees on the coastal plain in the 1920s. Since then, avocados have become
a winter delicacy and are added to salads and eaten with bread.32

Meze of fresh and cooked vegetables, pickled cucumbers and other vegetables, hummus, ful and tahini,
labneh cheese with olive oil, and Ikra are served at festive meals and in restaurants. Salads include
Turkish salad (a spicy salad of finely chopped onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices), tabbouleh, carrot
salad, marinated and roasted red and green peppers, fried cauliflower, matbuja, torshi and various
eggplant salads.33 34

Modern Israeli interpretations of meze mix the traditional and the modern, pairing ordinary appetizers with
unique combinations such as fennel and pistachio salad, beet and pomegranate salad, or celery and
kashkaval in cheese salad.35

Stuffed vegetables, called memula'im, were originally designed to add inexpensive ingredients to a meal.
They are prepared by cooks in Israel of all ethnic backgrounds and are made with many different flavours,
such as spicy or sweet and sour, with ingredients such as peppers, chili peppers, figs, onions, artichoke
hearts, chard, beets, nuts, tomatoes, vine leaves, potatoes, mallow, eggplant, zucchini, and stuffed with
meat and rice in the Balkan style, bulgur in Middle Eastern cuisine, or with ptitim, a type of pasta from
Israel.36 The Ottoman Turks introduced stuffed grape leaves in the 16th century, and grape leaves are also
commonly stuffed with a combination of meat and rice, although other types of stuffing, such as lentils,
have developed among the various communities. 37 Artichoke hearts stuffed with meat are famous as one
of the great dishes of the Sephardic cuisine of Jerusalem of the Old Yishuv.38 Half a stuffed zucchini is
called by its Ladino name, Medios; it was brought from Spain by Sephardic Jews in 1492.
Soups and dumplings

Shkedei marak

A variety of soups are enjoyed, particularly in the winter. Chicken soup has been a mainstay of Jewish
cuisine since medieval times and is very popular in Israel.39 Classic chicken soup is prepared as a simple
broth with a few vegetables, such as onion, carrot and celery, and herbs such as dill and parsley. More
elaborate versions are prepared by Sephardim with orzo or rice, or the addition of lemon juice or herbs
such as mint or cilantro, while Ashkenazim may go so far as to add noodles.40 An Israeli adaptation of the
traditional Ashkenazi pasta soup known as mandlen, called "shkedei marak" ("almond soup") in Israel, is
commonly served with chicken soup.

Especially on holidays, dumplings are served with the soup, such as the kneidlach (matza balls) of the
Ashkenazi Jews or gondi (chickpea dumplings) of the Iranian Jews, or kubba, a family of dumplings
brought to Israel by Middle Eastern Jews. Particularly popular are bulgur kubba stuffed with ground lamb
and pine nuts, and kubba made of semolina or soft rice cooked in soup, 40 which Jews of Iraqi or Kurdish
descent typically enjoy for lunch on Fridays.41

Lentil soup is prepared in many ways, with ingredients such as cilantro or meat. 42 Other soups include the
Moroccan Jewish harira, which is a spicy soup of lamb (or chicken), chickpeas, lentils and rice, and the
Yemeni bone marrow soup known as ftut, which is served on special occasions such as weddings, and is
seasoned with the traditional hawaij salt.43 44

White bean soup in tomato sauce is common in Jerusalem because Sephardic Jews settled in the city
after being expelled from Andalusia.

Grains and pasta

Ptitim, a type of grass also known as "Israeli couscous"

Rice is prepared in many ways in Israel, from simple steamed white rice to festive stews. It is also cooked
with spices and served with almonds and pine nuts. "Green" rice, prepared with a variety of chopped fresh
herbs, is a favorite of Persian Jews. Another rice dish is prepared with thin noodles that are first fried and
then boiled with the rice. Mujadara is a popular rice and lentil dish, adopted from Arabic cuisine. Orez
Shu'it is a dish invented in Jerusalem by Sephardic Jews, which is made of white beans cooked in a
tomato broth and served over white rice, and is widely eaten in the Jerusalem region.

Couscous was brought to Israel by Jews from North Africa. It is still prepared in some restaurants or by
traditional cooks by passing semolina through a sieve several times and then cooking it over an aromatic
broth in a special steamer called a Couscoussiere. In general, instant couscous is widely used for home
cooking. Couscous is used in salads, main dishes and even some desserts. As a main dish, chicken or
lamb, or vegetables cooked in a broth seasoned with saffron or turmeric are served over steamed
couscous.45 46
Ptitim is a pasta from Israel that now comes in many shapes, including pearls, bows, stars and hearts, but
was originally formed as grains of rice, as it originated in the early days of the State of Israel as a wheat-
based substitute for rice, when rice, a staple food of Mizrahi Jews, was scarce. Israeli Prime Minister David
Ben-Gurion is said to have asked the Osem company to devise this substitute, hence the nickname "Ben-
Gurion rice." Ptitim can be boiled like pasta, or prepared pilaf style by first sautéing it and then boiling it in
water or broth, or baked in a saucepan. Like other pastas, they can be flavored in many ways with spices,
herbs and sauces. Once considered primarily a children's food, ptitim are now prepared in restaurants,
both in Israel and internationally.47

Burgul is a type of cracked dried wheat, sometimes served instead of rice.

Fish

St. Fish Peter's (tilapia) in a restaurant in Tiberias, Isarael

Fresh fish is readily available, caught in Israel's coastal areas of the Mediterranean and Red Sea, or in the
Sea of Galilee, or raised in ponds in the wake of advances in fish farming in Israel. Fresh fish is served
whole, Mediterranean style, grilled or fried, seasoned only with freshly squeezed lemon juice. Trout (called
forel), sea bream (called Denisse), John Dory (known as 'musht') and other fresh fish are prepared in this
way.48 Fish are also eaten baked, with or without vegetables, or fried or sliced, or grilled over embers, and
served with different sauces.49

Fish is also eaten stewed in a dish called hraime, where fish such as grouper (better known in Israel by its
Arabic name lokus) or halibut are prepared in a sauce with hot chili and other spices for Rosh Hashanah,
Passover, and the Sabbath of North African Jews. Everyday versions are prepared with cheaper types of
fish and served in restaurants, public kitchens, and at home for weekday meals. 48 49

The fish, traditionally carp but now other firm white fish as well, are chopped and made into sticks or balls
and cooked in fish stock, like the stuffed fish of the Ashkenazi Jews, who also brought pickled herring from
Eastern Europe. Herring is often served at the Kiddush that follows synagogue services on Shabbat,
especially in Ashkenazi communities. In the Russian immigrant community it may be served as a light
meal with boiled potatoes, sour cream, dark breads and schnapps or vodka. 49 50

Fish kofta is usually fried with spices, herbs and onions (sometimes also pine nuts) and served with
sesame paste or yogurt sauce. Boiled fish kofta is cooked in a sauce of tomato, sesame paste or yogurt.

Baked tilapia with tahini sauce, seasoned with olive oil, cilantro, mint, basil and pine nuts (and sometimes
also with fried onions) is a specialty of Tiberia.

Poultry and chicken

Israeli style mangal

Chicken is the most commonly consumed meat in Israel, followed by turkey. 51 Chicken is prepared in a
multitude of ways, from simple roast chicken cooked in the oven to elaborate stews with rich sauces such
as date and tomato sauce, etc. Examples include chicken casserole with couscous, inspired by Moroccan
Jewish cuisine, chicken with olives, a Mediterranean classic, and chicken meatballs (meatballs) in tomato
sauce, from the Sephardic cuisine of Jerusalem. 51 Meatballs are also prepared from minced meat, 52
similar to meatballs is the popular kufta which is made from minced meat, herbs and spices and is cooked
with tomato sauce, date syrup, pomegranate syrup or tamarind syrup with vegetables or beans.

Grilled and barbecued meats are common in Israeli cuisine. The country has many small restaurants
specialising in lamb kebab, shish taouk, merguez and kebab meat.https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinchito
Outdoor barbecue, known as mangal or al ha-esh (on the fire) is a beloved Israeli pastime. In modern
times, Israel's Independence Day is often celebrated with a picnic or barbecue in parks and forests
throughout the country.53 Goose liver skewer is a dish from southern Tel Aviv. It is grilled with salt and
black pepper and sometimes with spices such as cumin or the baharat spice mix.

Roast chicken or lamb is very common with fried potatoes and onions sometimes too.

Milanese turkey served with pasta

Turkish Schinitzel is an Israeli adaptation of veal schnitzel, and is an example of the transformations
common in Israeli cuisine. 54 Schnitzel was brought to Israel by Jews from Central Europe, but before and
during the early years of the State of Israel veal was unattainable and chicken or turkey was a cheap and
tasty substitute. On the other hand, a Wiener Schnitzel is cooked in both butter and oil, but in Israel only oil
is used, due to kashrut. Nowadays, most cooks buy breaded milanesas and serve them with hummus,
tahini, and other salads for a quick main meal. Other immigrant groups have added variations of their own
stock; Yemenite Jews, for example, season it with hawaij.10 In addition, vegetarian versions have become
popular and the Israeli food company, Tiv'ol, was the first to produce a vegetarian schnitzel from a soy
meat substitute.

Various types of sausages are part of Sephardic and Mizrahi cuisine in Israel. Tunisian Jews cook a
sausage, called osban, with a filling of ground beef or liver, rice, chopped spinach, and a mixture of herbs
and spices. Syrian Jews make small sausages, called gheh, with a different spice mix while Iraqi Jews
make sausages, called mumbar, with minced meat and liver, rice, and their traditional spice
mix.55https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-55

Moussaka is a dish of baked minced meat and eggplant that, unlike its Levantine rivals, is served hot.

Meat stews (chicken, lamb and beef) are cooked with spices, herbs such as parsley, mint and oregano,
onion, tomato sauce or sesame paste or juices such as pomegranate molasses, pomegranate juice,
pomegranate wine, grape wine, arak, date molasses and tamarind. Sometimes peas, chickpeas, white
beans, cowpeas or green beans are also added.

Stuffed chicken in Israel is usually stuffed with rice, meat (lamb or beef), parsley, dried fruits such as
dates, apricots or raisins, spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice; sometimes herbs such as thyme
and oregano (not the dried ones) are added on top of the chicken to give it a flavour and then baked in the
oven.
Milk products

Tzfat Cheese

Many high-quality fresh dairy products are available, such as cottage cheese, white cheeses, yogurts
including leben and Eshel, yellow cheeses, and the salt-brined cheeses typical of the Mediterranean
region. 56

The production of various dairy products has been an important sector of Israeli agriculture since the
founding of the state, and the yield of local dairy cows is among the highest in the world. Initially, moshav
(agricultural cooperatives) and kibbutzim produced soft white cheese primarily because it was cheap and
nutritious. It became an important staple food in the years of austerity and gained a popularity it enjoys to
this day. 56

Soft white cheese, gvina levana, is often referred to by its fat content, such as 5% or 9%. It is eaten alone,
or mixed with fruits or vegetables, spread on bread or biscuits and used in a variety of cakes and
pastries.56

Labneh is a white yogurt-based cheese common in the Balkans and the Middle East. It is sold plain, with
za'atar, or in olive oil. It is often eaten for breakfast with other cheeses and bread. 57 In the north of the
country, Labneh balls preserved in olive oil are more common than in the central and southern regions.
The addition of spices such as za'atar, dried oregano or sumac and herbs such as thyme, mint or chives is
common when preserving labneh balls in oil. It is especially common to eat them for breakfast because
meat is not usually eaten in the morning.

Tzfat cheese, a brined white cheese similar to feta, was first produced by the Méiri dairy in Safed in 1837
and is still produced by descendants of the original cheese makers. The Méiri dairy also became famous
for its production of Balkan-style Brinza cheese, which became known as Bulgarian cheese due to its
popularity in the 1950s among Jewish immigrants in Bulgaria. Other dairies now also produce many
varieties of these cheeses. 56 Bulgarian yogurt, brought to Israel by Bulgarian Jews who survived the
Holocaust, is used to make a traditional yogurt and cucumber soup. 58

In the early 1980s, small private dairies began producing artisanal goat and sheep cheeses, as well as
cow's milk, similar to traditional cheeses such as those made in rural areas of France, Spain and Italy.
Many are made with organic milk. These are now also produced by kibbutzim and the national dairy
Tnuva. 56

Egg dishes
Shakshuka served in a pan

Shakshuka, a dish of poached eggs in a spicy tomato sauce, is a national favorite, especially in the winter.
It is traditionally served in a cast iron skillet with bread to soak in the sauce. 59 Some variations of the dish
are cooked with liberal use of ingredients such as eggplant, chili pepper, hot paprika, spinach or feta
cheese.

Omelettes are seasoned with onion, herbs such as dill seeds (Shamir), spinach, parsley, mint, coriander
and mallow with spices such as turmeric, cumin, sumac, cinnamon and cloves and with cheese such as
Feta or Safed cheese.

Fruit

Israel is one of the world's leading producers and exporters of fresh citrus fruits, 60 and over forty types of
fruit are grown in Israel, including citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit, mandarin oranges and the
pomelit, a hybrid of a grapefruit and a pomelo, developed in Israel. 61 Fruits grown in Israel include
avocados, bananas, apples, cherries, plums, lychees, nectarines, grapes, dates, strawberries, prickly pear
(tzabbar), persimmon, loquat (shesek) and pomegranates, and are eaten on a regular basis: Israelis
consume an average of nearly 160 kilograms (352.739616 lb) of fruit per person per
year.62https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-Gurfruit-62

Many unique mango varieties are native to the country, most developed during the second half of the 20th
century. New and improved mango varieties are still introduced to the markets every few years. Arguably
the most popular variety is the Maya type, which is small to medium-sized, fragrant, colorful (with 3-4
colors) and usually fiberless. The Israeli mango season begins in May, with the last of the fruit ripening as
October approaches. Different varieties are present in the markets in different months, with the Maya type
seen between July and September. Mangos are frequently used in fusion dishes and for making sorbet.

A large number of Israelis plant fruit trees in their yards, citrus (especially orange and lemon) being the
most common; mangoes are also very popular. Mulberry trees are frequently seen in public gardens, and
their fruit is popularly served alongside various desserts and as juice.

Fruits are served as an appetizer or dessert alongside other items or by themselves. Freshly squeezed
fruit juices are prepared in street kiosks and sold bottled in supermarkets. 62 Various fruits are added to
chicken or meat dishes and fresh fruit salad and compote are often served at the end of the meal. 63

Baked dishes, cookies, cakes, bourekas

There is a strong tradition of home baking in Israel that stems from the years when there were too few
bakeries to meet the demand. Many professional bakers came to Israel from Central Europe and founded
local bakeries and patisseries, often called Konditoria, shaping local tastes and preferences. There is now
a local style with a wide selection of cakes and pastries that includes influences from other cuisines and
combines traditional European ingredients with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern ingredients, such as
halva, puff pastry, dates, and rose water.64

Typical Israeli desserts, bourekas

Examples include citrus-flavored semolina cakes moistened with syrup and called Basbousa, tishpishti or
Revani in Sephardic bakeries. Ashkenazi babka has been adapted to include halva or chocolate spread in
addition to the old-fashioned cinnamon. There are also many varieties of apple pie. Cookies made from
crushed dates (ma'amoul) are served with coffee or tea, as throughout the Middle East. 64

Jerusalem kugel (Yerushalmi Kugel) is an Israeli version of the traditional noodle pudding, made with
caramelized sugar and seasoned with black pepper.65 It was originally a specialty of the Ashkenazi Jews of
the Old Yishuv. 9 It is typically baked in a very low oven overnight and eaten after synagogue services on
Saturday morning. 66

Bourekas are tasty sweets brought to Israel by Jews from Türkiye, the Balkans and Thessaloniki. They are
made from a flaky dough in a variety of shapes, often topped with sesame seeds, and are filled with meat,
chickpeas, cheese, spinach, potatoes or mushrooms. Bourekas are sold in kiosks, supermarkets and
cafés, and are served at functions and celebrations, as well as being prepared by home cooks. 67 They are
often served as a light meal with chopped hard-boiled eggs and vegetable salad. 68

Ashkenazi Jews from Vienna and Budapest brought sophisticated pastries and made them traditions of
Israel. Sacher Torte and Linzer Torte are sold in professional bakeries, but cheesecake and strudel are
also prepared in the country. 69

Jelly doughnuts (sufganiyot), traditionally filled with red jam, but also with custard or dulce de leche, are
eaten as Hanukkah treats. 70

Tahini cookies are a cookie of Israeli origin made from sesame paste, flour, butter and sugar and usually
topped with pine nuts.

Bread and sandwiches

Toasted bagel

In the Jewish communities of the old Yishuv, bread was baked at home. Small commercial bakeries were
established in the mid-nineteenth century. One of the first, Berman's Bakery, was established in 1875 and
evolved from a cottage industry of making homemade bread and pastries for Christian pilgrims. 71

Skilled bakers who arrived among immigrants from Central and Eastern Europe in the 1920s and '30s
introduced handmade sourdough breads. From the 1950s, mass-produced bread replaced these loaves
and government-subsidized breads known as Ahid Lehem became mostly available until the 1980s, when
specialized bakeries again began producing rich sourdough breads in the European tradition, and breads
in a Mediterranean style with accents such as olives, cheese, herbs or sun-dried tomatoes. A wide variety
of breads are now available in bakeries and cafes.71

Challah bread is widely purchased or prepared for Shabbat. Challah is typically an enriched egg bread,
often braided in the Ashkenazi tradition, or round for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.72
Braided Challah

Pita bread in the market

Yemenite Jewish Shabbat and holiday breads have become popular in Israel and can be purchased frozen
in supermarkets. Jachnun is a very thin layer of dough that is rolled, dipped in oil or fat and cooked
overnight on a very low heat. It is traditionally served with a sauce of chopped or grated tomatoes, hard-
boiled eggs and skhug. Malawach is a thin circle of dough toasted in a pan. Kubaneh is a yeast dough
baked overnight and traditionally eaten on Saturday morning. Lahoh is a fluffy pancake-like bread made
from fermented flour and water, and fried in a pan. Ethiopian Jews make a similar bread called injera from
millet flour. 73

Bagel toast

Pita bread is a double-layered flatbread traditional in many Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. It
is cooked without any seasoning, or with a touch of sesame, nigella seeds or za'atar. Pita is used in a
multitude of ways, such as filling falafel, salads or meats as a snack or fast food meal; filled with schnitzel,
salad and fries for lunch; filled with chocolate spread as a snack for children; or broken into pieces to eat
with hummus, eggplant and other dips. A lafa is a larger, softer bread that is rolled with a falafel or
shawarma filling. 74 Various ethnic groups continue to bake traditional white breads. Jews from the former
Soviet republic of Georgia make white bread, lavash. 71

Confectionery, sweets and snacks

Bamba

Baklava is a filo pastry filled with walnuts and sweetened with syrup, served at celebrations in Jewish
communities that originated in the Middle East.75 It is also often served in restaurants as a dessert, along
with small cups of Turkish coffee.

Kadaif is a pastry made of long, thin noodles filled with walnuts or pistachios and sweetened with syrup; it
is served alongside baklava.
Halva is a sweet, made of tehina and sugar, and is very popular in Israel. It is used to make original
desserts such as halva parfait 76 .

Ma'amoul are small pastries filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts (or occasionally almonds, figs, or other
fillings).

Hamantash is a sweet yeast dough filled with crushed nuts, raisins, dried apricots, dates, halva or
strawberry jam baked into it. It is a Purim specialty. The triangular shape may have been influenced by old
illustrations of Haman, in which he wore a three-cornered hat.

Sunflower seeds, called garinim (literally, seeds), are consumed everywhere, on outings, in stadiums and
at home. They are usually bought without shell and opened with your teeth. They can be bought freshly
roasted in shops and market stalls specialising in nuts and seeds, as well as packaged in supermarkets,
along with the also much-loved pumpkin and watermelon seeds, pistachios, and sugar-coated peanuts. 77

Bamba is a soft peanut snack that is a favorite with children, and Bissli is a crunchy snack made from fried
dried pasta, sold in several flavors including BBQ, pizza, falafel and onion.

Malabi is a creamy custard from Türkiye made with milk or almond milk (for a kosher version) and
cornstarch. It is sold as a street food or at stalls, in disposable cups with thick sweet syrup and various
crunchy toppings such as pistachios or shredded coconut. Its popularity has led to supermarkets selling it
in plastic packets and restaurants offering more expensive and sophisticated versions that use various
ingredients and garnishes such as berries and fruit. 78 79 Sahlab is a similar dessert made from powdered
orchid tubers and milk78https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-Gur98-78 .

Watermelon with feta cheese is a popular dessert, sometimes mint is added to the salad.

Krembo is a chocolate-covered marshmallow candy sold only in the winter, and is a very popular
alternative to ice cream. It comes wrapped in colorful foil, and consists of a round cookie base topped with
a dollop of chocolate-covered marshmallow cream.

Sauces and condiments

Commercial Skug

Chili-based hot sauces are prominent in Israeli food, and are based on green or red chili peppers. They
are served with appetizers, falafel, stews and grilled meats, and mixed with hummus and tahini. Although
they originated primarily from immigrants from North Africa and Yemen, these hot sauces are widely
consumed now.81https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-Ganor1-81

Skhug is a spicy chili sauce brought to Israel by Yemenite Jews, and has become one of Israel's most
popular condiments. It is added to falafel and hummus and also spread on fish, white cheese, eggs, salami
or avocado sandwiches.

Other hot sauces based on chili and garlic include Tunisian harissa and filfel chuma from the Libyan
Jewish community in Israel.

Amba is a pickled mango sauce, introduced by Iraqi Jews, and commonly used as a condiment with
shawarma, kebabs, Yerushalmi Meorav and falafel, and vegetable salads.
Malawach

Drinks

Israeli beer

There is a strong coffee-drinking culture in Israel.84 Coffee is prepared as instant (nes), iced, latte (hafuḥ),
Italian-style espresso, or Turkish coffee, which is sometimes flavored with cardamom (hel).46 Jewish
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-Ansky.2C_pg._30-46
writers, artists, and musicians from Germany and
Austria who immigrated to Israel before World War II introduced the coffeehouse model from Vienna with
its traditional decor, relaxed atmosphere, coffee, and pastries. 85

Coffee shops are found everywhere in urban areas and serve as meeting places for socializing and doing
business. Most serve baked goods and sandwiches, and many also serve light meals. There are both local
and chain (franchise) coffee shops. Most have outdoor seating to take advantage of Israel's Mediterranean
climate. Tel Aviv is particularly known for its coffee culture.86

Tea is also a widely consumed beverage and is served in cafes and drunk at home. Tea is prepared in
many ways, from Turkish-style black tea with sugar, to tea with lemon or milk, and, available as a common
option in most establishments, Middle Eastern-style tea with mint (nana). 87 Tea with rose water is also
common.

Limonana, a type of lemonade made from freshly squeezed lemons and mint, was invented in Israel in the
early 1990s and has become a summer staple throughout the Middle East. 88 89

Rimonana is similar to Limonana, made from pomegranate and mint juice.

Malt beer, known as black beer (‫ִב יָר ה ְש חֹוָר ה‬, bira shḥora), is a non-alcoholic beverage produced in Israel
since pre-state times. Goldstar and Maccabi are Israeli beers. Recently, some small breweries have
started to supply new brands of beer, such as Dancing Camel, Negev, and Can'an.

Arak is an alcoholic beverage produced in the Levant (~40-63% Alc. Vol. / ~80-126 proof) from the anise
family of drinks, common in Israel and throughout the Middle East. It is a clear, colorless, sugar-free
distilled alcoholic beverage with anise flavor (also labeled as an aperitif). It is often served neat or mixed
with ice and water, which creates a reaction that changes the color of the liquor to a milky white. It is also
sometimes mixed with grapefruit juice to create a cocktail known as 'Arak eshkoliyyot', literally 'Grapefruit
Arak'.

Other spirits, brandies and liqueurs can be found throughout the country in many towns and cities.
Wines

Israeli wines from Carmel, Tishbi Winery and Golan Heights Winery

The vast majority of Israelis drink wine in moderation, and almost always at meals or social gatherings.
Israelis drink about 6.5 liters of wine per person per year, which is low compared to other Mediterranean
wine-consuming countries, but the amount per capita has increased since the 1980s, just as Israeli
production of high-quality wine grows to meet this demand, especially semi-dry and dry wines. In addition
to Israeli wines, a growing number of wines are imported from France, Italy, Australia, the United States,
Chile and Argentina.90

Most of the wine produced and consumed from the 1880s was kosher sweet wine when the Carmel
Winery was established,91 until the 1980s when drier or semi-dry wines began to be produced and
consumed after the introduction of the first vintage from the Golan Heights Winery.92 This winery was the
first to focus on https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-92planting and making wines from Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and white
Gewürztraminer.https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gew%C3%BCrztraminerhttps://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Riesling_%28uva%29https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinot_Noirhttps://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Chardonnayhttps://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sauvignon_Blanchttps://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlot_%28uva%29
These wines are kosher and have won gold and silver medals in international competitions. 93 Israeli wine is
now produced by hundreds of wineries, ranging in size from small boutique wineries in villages to large
companies producing over ten million bottles a year, which are also exported around the world.

Non-Kosher Foods

Foods prohibited by Jewish dietary laws (Kashrut) and Muslim dietary laws (Halal) can also be included in
Israel's diverse, pluralistic cuisine. Although somewhat legally restricted, 94,95 pork and seafood are
available in all non-kosher restaurants (which are the minority) and stores throughout the country and are
widely spread, including in the supermarket chains Maadaney Mizra, Tiv Ta'am, and Maadanei Mania. 96 A
modern Hebrew euphemism for pork is "white meat."96 Despite Jewish and Muslim religious restrictions on
pork consumption, per capita pork consumption was 2.7 kg in 2009.97 A 2008 survey reported that
approximately half of Israel's Jews do not always follow kashrut.98 Israel's anomalous equanimity toward its
religious dietary restrictions may be reflected by the fact that some of Israel Aharoni's Hebrew cookbooks
are published in two versions: kosher and non-kosher https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-98editions.

Meals outside the home

Street food

Falafel in a pita with various vegetables and condiments

In Israel, as in many other Middle Eastern countries, "street food" is a type of fast food
that is sometimes eaten literally standing up, and at other times there are places where
you can sit down to eat. The following are dishes that are normally eaten this way.
Sabich

Falafel are fried balls or patties of spiced chickpeas, mashed beans or fava beans and are
a typical Middle Eastern street food that has become identified with Israeli cuisine.
Falafel is most often served in a pita bread, with pickles, tahini, hummus, chopped
vegetables, and often harif, a hot sauce, depending on the origin of the falafel maker.10
Variations include green falafel, which include parsley and cilantro, red falafel made
with Chuma filfel, yellow falafel made with turmeric, and falafel coated with sesame
seeds.99

Shawarma, (from Çevirme, meaning "rotation" in Turkish) is generally made in Israel

with turkey and lamb fat. Shawarma meat is sliced, marinated and grilled on a huge
rotating skewer. The meat is stuffed into a pita with hummus and tahini, or with
additional ingredients such as fried or unfried onion rings, French fries, salads and
pickles. More upscale restaurant versions are served on an open flatbread, a lafa, with
strips of meat, roasted eggplant and salads.100

Shakshouka, originally a laborer's breakfast popularized by North African Jews in Israel, is made simply of
fried eggs in a spicy tomato sauce, with other vegetable ingredients or optional sausage. Shakshouka is
typically served in the same pan in which it is cooked, with thick slices of white bread to mop up the sauce,
and a side of salad. Modern variations include a milder version made with spinach and feta cheese without
tomato sauce, and hot chili shakshouka, a version that includes both sweet and hot peppers and
cilantro.101

Jerusalem mixed grill, or me'urav Yerushalmi, consists of a mixed grill of chicken and lamb giblets with
onions, garlic and spices. It is one of the most popular and accessible street foods in Jerusalem. 102
Although the origin of the dish is Jerusalem, it is today common in all cities and towns of Israel.

Jerusalem bagels, unlike the round baked bagels popularized by Ashkenazi Jews, are long and oval-
shaped, made from bread dough, covered in sesame seeds or za'atar, and are soft, chewy and sweet.
They have become a favorite snack of crowds at football matches, and are also served in hotels as well as
at home. 103

Malabi is a creamy custard from Türkiye made with milk or almond milk (for a kosher version) and
cornstarch. It is sold as a street food or at stalls, in disposable cups with thick sweet syrup and various
crunchy toppings such as pistachios or shredded coconut. Their popularity has led to supermarkets selling
them in plastic packets and restaurants offering more expensive and sophisticated versions that use
various ingredients and garnishes such as berries and fruit. 78 79 Sahlab is a similar dessert made from
powdered orchid tubers and milk.78

Sabikh is a traditional snack that Mizrahi Jews brought to Israel and is sold in kiosks throughout the
country, but especially in Ramat-Gan, where it was first introduced. It is a pita filled with fried eggplant,
hard-boiled egg, salad, tehina and pickles.104

The Tunisian sandwich is usually made from a loaf of bread with various fillings which may include tuna,
egg, pickled lemon, salad and hot fried green pepper. 104
Places to eat

Kubba stew

There are thousands of restaurants, casual eateries, cafes and bars in Israel, offering a wide variety of
food options and culinary styles 105 106 . Places to eat that are distinctly Israeli are:

Falafel stands or kiosks are common in all neighborhoods. Falafel vendors compete to stand out from their
competitors and this leads to the offering of additional special extras such as French fries, fried eggplant,
salads and pickles for the price of a single serving of falafel.99

Hummusia is an establishment that offers mainly hummus with a limited selection of extras such as tahini,
hard-boiled egg, falafel, onion, pickles, lemon and garlic sauce and pita bread or Taboon. 107

Misada Mizrahit (literally, "eastern restaurant") refers to Jewish Mizrahi, oriental or Arabic restaurants.
These popular and relatively inexpensive establishments typically offer a selection of meze salads followed
by grilled meat with a side of fries and a simple dessert, such as chocolate mousse for dessert. 108

Steakiyot are meat grills that sell dine-in and take-out chicken, turkey or lamb as meat, shishlik, kebab and
even the Jerusalem mixed grill, all in pita bread or on Taboon. 109

Festive dishes

Sabbath

Cholent (Hamin), a traditional slow-cooked stew.

Friday night (Shabbat Eve) dinners are usually with friends and family. Based on family favorites, and
variations based on ethnicity, traditional dishes such as challah bread, chicken soup, salads, chicken or
meat dishes, and pastries or fruit for dessert are served.

The Shabbat lunch is also a very important social meal. Since ancient times, Jewish communities around
the world have devised meat stews that begin cooking before the lighting of the candles marking the
beginning of the Sabbath on Friday night, in order to comply with religious rules for observing the Sabbath
day. In modern Israel, this dish, in its many variations, continues to be eaten on the Sabbath, not only in
religiously observant homes, and is also served in some restaurants during the week. 110

The basic ingredients are meat and beans or rice simmered overnight. Ashkenazi cholent typically
contains meat, potatoes, barley and beans, and sometimes kishke and seasonings such as pepper and
paprika. Sephardic hamin contains chicken or beef, rice, beans, garlic, sweet or regular potatoes,
seasonings such as turmeric and cinnamon, and whole eggs in the shell known as haminados. 111 112
Moroccan Jews prepare variations known as dafina or skhina (or s'hina) with meat, onions, marrow bones,
potatoes, chickpeas, wheat grains, eggs and spices such as turmeric, cumin, paprika and pepper. Iraqi
Jews prepare Tebit, with chicken and rice.110 113

For desserts or informal gatherings on Shabbat, home bakers still bake a wide variety of pastries on
Fridays to be enjoyed on Saturday, or purchase from bakeries or shops, cakes such as sponge cake,
citrus semolina cake, cinnamon or chocolate babkas and fruit and nut cakes. 64

Lekach traditionally consumed on Rosh Hashana.

Rosh Hashanah

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is widely celebrated with festive family meals and symbolic foods.
Sweetness is the main theme and Rosh Hashanah dinners typically begin with apples dipped in honey,
and end with honey cake. Challah is usually round, often sprinkled with raisins and drizzled with honey and
other symbolic fruits and vegetables eaten as a main dish, such as pomegranates, carrots, leeks and
beets.114https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Israel - cite_note-Gurhanukkah-114 Fish dishes, symbolizing abundance, are
served; for example, stuffed fish is traditional for Ashkenazim, while Moroccan Jews prepare a spicy fish
dish, chraime. Honey cake (Lekach) is often served as a dessert, accompanied by tea or coffee. 114 Dishes
cooked with pomegranate juice are common during this period.

Hanukkah

Sufganiyot (Strawberry Jam Filled) - Doughnuts Served on Hanukkah

The holiday of Hanukkah is characterized by the consumption of traditional foods fried in oil, in
commemoration of the miracle in which a small amount of oil sufficient for one day lasted eight days.

The two most popular foods on Hanukkah are potato pancakes, levivot, also known as Yiddish latkes; and
jelly doughnuts, known as sufganiyot in Hebrew, pontshkes (in Yiddish) or bimuelos (in Ladino), as they
are fried in oil.115 Hanukkah pancakes are made from a variety of ingredients, from the traditional potato or
cheese, to more modern innovations, including corn, spinach, zucchini and sweet potato. 114

Bakeries in Israel have popularized many new types of fillings for sufganiyot besides the standard
strawberry jelly filling, and these include chocolate, vanilla or cappuccino cream, and others. In recent
years small, "mini" sufganiyot have also appeared due to concerns about calories. 116
levivot

Tu Bishvat

Tu Bishvat is a Jewish holiday, usually celebrated sometime in late January or early February, marking the
"new year of the trees." Traditions include planting trees and eating dried fruits and nuts, especially figs,
dates, raisins, carob beans and almonds.117

Many Israelis, both religious and secular, celebrate with a kabbalistic Tu Bishvat seder that includes a fruit
banquet and four cups of wine according to the ceremony presented in the special haggadot inspired by
the Passover Haggadah for this purpose.118

Dried fruits and almonds eaten on Tu Bishvat

Purims

The holiday of Purim celebrates the deliverance of the Jewish people from Haman's plan to annihilate
them in the ancient Persian Empire, as described in the Book of Esther. It is a day of joy and happiness, in
which children, and many adults, wear costumes. 119 It is customary to eat a festive meal, seudat Purim, in
the afternoon, often with wine as the prominent drink, in keeping with the joyous atmosphere. 119

Many people prepare food packages to give to neighbors, friends, family and colleagues on Purim. These
are called Mishloach Manot ("the sending of portions"), and often include wine and baked goods, fruits and
nuts, and sweets.119

The food most associated with Purim is called haman hamantash ("Haman's ears"). These are three-
cornered pastries often filled with poppy seeds, but also with other fruit fillings. The triangular shape may
have been influenced by old illustrations of Haman, in which he was wearing a three-cornered hat. 120

Hamantash
Passover

The week-long spring Passover holiday commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and in Israel is typically a
time for visiting friends and family, traveling, and on the first night of Passover, the traditional ritual meal,
known as the Seder. Foods containing chametz - leaven - may not be eaten during Passover. This means
bread, cakes and certain fermented drinks, such as beer, cannot be consumed. Ashkenazim also do not
eat legumes, known as kitniot. Over the centuries, Jewish cooks have developed dishes with alternative
ingredients and this characterizes the Passover meal in Israel today. 121

Chicken soup with matza dumplings (Kneidlach) is often a first course for the Seder meal among Israelis of
all ethnic backgrounds. 121 Spring vegetables, such as asparagus and artichokes, often accompany the
meal.121

Restaurants in Israel have come up with creative alternatives to Hametz ingredients to create kosher-for-
Passover versions of pasta, hamburger buns, pizza and other fast foods using potato starch and other
non-standard ingredients.

Handmade matzah, traditionally eaten at Passover.

After Passover, the celebration of Mimouna takes place, a tradition brought to Israel by Jewish
communities in North Africa. At night, the fruit, confectionery and pastry festival is prepared for locals and
visitors to enjoy. In particular, the first leavening after Passover, a thin crepe called mofletta, is eaten with
honey, syrup or jam.122 The occasion is celebrated the following day with outdoor picnics at which salads
and grilled meats are prominent features.

Shavuot

In early summer, the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot is celebrated. Shavuot marks the peak of the new
grain harvest and the ripening of the first fruits, and is a time when milk was historically most abundant. To
celebrate this holiday, many types of dairy foods are eaten. These include cheeses and yogurts, cheese-
based pastries and quiches called pashtidot, cheese pancakes, and cheesecake made with soft white
cheese (levana gvina) or cream cheese.123

Gastronomy of Iran

The ubiquitous Persian Kabab served with two types of rice: flat rice and yellow rice called tah-chin.
A tah dig (in the background) served along with a joresht.

Iranian or Persian cuisine can be considered a diverse mix of culinary characteristics and styles from
each and every one of its provinces and regions. Caviar, which is known internationally, is highly
appreciated in the gastronomy of this country.

Ingredients

In Iranian cuisine, which is very simple, there is always bread, fresh vegetables and water. Rice is an
essential element in dishes, as well as common salt, pepper and sumac (a mild spice). There are different
kinds of bread. The most natural thing is to serve the whole meal at once, without a pre-established order,
but it is customary to eat the strongest dishes first and then the lightest ones.

Spices

Iranian cuisine contains several very sophisticated recipes that use herbs such as mint, spearmint,
coriander, etc. The most well-known spice in Iran is sumac, which is usually an accompaniment to most
Iranian dishes. Soaked barberry berries are often included in some Iranian rice dishes.

Dishes

Pots of abgusht

In Persian cuisine, abundant soups are prepared, which can be made with lentils, noodles, yogurt, nuts,
etc. Abgusht (also called dizi due to the container in which it is prepared and served) is a dish with a
marked national character that consists of a stew with lamb and chickpeas and can be considered a ritual
when serving, as the diner finishes the preparation with a mortar after serving. Different regions of Iran
have their own particular ways of preparing it, and it can be found with beans, eggplant, lamb kidneys fried
in oil, etc.

The most famous dish in the West is the kebab, which is usually made with lamb, although there are
varieties such as the chelow kabab, which is the same kebab but accompanied by rice, and the kabab-e
morgh with roast chicken. In Iran, there is ash, a soup that is a basic component of the Persian diet, simple
to make and very tasty, and can be prepared in different ways depending on the region where it is eaten.
In the Caspian region, you can eat sturgeon kebab, and in Tabriz there is a variant of kebab called shishlik
in Farsi (or pizola in Azerbaijan), which consists of a skewer on which lamb ribs are threaded and
accompanied by tomatoes and green peppers, sometimes very spicy. In other parts of the country, kebabs
are usually accompanied by rice, roasted tomatoes, grated carrots or beetroot, and raw onions are often
served alongside the bread. Also very well-known is shirin polo, which consists of rice with almonds,
candied orange peel and chicken stir-fried with garlic, tomato paste and sweet spices.
Accompaniments

Torshí-e lité, pickled food made with cooked eggplant.

There are certain accompaniments to Iranian dishes (mojallafat) that, depending on the region, are
essential for lunch (nahar) and dinner (sham). These dishes include fresh herbs called sabzi (a mixture of
basil, coriander, https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriandrocilantro, tarragon, watercress), as well as a variety
of breads, called noon (varieties include sangak, lavash, barbari), cheese called panir very similar to feta,
pickles, tomatoes and onions, yogurt and lemon juice.

Pickles are made in vinegar, in the Caspian region sir made of garlic in vinaigrette is widely used. Very
common is torshi-e jiarshur (pickled cucumbers). Yogurt in Farsi mast is part of every daily menu,
prepared in a salad, with garlic, mint and mixed with fresh fruit, honey is added; this dish can be eaten as a
dessert, as an appetizer or between courses.

Tea (chai) is served at breakfast time and immediately before and after each lunch and dinner. Tea is
usually drunk in the Chaijane (tea house). In the 19th century they were a meeting place for artists who
ended up painting the walls with mythological motifs. Today they are places with their own personality.

Breads

Lavash bread sheets.

Bread (called nan or nun) is usually prepared in four different ways:

 Barbari, made with wheat flour, is like the base of a thin pizza, about 40 to 60 cm in diameter,
and is typical of the Azari region (clearly influenced by Turkey).
 Sangak, similar to the previous one but made with wholemeal flour and is somewhat thick (half a
centimetre) and has some holes, is the most popular type of bread in the country.
 Lavash, made from white flour, is very fine in texture and is served folded on a plate like a
napkin.
 Taftun, thin like lavash but large in size, made from wheat flour. This type of bread is usually
baked by sticking it to the walls of the oven.

Desserts

Sweets from Qom and Yazd are highly sought after and very famous. The most typical ones are Baglava,
made of sweet, oily nuts, usually cut into diamond shapes, Lowz-e-bidmeshk, which is a scented willow,
and Sohan, made of flour and sweet nuts. The most popular and affordable everywhere is the Kebab.

Lebanese gastronomy
Typical image of Lebanese food.

Lebanese cuisine (Arabic: ‫ )المأكوالت اللبنانية‬is the set of dishes and culinary customs of the inhabitants of
Lebanon. This cuisine is extraordinarily diverse and has its own specialties and those adapted from the
different countries in its environment. With fresh and tasty food and a few spices, the Lebanese have
adapted the best of Turkish and Arabic cuisine, seasoning it with a touch of French.

Index

 1 Ingredients
 2 Lebanese dishes
o 2.1 List of dishes
o 2.2 Desserts
o 2.3 Drinks
 3 See also

Ingredients

Traditional cuisine in Lebanon combines an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables. The basis of the
dishes is usually the use of cereals, legumes, and the same ingredients can be repeated in many dishes
but with different preparation methods. Yogurt, cheese, cucumbers, eggplant, peas, nuts, tomatoes and
sesame seeds, paste and oil are used in all their forms.

Vegetable oils, including olive oil, are used to fry some foods, and butter (smen) is frequently used.

Lebanese dishes

Cacuna is usually served without cutlery, as the traditional flat, round pita bread acts as a fork and spoon.

Other recommended specialties are Kibbeh, meatballs made with onion and pine nuts; Kofta, charcoal-
roasted lamb and the famous Tabbouleh "tabbouli", a salad with mint and parsley leaves.

There is “Hummus” – a puree of chickpeas and sesame paste – and “baba ganush”, made from eggplant,
sesame paste, lemon and garlic. Raw “Kebbah” – raw lamb meat mixed with ground wheat and seasoned
with onion, mint, pepper and salt – is also a popular dish, as is shawarma.

The national dish of Lebanon is kibbeh, which consists of a mixture of finely minced lamb meat
accompanied by bulgur wheat. This dish can be eaten raw, baked or fried.

A normal meal may include some mezze, appetizers such as spinach dumplings (fatayer), labneh, dips,
pizza with zataar and stuffed grape leaves. It may be followed by a main course of meat (usually lamb) or
fish, often accompanied by rice and nuts, and together with tabouleh or fattoush, and finally it ends with a
dessert.
Menu

Cooked Kibbe and Hummus.

Labneh in olive oil.

Image of baklava in different varieties.

 Ackawi
 Baba ghanoush
 Baklava
 Balila
 Sweet potato harra
 Falafel
 Fried Cauliflower
 Fried eggplants

 Full of magic
 Vine leaf
 Hummus
 Imjadara
 Kibbeh
 Kofta or Kafta
 Labneh
 Manaeesh
 Markook

 Mutabbel
 Pastirma or Bastirma
 Shanklish
 Shawarma
 Tabouli
 Tahini
 Toum
 Warak Arish
 Za'atar

Desserts

Lebanese desserts are usually quite sweet and are made up of one or more syrups that are used artfully to
make them delicious. Popular desserts include baklava, halva (a sweet sesame paste topped with fruit and
nuts), savory kunafi (a sweet bow-shaped pastry filled with sweet white cheese, nuts and syrup) and
ma'amul, which are cookies made from dates and shaped using a wooden mould...
Drinks

Arabica coffee is a drink generally appreciated by the inhabitants of Lebanon. If we describe soft drinks as
drinks, we can highlight jellab, a delicious drink prepared with raisins and served with pine nuts; and ayran,
a yogurt-based drink (of Turkish origin). Lebanese cuisine also has its own wine production, especially
Châteaux Kefraya, Ksara and Musar. Among alcoholic beverages, the most popular is arak, which is
mixed with water and ice.

Some of the most famous drinks are:

 Almaza
 Arak
 White Coffee

Gastronomy of Palestine
Palestinian cuisine consists of foods commonly eaten by Palestinians, including those
living in the Palestinian territories, Israel, Jordan, refugee camps in neighboring
countries, as well as those who constitute what is known as the Palestinian diaspora.
The cuisine is a diffusion of the cultures of the civilizations that settled in the
geographical region of Palestine, especially during and after the Islamic era starting
with the conquest of the Arab Ummayad; later, the eventual Abati Caliphate with
Persian influence and ending with the strong influences of Turkish cuisine, as a result of
the arrival of the Ottoman Turks. It is similar to other Levantine cuisines, including
Lebanese, Syrian, Israeli and Jordanian.

Cooking styles vary by region and cooking style and the ingredients used are usually
based on the climate and location of the particular region as well as traditions. Rice and
variations of kibbeh are common in the Galilee. The West Bank is mainly devoted to
heavier meals involving the use of pita bread, rice and meat; on the other hand, the
inhabitants of the coasts frequent fish, other seafood, and lentils. Gazan cuisine is a
variation of Levantine cuisine, but is more diverse in seafood and spices. Gazans also
consume large quantities of chillies. Meals are usually eaten at home, but dining out has
become important especially during the holidays where light meals such as salads, bread
and skewered meats are served.

The area is also home to many desserts, ranging from those made regularly and those
that are only prepared for the holidays. Most Palestinian sweets are pastries filled with
cheeses, dates or various nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios. Drinks also
depend on the holidays, such as during Ramadan, where carob, tamarind and apricot
juices are consumed at dusk. Coffee is consumed throughout the day and liquor is not
very common among the population; however, some drinks such as arak or beer are
consumed by Christians and less conservative Muslims.

Index
 1 History
 2 Regional cuisines
o 2.1 Galilee
o 2.2 West Bank
o 2.3 Gaza
  3 Types of meals
o 3.1 Meals with rice
o 3.2 Stews
o 3.3 Meals with bread
o 3.4 Mahshi
o 3.5 Sauces and garnishes
o 3.6 Salads
o 3.7 Sweets
o 3.8 Appetizers
 4 Meal structure
 5 Go out to dinner
 6 Drinks
o 6.1 Non-alcoholic beverages
o 6.2 Coffee and tea
o 6.3 Liquor
 7 Festive cuisine
o 7.1 Ramadan
o 7.2 Holiday desserts
 8 References
 9 External links
 10 Further reading

History

Taboon, in Palestine. Photo taken 1898-1914 by American Colony, Jerusalem.

The southern Levant region has a very varied past and, as such, its cuisine has
contributions from diverse cultures. After the area was conquered by the Muslims, it
became part of a Land of Sham under the name of Yund Filastin; therefore, many
aspects of Palestinian cuisine are similar to the cuisine of Syria, especially in the
Galilee. Modern Syrian-Palestinian dishes have generally been influenced by the rule of
three major Islamic groups: the Arabs, the Persian-influenced Arabs (Iraqis), and the
Turks.1

The Arabs who conquered Syria and Palestine initially had simple culinary traditions
based primarily on the use of rice, lamb, yogurt and dates.2 This cuisine did not advance
for centuries until the rise of the Abbasid Caliphate, which established Baghdad as its
capital and integrated elements of Persian cuisine into existing Arab cuisine.1 The Arab
geographer al-Muqaddasi had this to say about the foods of Palestine:
From Palestine come olives, dried figs, raisins, the carob fruit... from Jerusalem come
the celebrated cheeses and raisins of the species known as Ainuni and Duri, excellent
apples... also pine nuts of the kind called Quraish bitten, and their equal is found
nowhere else... from Sughar and Beit She'an come dates, the molasses called dibs, and
rice.3

The cuisine of the Ottoman Empire, which incorporated Palestine in 1516, was partly
shaped by what had become, by then, a "rich" Arabic cuisine. After the Crimean War in
1855, many other communities including Bosnians, Greeks, French and Italians began
to settle in the area, especially in urban centres such as Jerusalem, Jaffa and Bethlehem.
Community kitchens contributed to the character of Palestinian cuisine, especially the
communities in the Balkans.1 4 Until around the 1950s-1960s, the main ingredients for
rural Palestinian cooking were olive oil, oregano, and bread baked in a simple oven
called a Taboon.5 Author G. Robinson Lees, in 1905, observed that "the oven is not in
the house, it is in a building of its own, jointly owned by several families whose duty it
is to keep it always hot."6

Regional cuisines
There are three primary culinary regions of Palestine - the Galilee, Gaza, and the West
Bank (which has its own culinary sub-regions running from north to south).7 In the
Galilee, bulgur and meat (beef or lamb) are the main ingredients that are often
combined to form various variations of dishes ranging from a family-sized meal to a
side dish; however, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, populations have a cooking style
all their own. In the West Bank, meals are particularly heavy and contrast with the food
of the northern Levant. Main dishes include rice, flatbreads and roasted meats. The
staple food of the inhabitants of the Gaza Strip is fish due to its location on the
Mediterranean coast. Its cuisine is similar to that of the Levant; however, other spices
are used more frequently. These generally include chili peppers, dill seeds, garlic, and
chard. Although the cuisine is varied, Palestinians generally do not restrict themselves
to foods from their specific region and there is constant culinary diffusion among them.
Although due to Gaza's isolation from other Levantine Arab and Palestinian areas, its
cooking styles are less well-known in the region.

Galilee

Plate of kibbeh balls with mint leaves as garnish

The cuisine of the Galilee is very similar to Lebanese cuisine, due to the extensive
communication between the two regions before the establishment of Israel. The Galilee
specializes in meals based on a combination of bulgur, spices and meat, known as kubbi
by the Arabs. Kubbi bi-siniyee is a combination of minced lamb or beef mixed with
pepper and other spices wrapped in a bulgur crust, baked in the oven. Kubbi bi-siniyee
could serve as a main dish during a lunch in Palestine. Kubbi neyee is a variation of
kubbi, served as raw meat mixed with bulgur and a variety of spices. It is mainly
consumed as a side dish with pita or yufka bread used to hold the meat. Since the dish is
raw, anything that is not eaten is cooked the next day, either in the baked version or as
fried Kibbeh balls.4 8

A special occasion meal in the Galilee consists of roast lamb or any other type of meat
complemented by a mixture of rice and minced lamb seasoned with an assortment of
spices, usually garnished with chopped parsley and toasted nuts. 4 Shish kebab or lahme
mashwi and shish taouk are meats grilled on skewers and are commonly eaten after a
variety of appetizers known as maza.8

Meze consists of a wide variety of appetizers, usually including hummus (sometimes

topped with meat), ghannouj baba, tabouli, lebeneh, olives, and pickled vegetables.
Ackawi cheese, a semi-hard cheese common throughout the Middle East and among the
Arab diaspora, originated in the city of Acre on the coast of the Galilee. Acre is
pronounced Akka, which is where the cheese's name comes from.9

West Bank

Musakhan bread

Musakhkhan is a common main dish that originated in the Jenin and Tulkarem area of
the northern West Bank. It consists of a roast chicken on a Taboon or pita bread topped
with fried sweet onion pieces, sumac, allspice and pine nuts.8 Maqluba is an upside-
down casserole of upside-down rice and baked eggplant mixed with cooked cauliflower,
carrots and chicken or lamb. The dish is known throughout the Levant, but among
Palestinians in particular. Its origin dates back to the 12th century.10

A siniyyeh of Mansaf

Mansaf is a traditional food in the central West Bank and Negev region of the southern
West Bank, which has its roots in the Bedouin population of ancient Arabia. It is mainly
cooked on occasions such as, during holidays, weddings or a large gathering. Mansaf is
cooked as a leg of lamb or large pieces of lamb on top of a Taboon bread which has
usually been covered with yellow rice. A thick dried yogurt made from goat's milk,
called Jameed, is poured on top of the lamb and rice to give it its distinctive flavor and
taste.11 The dish is also garnished with cooked pine nuts and almonds. 4 The classic way
to eat mansaf is using the right hand as a utensil. Out of courtesy, participants use the
pieces of meat to serve themselves the dish.11

Maqluba with lamb

In addition to meals, many sub-regions of the West Bank have their own fruit-based
jams. In the Hebron area, the main crops are grapes. Families living in the area harvest
grapes in the spring and summer to produce a variety of products ranging from raisins,
jams and a molasses known as dibs. 8 12 The Bethlehem area, Beit Jala in particular, and
the town of Jifna are known regionally for their apricots and apricot jam, just as the
Tulkarem area is known for its olives and olive oil.8

Loop

The cuisine style of the Gaza Strip is similar to the culinary styles adopted by the rest of
the countries of the Levant, and is also influenced by the Mediterranean coast. The
staple food for most of the area's inhabitants is fish. Gaza has a significant fishing
industry and fish is often served either grilled or fried after being stuffed with coriander,
garlic, red pepper and cumin and marinated in a mixture of coriander, red peppers,
cumin and cut lemons.13 14 In addition to fish, as well as other types of seafood,8 Zibdieh
is a clay pot dish, consisting of shrimp cooked in a stew of olive oil, garlic, chili peppers
and peeled tomatoes.15 The crabs are cooked and then stuffed with a spicy red pepper
paste called shatta.13

A native dish of the Gaza area is Sumaghiyyeh, which consists of sumac soaked in water
mixed with tahini. The mixture is added to sliced chard and pieces of cooked meat and
stewed chickpeas and is additionally flavoured with dill seeds, garlic and hot peppers. It
is often eaten fresh with khubz. Rummaniyya is prepared differently depending on the
time of year and is made from unripe pomegranate seeds, eggplant, tahini, garlic, chili
peppers and lentils. Fukharit adas is a slow-cooked lentil stew seasoned with red
pepper, dill seeds, crushed garlic and cumin, traditionally made during winter and early
spring.13

Qidra is a rice dish named after the clay pot and oven in which it is cooked. The rice is
cooked with pieces of meat inside the pot, often using lamb, whole garlic cloves,
chickpeas, cardamom pods, and various other spices such as turmeric, cinnamon,
pepper, nutmeg and cumin. White rice cooked in meat or chicken broth and flavoured
with mild spices including cinnamon is known as Fatteh ghazzawiyyeh. The rice is
placed on a thin yufka bread known as farasheeh, covered with ghee and topped with
stuffed chicken or lamb. This dish is eaten with green peppers and
lemonhttps://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Palestina - cite_note-Haddad-13 sauce13 .

Types of meals
Meals with rice

Rice is the basic ingredient in ceremonial dishes and is a very important element of
Palestinian meals.4 Rice dishes are often the main dish of the Palestinian dinner, because
they consist of a variety of ingredients commonly found in the Palestinian territory.
Rice is usually not served alone or as a side dish (see ruz ma Lachma below), but is
incorporated into a large dish or tabeekh (platter), which includes soups, vegetables, and
meat (chicken or lamb). Meat is almost always present in Palestinian dishes.

Mansaf is a very popular dish that is usually served during important events such as a
traditional wedding, engagement, funeral, baptism and circumcision.4 It is a dish that
incorporates all the elements of the Palestinian land, such as bread, laban soup (yogurt),
rice, nuts (pine nuts), parsley and lamb, making it a cultural dish. Food is often served
in the traditional manner on a communal long plate, a Sidr. Food is usually eaten
without the use of tableware, but instead each person sits next to each other eating from
the same large plate.

Maqluba means "upside down" in Arabic, and is a dish made with meat, fried
vegetables and rice. The dish is cooked with the meat at the bottom of a large pot, then
layers of fried vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, cauliflower and eggplant are added.
The rice is then added to the dish as cooking is completed. When served, the Maqluba is
turned upside down with the meat now on top, hence the name. Maqluba is a popular
dish, commonly served with salad and yogurt by Palestinians.16

Oozie is a rich rice dish with chopped vegetables and roasted meat served with it. The
dish is seen as relatively simpler to cook than other Palestinian dishes, as it is cooked
with basic rice (with diced vegetables) and a meat served on top of it. The meal is
served in a large Sidr, similar to mansaf, garnished with chopped parsley and chopped
pine nuts or chopped almonds.

Ruz ma Lajma is generally the only all-rice dish in most Arab and Palestinian cuisine,
with simply cooked rice, spices, minced meat and nuts. It is usually served with a whole
lamb, kharoof, as the main dish.

Stews

Stews are a staple of everyday family cooking and are always served with rice noodles
or white rice. They are popular because they offer a wide range of nutrients from meat,
vegetables and rice. Extra fluid is also essential in dry weather. Stews are also
economically beneficial, as they provide a relatively small amount of meat in the diet of
large families, especially among the poorest population.13

Mloukhiyeh is a Jewish mallow stew. The Jew's Mallow is collected during harvest
time, and is frozen or dried. It is very popular in the Middle East, as it is grown in dry
climate areas. The stew is cooked with lemon juice and water, and served with cut
lemons and rice. The meal may be served with chicken or lamb; however, it may be
served without either (unlike many other Palestinian meals).17

Adas is a healthy lentil soup, common in the Middle East. Unlike other parts of the
Middle East, Palestinians do not incorporate yogurt or other ingredients into this soup.
Rather it is made with lentils and chopped onion and served with onion slices and bread
on the side.13

Meals with bread

Sfiha bread

Palestinians bake a variety of different types of breads: they include khubz, pita, yufka
and Taboon. Khubz is an everyday bread and is very similar to pita. It often takes the
place of utensils; it is broken into small pieces and used to scoop up various dips such as
hummus or ful.8 Yufka is a paper-thin unleavened bread and when unfolded is almost
transparent.18 Taboon gets its name from the ovens used to bake it. 8

Musakhkhan is a very popular Palestinian dish consisting of roast chicken, with fried
onions, sumac, allspice, saffron and pine nuts on top of one or more taboons. The dish is
usually eaten with the hands and served with sliced lemon on the side. In April 2010,
Palestinians entered the Guinness Book of Records for the largest plate of Musakhkhan.

Palestinian cuisine also includes many foods such as small pizzas, including manakish,
sfiha, fatayer, samosa and ikras. Sfiha is a miniature oven-baked flatbread topped with
lamb and cooked peppers or tomatoes. Manakish is a baked flatbread, usually topped
with za'atar and olive oil 8 . Sfiha are meat patties decorated with spices and peppers.
Samosa and Fatayer are baked or sometimes fried pastries filled with minced meat and
cooked onions or snobar (pine nuts). 8 Fatayer is usually folded into triangles and,
unlike samosa, could be filled with Arabic cheese or za'atar. Ikras are similar to samosa
and fatayer, in that the pastry is filled with meat or spinach, however they are not fried
(like samosa), and are usually served as a meal rather than as an addition to the meal or
side dish.

Sandwiches are usually made using yufka or khubz, as Döner and Falafel are also
common bread foods. Döner can be served as a snack or a meal with meat and bread. It
can be made with chicken or beef and is garnished with a variety of toppings. These can
include pickles, hummus, or a garlic yogurt mix. Falafel, fried chickpeas, parsley and
onion are fried in small patties and garnished with döner-like toppings.8
A Palestinian woman baking Markook bread in the City of Arts

Mahshi

Family size portion of waraq al-'ainib

Mahshi dishes (pl. Mahshi) consists of rice-stuffed vegetables such as eggplant,

pumpkin, potato, carrot and zucchini, as well as a variety of leafy vegetables, mainly
grape leaves, cabbage leaves and less frequently chard. Mahshi requires finesse and
time—the main reason why it is prepared well in advance of the day it is cooked and
served. Many women in the family participate in rolling and stuffing the vegetables,
decreasing the amount of individual effort required, with great attention to detail. 4

Waraq al-'ainib "stuffed grape leaves" is a mahshi food reserved for large gatherings.
Grape leaves are usually wrapped around minced meat, white rice and diced tomatoes;
however, meat is not always used. It is an excellent representation of the attention to
detail commonly found in Palestinian and Levantine cuisine, with each piece neatly
wrapped into cigarette-sized morsels (some families differ in their structure). It is then
cooked and served in dozens of rolls on a large plate, usually accompanied by slices of
boiled potato, carrots and pieces of lamb. Kousa mahshi are zucchini stuffed with the
same ingredients as waraq al-'ainib and are usually served alongside it during heavy
meals. If made with a large number of zucchini, such as waraq al-'ainib, it is known as
waraq al-'ainib wa kousa.8

Sauces and garnishes

Bread dips and side dishes such as hummus, baba ghanoush, mutabbel and labneh are
common during breakfast and dinner.

Hummus is a staple in Palestinian side dishes, particularly hummus bi tahini, in which

boiled ground grains are mixed with tahini (sesame paste) and sometimes lemon juice.19
Hummus is often mixed with olive oil and sometimes sprinkled with paprika, oregano,
and pine nuts; the latter are especially popular in the West Bank.20 Chickpeas are also
mixed with tul (fava beans), resulting in an entirely different dish, mukhluta, with a
distinct flavor and brownish color.8

Baba ghanoush is an eggplant sauce with several versions. The root of all the variants is
roasted eggplant puree and tahini with olive oil, which can be flavored either with
garlic, onion, peppers, ground cumin seeds, mint and parsley. 21 Mutabbel is one of the
spiciest variants as it contains grated green chillies.22

Jibneh arabieh or jibneh baida is a white table cheese served with any of the above
dishes.8 Ackawi cheese is a common variation of jibneh baida, it has a smooth texture
and a subtle salty flavor.23 Labaneh is a yogurt cake, textured like cream cheese, either
served on a plate with olive oil and za'atar—usually called labeneh wa za'atar—or in a
khubz sandwich.8

Hummus plate with paprika, olive oil and pine nuts

Salads

Tabbouleh with lettuce and lemon slices

The most commonly served Palestinian salad is a simple type known as salatat bandura
(tomato salad), similar to the Arab salad. It consists of diced tomatoes and cucumbers
combined with olive oil, parsley, lemon juice and salt. Depending on the area of
Palestine, the recipe may include chives and garlic as well.24

Fattoush is a combination of toasted bread pieces and parsley with chopped cucumbers,
radishes, tomatoes and scallions and seasoned with sumac.26 Dagga is a Gazan salad
usually made in an earthenware bowl and is a mixture of crushed tomatoes, garlic
cloves, red chillies, chopped dill and olive oil. It is seasoned with lemon juice
immediately before being served. 13

Salatah arabieh or "Arabian salad" is a salad used with most meals. Romaine lettuce,
tomatoes and cucumbers are the main ingredients. The lettuce is cut into long strips and
then chopped into thin strips, the tomatoes and cucumbers are cut into cubes. A pinch of
salt, the juice of a whole fresh lemon and several tablespoons of olive oil are used to
give the finishing touch.27

Sweets

A siniyyeh of Kanafeh

Palestinian desserts include baklava, halawa and kanafeh, as well as other semolina and
wheat pastries. Baklawa is a pastry made from thin sheets of unleavened flour dough
(puff pastry), filled with pistachios and walnuts sweetened with honey. 8 Burma Til-
Kadayif, or simply Burma, especially popular in East Jerusalem, has the same filling as
baklawa, but is cylindrical and made with kanafeh dough instead of puff pastry. Halawa
is a sweetened sesame candy served in pieces. Muhalabiyeh is a rice pudding made with
milk and topped with pistachios or almonds.8 Kanafeh (kanafeh bil-Jibn), is a well-
known dessert in the Arab world and Türkiye. Made from several thin strips of pastry
noodles with honey-sweetened cheese in the center, the top layer of the dough is usually
tinted orange with food coloring and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. Nablus, to this
day, is famous for its kanafeh, partly due to its use of a white brined cheese called
Nabulsi in honor of the city. Boiled sugar is used as a syrup for kanafeh.8

Baklawa sweets from Nablus

Appetizers

It is common for Palestinian hosts to serve fresh and dried fruits, nuts, seeds and dates
to their guests. Grilled and salted watermelon, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, as well as
pistachios and cashews are common legumes.

Watermelon seeds, known as bizir al-bateekh, and pumpkin seeds, known as bizir
abyad, are regularly eaten during various leisure activities: playing cards, smoking
argeelah, chatting with friends, or before and after meals.14https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom
%C3%ADa_de_Palestina - cite_note-IMEU1-14

Meal structure
Palestinian culture and life revolves around food in every aspect, whether it is an
ordinary day or a special occasion, such as a wedding or a party. 28 Meals are structured
in a cyclical order by Palestinians and consist of two main courses and several
intermediate courses such as coffee, fruit and sweets, as well as dinner. As in most Arab
cultures, meals are a time to spend with family and could last 1-2 hours depending on
the specific time of day. Unlike other cultures, lunch is the primary meal and breakfast
and dinner are lighter in content. 23

 Fatur/Iftur (lit. "breakfast") is a term for breakfast, usually consisting of fried

eggs, olives, labaneh, olive oil, za'atar or jams. Hummus bi tahini is also eaten
mainly during this time of day.23

 Ghada is a term for lunch, usually in the late afternoon. Lunch is the heaviest
meal of the day and might include rice, lamb, chicken, cooked vegetables and
forms of mahashi. 8 23

 Asrooneh is derived from the word 'Asr' (lit. 'afternoon') and is a term for the
consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables after gheda.23
  'Asha is a term for dinner, which is usually eaten anytime 8-10 pm. 'Asha is
simpler than gheda and some foods consumed include fatayer, hummus bi
tahina, a variety of salads and a Levantine-style omelette called ijee. 23

 'Hilew Sometimes after or just before 'asha, as well as when having visitors,
includes various sweets. Baklawa is common and is usually purchased from
bakeries rather than homemade, such as muhallabiyeh.

 Shay wa Kahwah Tea and coffee are served throughout the day before, after and
between fatur, ghada and 'asha.

Going out to dinner

A maqhah in Jerusalem during the Ottoman rule in Palestine, 1858

Restaurants or mata'im offer a brilliant array of cold appetizers known as meze. Notably
offered are hummus bi tahina, mukhluta, sometimes almost a dozen variations of
eggplant salad, tabbouleh, fattoush, pepper and red cabbage salads and chef-made
dishes are served. Kibbeh balls and sfiha are the mainly available hot snacks. Heavy
meals are rarely provided by restaurants; however, main dishes include shish kebab,
shish taouk, lamb ribs and chicken breasts. 29 Falafel shops or Mahal falafel offer falafel
and shawarma mainly with various different contents. They also offer hummus or
tabbouleh to be served with the meal.30

Coffee shops or Al-Maqhah serve hot drinks and soft drinks and are usually limited to
male patrons - who engage in leisure activities such as playing cards or backgammon
and smoking argileh (Arabic for hookah). 29 Confectioneries or Mahal al hilaweyat, can
be found in the souks of the cities and major towns, offering a wide range of sweets
common with Palestinians, such as kanafeh, baklawa and anise-flavored cookies.
Family-run shops often serve at least one type of sweet that they created themselves.31
The city of Nablus, in particular, is world-famous for its exquisite Arabic sweets, and
has some of the oldest sweet shops in Palestine.

Drinks
Palestinian woman grinding coffee, 1905

Non-alcoholic beverages

Soft drinks are also common in Palestinian homes and the city of Ramallah has a Coca-
Cola bottling plant, while Gaza, Hebron and Nablus have distribution centres. A Pepsi-
Cola plant in Gaza was closed in 2007.

Homemade fruit juices are also a common household drink during hot days and during
Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting.8 In Palestinian culture, coffee and tea are
traditionally served to adults during a visit or gathering, while juice is served primarily
to children. However, on special occasions everyone is served juices like tamar hind or
qamar deen. Tamar hind, originally from Africa, is a licorice drink made by dipping or
infusing licorice sticks, and adding lemon juice. Qamar Deen is traditionally served to
break the Ramadan fast (as well as water), and is an ice-cold drink made from a dried
apricot leaf soaked in water, and mixed with lemon juice or syrup.

Rose or mint water is a drink commonly added to Palestinian sweets and dishes.
However, it is also a popular drink on its own, and is seen as refreshing in hot summers.
Herbs such as sage can also be boiled with water to create a drink that is sometimes
used for medicinal purposes. A hot milk-based drink sweetened with salep garnished
with nuts, coconut flakes and cinnamon, is known as sahlab and is mainly served during
the winter season.

Coffee and tea

Two hot drinks that Palestinians consume are coffee – served in the morning and
throughout the day – and tea, often drunk in the evening. The tea is often flavored with
na'ana (mint) or maramiyyeh (sage). The coffee of choice is usually Turkish or Arabic
coffee. Arabic coffee is similar to Turkish coffee, but the former is spiced with
cardamom and is usually unsweetened.

last cup saying daymen, meaning "always", but intended to mean "you can always count
on the means to serve coffee".

Liqueur

A widely consumed liquor among Palestinian Christians and many less strict Muslims is
Arak. Arak is a light anise-flavored alcoholic beverage, which is mixed

Festive kitchen
There is a marked difference between the dishes Palestinians eat every day and those
reserved for holidays—which include religious and family celebrations for Muslims and
Christians.

Ramadan

In the past, during the fasting month of Ramadan, the Musaher of a village would shout
and beat the drum to wake up the residents of the town for suhoor (lit. 'alba') - usually
very early in the morning, between 4-6 am. Meals consumed during this time are light
and include foods including labeneh, cheese, bread, and fried or boiled eggs along with
various liquids to drink. The muezzin's call to dawn prayer marked the beginning of
sawm or fasting.28

Breaking the day's fast traditionally begins with the brief consumption of dates and a
cold drink. Palestinians make a variety of fruit-based drinks including flavored, tamar
hindi or tamarind, sous or licorice, kharroub or carob, and qamar eddine.8 Tamar Hindi
is made by soaking tamarinds in water for many hours, then straining, sweetening, and
mixing with rose water and lemon juice.28 Kharroub is made similarly but instead of
tamarind, carob is used.8 Qamar Eddine is made from cooked and cooled dried
apricots.28

The term iftar has a different meaning in Ramadan where it is used to describe the
"breaking of the fast" as opposed to its common meaning of breakfast in the morning.
Iftar begins with soup, whether lentil, vegetable or freekeh. Shurbat freekeh ("freekeh
soup") is made from green wheat cooked in chicken broth. There are a wide variety of
foods served during iftar, ranging from small plates or bowls of vegetables or saniyyehs
(large plates or trays) of a particular meat. Common small dishes on the dinner table are
Bamia—a name for okra in tomato paste, mloukhiyeh—malava stew—or maqali, a
variety of fried tomatoes, eggplant, potatoes, peppers, and zucchini. Pilaf or freekeh are
usually served alongside the meat for dinner. Each family prepares extra food to support
their neighbors and the less fortunate, who should receive an equal version of the food
consumed at home. 28

Holiday Desserts

Lebanese style ka'ak with ma'amoul

A common Palestinian dessert reserved only for Ramadan is qatayef, which could be
provided by the numerous street vendors in several major Palestinian cities as well as
typical Palestinian homes.38 Qatayef is the general name for the desserts as a whole, but
more specifically, the name of the dough that acts as a base. The result of pouring the
mixture onto a hot round plate is similar to pancakes, except that only one side is
cooked, and then folded. The pastry is filled with unsalted goat cheese or ground
walnuts and cinnamon. It is then cooked and served with a syrup of sugar and hot water
or sometimes honey.39 Ka'ak bi 'Awja is a sweet semolina paste filled with ground dates
called 'Ajwa or nuts. The dessert is a traditional food for Christians during Passover,40
however, ka'ak bu awja is also prepared towards the end of Ramadan, to be eaten during
Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday immediately following Ramadan, as well as during Eid al-
Adha. 28 41 During Mawlid – the festival in honor of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad
– Zalabieh is served, which consists of small, crispy balls of dough fried in syrup. The
dough is made of flour, yeast and water.

Qatayef

A special pudding called Mughli is prepared for a newborn child. The dessert is made
from ground rice, sugar and a mixture of spices, garnished with almonds, pine nuts and
walnuts. A baby's new tooth is celebrated with bowls of sweetened wheat or barley, and
sweets served after a boy's circumcision include baklava and burma. Christian families
in mourning serve a sweet pastry known as Rahmeh. It is a food eaten in memory of the
dead and as a gesture to bless the soul of the deceased person. The Greek Orthodox
Church offers a special tray of cooked wheat covered with sugar and sweets after a
funeral.