Flavors of the World: Try These 4 Authentic Middle Eastern Dishes

Middle Eastern cuisine is renowned for being warm, spicy, and comforting. Geographically, the Middle East includes countries like Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Iran, and Egypt, to name a few.

Many of these countries have signature dishes that are vegetarian based. Instead of beef, chicken, or fish as the main protein, Middle Eastern dishes tend to use chickpeas, lentils, beans, and vegetables. Many dishes are simple enough for any at-home chef to make, and the ingredients are generally inexpensive. Here are six authentic Middle Eastern dishes that everyone should try.

Shakshuka

Shakshuka is a savory, saucy dish that features perfectly runny eggs with salty feta cheese and a robust tomato sauce. The origins of this dish began in Northern Africa, but it is now considered to be an Israeli staple. Perfect for feeding a crowd, shakshuka can be made in small portions or large enough to feed up to eight people, depending on the size of the pan. This versatile dish can be served for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Shakshuka begins with a base of slightly spicy tomato sauce with red bell pepper, garlic, and onions. Typically the onions, garlic, and red peppers are fried in a large pan; once those are caramelized, the tomato sauce is added (canned tomatoes are perfectly fine, but if desired, harissa tomatoes offer a more authentic flavor) and left to simmer with spices such as cumin, coriander, paprika, and red pepper flakes.

This sauce mixture is then poured into a baking pan, or some sort of deep baking dish. Eggs are then cracked into the tomato sauce to cook. Once the dish has been baked in the oven, feta cheese and fresh parsley can be sprinkled on top. Shakshuka is best eaten with a slice of pita or naan to scoop up the runny yolks of the eggs and delicious tomato sauce.

Kibbeh

Kibbeh is another versatile dish that originated in Lebanon and can be made with meat or vegetables. Essentially kibbeh is a fried ball made of bulgur wheat, which is then stuffed with whatever the heart desires. Common fillings include lamb, beef, chickpea, lentil, pumpkin, and pine nuts.

Kibbeh is an excellent dish for stretching meat in order to feed lots of people; meat can sometimes be too expensive and hard to come by in some Middle Eastern countries. The bulgur wheat that makes up the fried shell can also be used in the filling to stretch it even further.

Cooking and assembling kibbeh can be a long and messy process, but can also make for a fun group or family activity. The shells must be made first; bulgur wheat is blended in a food processor with onions and spices, then chilled for about half an hour. The bulgur mixture is then constructed into dough cups using hands and fingers, which requires patience and precision.

The filling is made by frying the main ingredients in a pan (for instance, ground lamb would be fried with onions and chosen spices) and then cooled; yogurt or other sauces can be mixed in as well once cooking is done. The filling is then stuffed into the bulgur dough balls and pinched off. Finally, the balls are then fried in oil and enjoyed with any type of hummus, toum, or yogurt dipping sauce.

Baklava

Baklava is a sweet, sticky dessert that is believed to have originated in Turkey, though many other cultures claim ownership over the recipe, like Greece and Lebanon. This dessert is flaky and crunchy with nutty flavors and is a very common after-dinner treat in many Middle Eastern countries.

Baklava is made with phyllo pastry, butter, sugar, spices, and chopped nuts. The nuts used in baklava can vary from almonds, walnuts, or pistachios, though it’s recommended to use a mixture of all three for a better flavor. It can be messy to make, but the end result will be delicious nonetheless.

Phyllo dough is fragile, so great care is taken in rolling it out, cutting it, and spreading it out on a baking pan. The phyllo dough is brushed with melted butter and layered about seven or eight sheets thick, then a layer of nut mixture is spread on top. The layering process continues with more phyllo pastry and butter, until all the nut mixture is gone. The baklava then bakes in the oven and is coated with a sweet sauce made of honey, sugar, lemon juice, and water once it is removed from the oven. The final product is a flaky, sweet creation that melts in your mouth.

Dips and Sauces

Middle Eastern cuisine is known for its many dips and sauces. Bread, like pita or naan, is often a meal in itself and can be dipped in various Middle Eastern sauces such as baba ganoush (eggplant dip), hummus, toum (garlic sauce), tahini, tzatziki, and muhammara (roasted red pepper and walnut spread).