Flavors and Textures of Middle Eastern Cuisine

From Egypt to Saudi Arabia, the flavors and textures of Middle Eastern cuisine help comprise the makeup of a whole mosaic of cultural identities. The ground between gastronomy and tourism offers a space to preserve tangible and intangible heritage, empower civil society, and enhance intercultural understanding. So, if you are going on Dubai vacation, it may be useful to plan what types of dishes you are going to eat. Middle Eastern cuisine can be a mixture of different styles including part of the Mediterranean cuisine or part of the Maghreb cuisine. It is part of the so-called Arab cuisine, although some flavors and textures of Middle Eastern cuisines are not included in the Arab world. These cuisines have the characteristic of having many variants in their dishes due to the proximity of the countries from which it is composed.

The flavors and textures of Middle Eastern cuisine tend to be simultaneously both simple and refined. The culinary heritage of each country in the region has been enriched by the contributions of travelers and also by successive invaders. Thus, many of the names of Arab dishes originated in Persia. Similarly, the distillation of rose petals, a refined specialty of the Persians, has spread, and rose water flavors many desserts as well as orange blossom water. The influence of Islam is today predominant in the Middle East, where the consumption of pork and alcohol is forbidden. The subtlety of the dishes of these countries is mainly due to the innumerable spices and aromatic herbs that enter into their composition. Sesame seeds in particular, roasted and reduced to a puree, provide the tahini. Middle Eastern cuisine is also based on the union of sweet and savory; and yogurt, for example, is an essential element in savory preparations. Dried fruits are very often present, as in the tarator sauce (pine nuts, bread and garlic), which generally accompanies fish.

A specialty is skewers of tender meat marinated in a mixture of spices and cooked over a wood fire. The meat can also be minced to stuff vegetables or cut into pieces to serve as a base for various stews composed of vegetables, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and aromatic herbs. Chicken, pigeon, quail, and fish are often cooked on the grill or, with the exception of fish, also used in stews. In this part of the world (where marzipan and nougat were invented), the art of pastry and confectionery stands out in a very particular way demonstrated by honey and walnut cakes, quince jams, aniseed cakes, and puff pastry with almonds and pistachios (baghlava). These delicacies are served with coffee such as Turkish or Arabic, the latter scented with cloves, cardamom, orange blossom and rose water.

The tradition of mezze is ancient in the Mediterranean basin. The meal is almost always organized around a single dish, soup, or stew such as lentil, spinach, or avocado soups prepared the day before so that the flavors are blended and enhanced. Zucchini, spinach, gombos, lentils, chickpeas, and peppers are often used as well. But eggplant and tomato predominate in salads, mashed, or simply fried or stuffed (dolmeh); as they play a part in preparations both hot and cold, alone or mixed with other ingredients. Bulgur, served as a side dish, is the basis of tabbouli and kibbeh. But the first priority goes to rice served plain or flavored with saffron. Mutton and lamb are the most common meats in Eastern countries. All of this you will certainly find out while staying in Dubai for at least a week; and in order to make your holiday comfortable, it is worth it to book a room in a hotel in advance which you can research on the Karta website for hotel rentals.