Arab Cuisine - History

History

Originally, the Arabs of the Arabian Peninsula relied heavily on a diet of dates, wheat, barley, rice, and meat, with little variety and heavy emphasis on yoghurt products, such as labneh (لبنة) (yoghurt without butterfat).

There is a strong emphasis on the following items in Arab cuisine:

• Meat: lamb and chicken are the most used, with beef, goat, and camel used to a lesser degree. Other poultry is used in some regions, and in coastal areas, pork is completely prohibited—for Muslim Arabs, being both a cultural taboo and prohibited under Islamic law; many Christian Arabs also avoid pork as they have never acquired a taste for it, although this is often not the case in Lebanon, where cold cuts of ham are frequently consumed in Christian neighbourhoods.
• Dairy products: dairy products are widely used, especially yoghurt and white cheese. Butter and cream are also used extensively.
• Herbs and spices: mint and thyme (often in a mix called za'atar) are widely and almost universally used; spices are used much less than in Indian cuisine, but the amount and types generally varies from region to region. Some of the included herbs and spices are sesame, saffron, turmeric, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, and sumac. Spice mixtures include baharat.
• Beverages: hot beverages are used more than cold, coffee being on the top of the list, mostly in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf. However, tea is also served in many Arab countries. In Egypt and Jordan, for instance, tea is a more important hot beverage than coffee.
• Grains: rice is the staple and is used for most dishes; wheat is the main source for bread. Bulgur and semolina are also used extensively.
• Legumes: lentils are widely used as well as fava beans and chickpeas (garbanzo beans).
• Fruits and vegetables: Arabic cuisine also favors vegetables such as cucumbers, eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgette), okra, onions, and fruits (primarily citrus), which are often used as seasonings for entrees. Olives as well as dates, figs, and pomegranates are also widely used. Dates are a particularly important staple in the Arab diet, often eaten with coffee.
• Nuts: almonds, pine nuts, pistachios, walnuts, and peanuts are often included.
• Greens: parsley and mint are popular as seasonings in many dishes, while spinach and mulukhiyah (leaves of plants of the Corchorus genus) are used in cooked dishes.
• Dressings and sauces: the most popular dressings include various combinations of olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and/or garlic, and tahini (sesame paste). Labaneh (thinned yoghurt) is often seasoned with mint, onion, or garlic, and served as a sauce with various dishes.

Notably, many of the same spices used in Arab cuisine are also those emphasized in Indian cuisine. This is a result of heavy trading and historical ties between the two regions, and also because many South Asian expats live in the Arab States of the Persian Gulf.