Culture of Yemen - Cuisine

Cuisine

The Yemeni cuisine is entirely distinct from the more widely known Middle Eastern cuisines, and even differs slightly from region to region. Yemen cuisine has heavy Ottoman Turkish influence due to the Ottoman occupation.

Chicken and lamb are eaten more often than beef, which is expensive. Fish is also eaten, especially in the coastal areas.

Cheese, butter, and other dairy products are less common in the Yemeni diet. Buttermilk, however, is enjoyed almost daily in some villages where it is most available. The most commonly used lipids are vegetable oil and ghee used in savory dishes, and semn (clarified butter) is the choice of fat used in pastries.

Although each region has their own variation, saltah is considered the national dish. The base is a brown meat stew of Turkish origin called maraq, a dollop of fenugreek froth, and sahawiq or sahowqa (a mixture of chillies, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs ground into a salsa). Rice, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and vegetables are common additions to saltah. It is eaten traditionally with Yemeni flat bread, which serves as a utensil to scoop up the food.

Shakshouka is a popular dish in Yemen. Shakshouka is made with eggs, meat, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and spices (often including cumin, turmeric, and chillies), and usually served with Yemeni flat bread or white bread as a utensil.

Other popular dishes include: aseed, fahsa, thareed, samak mofa, mandi, biryani, fattah, shafut, and fatoot.

Milk tea (after qat), black tea (with cardamom, clove, or mint), qishr (coffee husks), qahwa (coffee), karkadin (an infusion of dried hibiscus flowers), Naqe'e Al Zabib (cold raisin drink), and diba'a (squash nectar) are popular drinks from all over Yemen. Mango and guava juice are also popular.

Malooga and laxoox are the most popular kinds of flat breads found in Yemen. Malooga is eaten with bean dishes, such as ful medames (it is similar to rice and beans). Laxoox is eaten with curry, stews, and Yemeni soups, as well as rice dishes.