CUSTOMS AND COOKING OF THE MIDDLE EAST
Although geographers have never agreed on where the Middle East begins and ends, 13 countries make up the heart of this area: Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Yemen, Oman, Quatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Ranging from the sand dunes in Saudi Arabia to the rich farmlands of the “fertile crescent” in Jordan, the geography of the area is as varied as the cultures. The areas bordering the Mediterranean Sea are the wettest, with crops ranging from citrus groves, olives and wheat, to the rich oil deposits present in the southeastern areas of Oman, Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E.
The three major religions in the Middle East are Islam (Moslem) - (85% of the total population, Judaism (Jews) - (3%) and Christianity (Protestant/Roman Catholic - (2%) of the total population. Jerusalem is the juxtaposition of the three religions and is often the main focus of conflict. Christians worship at the Church of the Sepulcher where Christians believe Christ was buried, the gold topped Dome of the Rock is where Moslems believe Mohammed ascended into heaven and the Wailing Wall is a holy shrine where Jews go to pray.
Current conflicts in this area revolve around the nations of Iran and Iraq, civil war in Lebanon and disputes between the nation of Israel and Palestine.
All these countries are bound together by the foods they eat and some of the food customs they practice. The most widespread custom is the religious taboo against eating pork. Main food items in the region include garlic, eggplant, lemon, tomatoes and green peppers, yogurt, pita bread, chickpeas (garbanzos), cumin, fennel and rosewater.
The Middle East has a rice based cuisine. In Turkey, rice is mixed with fish, meat, tomatoes, nuts, raisins and all types of seasonings, to make up their “pilaf” dishes. It is also used to stuff eggplant, vine leaves and peppers. Lamb and goat make up the most common meat used in Middle Eastern cuisine, especially shish kebab, which originated in turkey and literally means “lamb on a sword”.
Bulgar or crushed wheat is often used in place of rice. It is mixed with chickpeas and spices to make falafel which are shaped and deep fried, often sold by street vendors as snack food. In Israel they call falafel the “Israeli hot dog”. Ground together with lamb and fried, bulgar becomes an appetizer or side dish called “kibbe” or kibbeh.
Turkish food also includes many pastries based upon the use of phyllo or filo dough. Paper thin sheets of pastry are layered together with butter and filled with sweet, nut based fillings or with cheese, meat or spinach. The sweet dessert “baklava” is a mixture of honey, nuts, cinnamon and rosewater flavored simple syrup. Other desserts include quince, pomegranates, figs, dates, apricots, peaches and melons, along with almonds and raisins. Most meals also include a thick, strong coffee, served in small demitasse cups.
When preparing food in the Middle East, it is customary to allow for one extra person in case an unexpected guest arrives. Rules of etiquette suggest that a guest must first refuse all that is offered, but eventually give in when urged by the host to eat. However, he must never refuse dishes already tasted by someone else.
Meals are served on low, round tables and hands are washed in a basin before the meal. As a guest, one must eat until everyone has finished because if the guest stops eating, all others must stop and the dishes are cleared away. Licking one’s fingers and burping are all customary activities at the end of the meal to indicate that the meal is over. Before leaving the table, one must again wash the fingers. Refusing coffee or tea at the end of the meal is an insult to the host.
The Passover Sedar is a Jewish symbolic ceremony held each spring, which draws families together to commemorate the ancient Israelites’ escape from slavery in Egypt over three thousand years ago. The dinner is served on special dishes used exclusively throughout Passover. Passover food usually includes gefilte fish, followed by chicken soup with matzo balls and roast chicken. For all Jews, the center of the Passover meal is the Sedar plate, comprising haroseth, a spread made with fruits, nuts and sweet spices that is eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened crackers known as matzo. Haroseth represents the bricks and mortar that Hebrew slaves were forced to make in Egypt. Other items on the Sedar plate include a lamb bone and hard boiled egg, which represent offerings made at the temple; a sprig of parsley to represent signs of spring and horseradish or bitter lettuce which symbolizes the tears of slavery.