Culinary traditions of Syria
A typical Middle Eastern meal Syrian cuisine is a Middle Eastern cuisine that traces back to ancient civilizations, with a rich mosaic of flavors influenced by Greek, Armenian, and Persian cultures. Syrian specialties makes use of eggplant , zucchini , garlic , meat (mostly from lamb and sheep ), sesame seeds , rice , chickpeas , fava beans , lentils , steak , cabbage , cauliflower , vine leaves , pickled turnips , cucumbers , tomatoes , olive oil , lemon juice , mint , pistachios , honey and fruits.
Selections of appetizers known as mezze Arabic bread before the Syrian meal's main course, which is followed by coffee, with sweet confections or fruits at will. Many recipes date from at least the 13th century.[ 1]
Name
Description
Baba ghanoush / mtabbalبابا غنوج eggplant (aubergine) mashed and mixed with seasonings
Baterish (باطرش mashed roasted eggplant
Falafel فلافل a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both
Fasolia bizzeit (فاصوليا بزيت green beans with olive oil, lemon and garlic
Fatteh فتّة pieces of Arabic bread covered with other ingredients
Fattetil-makdus (فتّة المكدوس Fatteh with makdous and minced meat
Fatteh billahm (فتّة باللحم Fatteh with meat
Fatteh bissamn (فتّة بالسمن Fatteh made with beef or sheep tallow
Fatteh bizzayt (فتّة بالزيت Fatteh made with vegetable, corn, or olive oil
Fattet jaaj (فتّة دجاج Fatteh with chicken
Fattoush فتوش salad made from several garden vegetables and toasted or fried pieces of pita bread
Halloumi cheese جبنة حلومي usually sliced and grilled or fried
Harraa' esba'o (حراق اصبعو lentils with dough
Hummus حمص a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic
Hummus billahm (حمص باللحم hummus with meat on top
Jez mez / jaz maz (جظ مظ eggs in tomato stew, Syrian shakshouka
Kishik كشك drained yogurt
Kibbeh كبة in the Middle East, dishes made of bulghur, chopped meat, and spices
Labneh لبنة strained yogurt which tastes similar to cream or sour cream only more tart
Lahme bil'ajeen لحم بعجين a thin piece of dough topped with minced meat and vegetables.
Makdous مكدوس Stuffed and pickled eggplants
Makmoor (مكمور chopped zucchini with rice
Msaqqa'a مسقعة grilled eggplant (aubergine) mashed with olive oil, tomato, onion and garlic
Mhammarah محمرة a hot pepper dip from Aleppo ,[ 2] Aleppo pepper
Mtabbal متبل mashed eggplant (aubergine) blended with tahini, olive oil, salt and garlic
Olives زيتون
Shaakriyyeh (شاكرية cooked yoghurt
Shish kebab شيش كباب skewered cubes of meat
Stuffed vine leaves [ edit ]
Name
Description
Yabrak (يبرق Grape leaves stuffed with rice and minced meat cooked and served hot
Yalanji (يالانجي Grape leaves stuffed with rice and a variety of vegetables and served hot or cold
Kebab khashkhash from Aleppo
Name
Description
Kebab كباب Grilled meat
Kebab halabi (كباب حلبي Kebab Aleppo pepper , with about 26 variants[ 3] Kebab hindi (كباب هندي Kebab kamayeh (كباب كميه Kebab karaz كباب كرز Kebab khashkhash (كباب خشخاش Siniyyet kebab (صينيّة كباب
Kibbe A variety of Syrian dishes made from a fried, baked, grilled, cooked, or raw mixture of bulghur and minced lamb are called kibbe كبّة
Name
Description
Kibbeh bisseniyyeh (كبّة بالصينيّة kibbeh ")
A plate of baked kibbeh
Kibbeh Halabiyyeh (كبّة حلبيّة Kibbeh with a rice crust; though named after Aleppo, this recipe seems to be of Iraqi origin
Kibbeh haamdah (كبّة حامضة Kibbeh with lemon juice
Kibbeh labaniyyeh كبّة لبنيّة Cooked kibbeh with yogurt
Kibbeh 'qras (mishwiyyeh) ((كبّة أقراص (مشوية Grilled kibbeh
Kibbeh nayyeh كبّة نيّة Raw kibbeh
Kibbeh safarjaliyyeh كبّة سفرجليّة Kibbeh with quince
Kibbeh simmaa'iyyeh (كبّة سمّاقيّة Kibbeh with sumac
Kusa mahshi A famous dish served in Syria is made from vegetables (usually zucchini —كوسا kūsā , or eggplant —باذنجان bādhinjān ) which are stuffed (محشي maḥshī ) with ground beef or lamb or mutton, nuts, and rice.
Baking flat bread in the 1910s Falafil hummus Shawarma Booza Syrian street food includes:
Name
Description
Booza بوظة Ice cream known for its elastic texture, which is caused by the presence of mastic
Falafil فلافل Fried balls or patties of spiced, mashed chickpeas, most often served in Arabic bread , with pickles, tahina hummus shatteh , a hot sauce, the type used depending on the falafil maker
Ka'ak كعك Rings of bread, made from farina and other ingredients, commonly sprinkled with sesame seeds, occasionally served on the table to accompany Syrian cheese ; a buttery and sweetened version, filled with crushed dates or walnuts, is eaten as a dessert, usually served to eat with string cheese shaped into a braid (jibneh mashallaleh )
Manakish (مناقيش Dough topped with za'atar , cheese or ground meat ; it can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch
Shawarma شاورما Sliced and marinated meat shaved off a roasting skewer and stuffed into Arabic bread or sometimes baguette , alone with hummus , or with additional trimmings such as fresh onion, French fries, salads and pickles
Dried-apricot paste (qamar ad-din ) Halawet al-jibn Pastry counter at a Syrian restaurant in Little Syria (Manhattan), 1910
Name
Description
Ba'lawah بقلاوة Layered pastry filled with nuts, steeped in a honey syrup called atr (قطر
Barazek (برازق A sort of sesame seed cookie, made from white sesame seeds, butter, sugar, milk and honey[ 4]
Basbousa بسبوسة A sweet cake made of cooked semolina or farina soaked in simple syrup
Bashmina (البشمينا Syrian-style cotton candy. Made mainly from flour with a honey syrup called atr (قطر [ 5]
Bilatat jahanam (بلاطة جهنم Made mainly from sugar and flour with a red food coloring[ 6]
Crêpe كريب A very thin French pastry with butter and sugar
Ghazal al-banat (غزل البنات Sugar cotton candy stuffed with pistachios or cashews
Halaweh homsiyyeh (حلاوة حمصيّة Also known as al Qurmashliya , made from flour, water and salt, fried with oil until they form little pieces, which would be colored afterwards[ 7]
Halawet al-jibn حلاوة الجبن Pastry rolled and stuffed with cheese or thick milk cream, served with a honey syrup called atr (قطر
Halweh حلوة A slab of sesame paste studded with fruit and candy/sweets
Haytaliya (هيطلية A sort of milk pudding
Kanafeh كنافة Shoelace pastry dessert stuffed with sweet white cheese, nuts and syrup
Ma'mul معمول Biscuits filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts, and shaped in a wooden mould called tabi (طابع Easter ), Muslim holidays ('Id al-Fitr ), and Jewish holidays (Purim )
Mamuniyyeh (مامونيّة Mixture of semolina and ghee simmered in water with sugar, usually served with salty cheese or milk cream called qishteh (قشطة
Muhallebi مهلبية A sort of milk pudding
Nabulsiyyeh (نابلسيّة A layer of semi-salty Nabulsi cheese covered with a semolina dough and drizzled with a honey syrup called atr (قطر
Qada'ef قطايف Semolina dough stuffed with a paste made from sweet walnuts or milk cream, with a honey syrup called atr (قطر
Qamar al-din قمر الدين Dried apricot paste
Raha راحة A confection based on a gel of starch and sugar
Rice pudding رز بحليب Made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon
Simsimiyah السمسمية A confection of sesame seeds and sugar or honey, with some Saponaria [ 6]
Suwar as-sitt (سوار الست A disc-shaped pastry steeped in a honey syrup called atr (قطر
Taj al-malik (تاج الملك Round dry pastry, the centre of which is filled with pistachios, cashews or other nuts
Zilabiyyeh زلابيّة Thin sheets of semolina dough, boiled, rolled and stuffed with pistachios or milk cream called qishteh (قشطة
Znud as-sitt (زنود الست Phyllo pastries with various fillings
Halloumi Jibne baida Jibne khadra jibneh mshallaleh Shanklish Special edition of 5-year-aged Arak al-Hayat ('ara' ) from Homs , Syria
Name
Description
Al-mateh المته A caffeine -infused drink produced from ground yerba mate
'Ara' عرق A distilled alcoholic spirit, transparent in color, made from grapes and spiced with anise seeds
'Ayran عيران A yogurt-based beverage mixed with salt and water
Jallab جلاب A fruit syrup which can be combined with liquid to form a hot or warm beverage
Polo (بولو
Mint lemonade
Qahweh bayda' (قهوة بيضاء A caffeine-free drink made from water and orange blossom water, sweetened with sugar at will, usually served in lieu of coffee
Qamar al-din قمر الدين A thick apricot juice, typically served for Iftar during Ramadan
Salep سحلب A traditional winter beverage, made with a flour from the tubers of the orchid genus Orchis ; salep flour is consumed in beverages and desserts
Syrian beer (البيرة السوريّة A beverage prepared from yeast-fermented malt, flavored with hops
Syrian coffee (قهوة
A beverage made from lightly roasted coffee beans along with cardamom, and served in small cups (as with Turkish coffee )
Wine (نبيذ An alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes
'Ara' Al-suse (عرق السوس)
Liquorice drink is prepared from the roots of liquorice , and it is a refreshing drink with many benefits, and it is often prepared cold and in the summer
Gerbino, Virginia Jerro; Kayal, Philip (2002). A taste of Syria . New York: Hippocrene. ISBN 9780781809467 Kadé-Badra, Dalal; Badra, Elie (2013). Flavours of Aleppo : celebrating Syrian cuisine . Vancouver, Canada: Whitecap Books. ISBN 9781770501782 Cuisine of Syria at Wikimedia Commons
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