Middle Eastern Food 101

[Kibbee Nayee]

[My goals here are straightforward – First, I wanted to put together a primer on Middle Eastern food so that Rockwellians don’t walk into a Middle Eastern restaurant and scratch their head like I do when I walk into a Chinese or Korean or Thai or Martian restaurant. May you all place your orders in a slightly more informed manner from this day forward. Second, I wanted to encourage the rest of our experts to do the same in each of the cuisines they happen to be experts in, so that this site can have a respectable ethnic food guide. Please pile on.]

The topic of Middle Eastern food is as broad as the topic of Asian food. There are regions to be discussed, then countries within regions, and then localities within countries, all of which bring differences and nuances to the discussion. To frame it properly, I’m going to focus on the 20 Arab countries across North Africa (the Magreb), the Levant and Mesopotamia, and the Arabian Peninsula or Gulf States. I will also touch on but not dwell on the related cuisines of Iran and Turkey, although each has a sophistication and complexity that requires its own treatment. In passing, I will touch on Kurdestan and Armenia, although they no longer exist as geopolitical entities. I will generally avoid Israeli food except for Palestinian food and the food of Yemeni and Moroccan Jews who came to Israel in the past 70 years or so. But the rest of Israeli food that was imported from Eastern Europe will not be addressed.

And up front, if you like pork you won’t be satisfied at most Middle Eastern restaurants. Islamic Halal and Jewish Kosher laws prohibit pork. And if you want alcohol with your meal, you can also avoid Halal restaurants like Mount of Lebanon. However, a very good alcohol enjoyed by the Christians of the Middle East is Arak – Raki in Turkey, Ouzo in Greece. The best Arak available to us is the Lebanese Al-Massaya, an almost artisanal version available on the Web (and in my liquor cabinet).

Next, consider the geography and history of the region. It sits at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe, and therefore has sent traders and conquering armies to all of those regions, and in return received traders and conquering armies from all of those regions. As a result, refined cuisine like Lebanese reflects the influences of Byzantine raiders, Crusaders, Ottomans and French. Similarly, the Turkish meat sandwich Doner is as prevalent in Germany as Bratwurst, and Couscous with a spicy sausage called Merguez was recently voted one of the most popular foods in France.

Any discussion has to begin with bread, the staple of the Middle East. The Arabs claim that they cannot taste other foods without bread and the bread types they have to choose from are numerous and varied. Arab bread comes in many textures, sizes, and shapes. Without question, the mother of all these Middle Eastern breads is pita — by far, the most popularly found in the Middle East. Called Khubz Arabee among the Arabs in that part of the world and once called flatbread or Syrian bread in the United States — until Syria became a country of dubious political behavior — it is now widely known as Pita Bread — a Greek name. Pita bread, like all types of Middle Eastern breads, is usually soft and pliable — perfect for the Arab way of eating. One of the greatest advantages of this type of bread is picking up meat, vegetables, and salads and as a scoop for sauces, dips, yogurt, and just about anything else. When the loaf is cut into two, the top and bottom of the loaf separate easily and the halves form pockets that can be filled with hot falafel, shawarma (barbecued meats), kafta (the Arab version of hamburgers), kebabs and/or salads to make delicious sandwiches. There are other Middle Eastern breads as well – Yemeni bread, Bedouin bread (Chubab), Injera (more around the Horn of Africa) and Lavash. The point is that you’ll have bread with every meal you order in a Middle Eastern restaurant and it will probably be fresh, warm and good.

For some regional distinction, consider that the northern African countries use Couscous, which is actually a pasta, as the most common carb. In the Levant – Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and what would be Armenia and part of Iraq – the common carb is cracked wheat, or Bulgur. In the Arabian peninsula and around the Gulf, rice is the carb of choice. Of course, that rule is general and you’ll find plenty of rice dishes in the Levant and plenty of Bulgur dishes in Egypt and Tunisia. However, the spices will be different depending on the region.

Which brings me to a dish like Mujaddarah (Arabic for “smallpox” because it looks like the effects of smallpox). It is the rice and legume dish of the Levant, with plenty of fried onions on top. In Syria and Lebanon, brown lentils with rice is the base of the dish. In Jordan and Palestine, red lentils with Bulgur define the dish. And the version you’ll find in Egypt is Koshary, the national dish. Mujaddarah and Koshary, in all of their variations, also reveal another feature of Middle Eastern cuisine – you can eat quite well on the Vegan side of the menu.

Speaking of national dishes, they are widely varied, and often differ within localities in the same country. My grandparents were Syrian immigrants, and my moniker reflects the national dish of Syria and Lebanon, Kibbeh. Kibbeh Nayeh (colloquially pronounced Kibbee Nayee in northern Syria) is the raw and most delicious version, my death row meal. Our best on-the-menu versions around the DC area are at Mount of Lebanon and Me Jana. The best order-ahead version is available from Mediterranean Gourmet Market, although Layalina has been known to prepare a very good version as well. [My son gave me a Christmas present of 2 lbs. of Kibbeh Nayeh from Mediterranean Gourmet Market, and it was gone in about an hour!]

Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan, made of lamb cooked in fermented and dried yogurt, served over flatbread, and topped with rice and pine nuts. A variation is Mansaf made with fish in the southern part of Jordan around Aqaba. The national dish of Saudi Arabia is Kabsa, which is a hodge-podge of rice, beef, chicken, vegetables, raisins and nuts – the Saudis eat more chicken per capita than just about any place in the world. Maqluba is the national dish of Palestine, an upside down rice and eggplant casserole with lamb and lots of yogurt. Machboos is the national dish of Kuwait, which is nicely flavored mutton, chicken, and/or fish (variations depend on whether you live near the gulf or inland towards the desert), over rice. The Egyptian national dish is Koshary, a hearty carb-loaded dish of chick peas, lentils, rice, macaroni, tomato sauce and fried onion, followed closely by Ful Madames, which is fava beans in olive oil with parsley, garlic, onions and lemon juice. Cairo Café in Lincolnia provides some of the better Egyptian dishes in our area. Iraq’s national dish is Maskuf, which is an impaled trout dish. Across northern Africa, the national dish is each country’s version of Couscous, although Tagine and Pidgeon Pastilla share the honor in Morocco. Tagine is named for the conical clay braising pot that produces tender, juicy stews. The Moroccan version of Coucous is “Fez style” with seven vegetables plus lamb shanks. Tunisian Couscous is considered the best, cooked in a couscoussiere and consisting of a mound of Couscous covered in steamed onions, garlic, potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, chili pepper, harissa, celery, cinnamon, black peppercorn, carrots, turnips and squash, then topped with meat such as mutton or chicken. But in the areas close to the Mediterranean, bass or red snapper is used.

And if you’re thinking about having 100 Bedouins over for dinner, the Arab version of turducken is a whole camel stuffed with four lambs and 20 chickens! I’m not making that up!

Now I’ll focus in on the Middle Eastern foods and restaurants in our area and what to order when you step into one. The sequence generally flows from Mezze to Mains to Sweets, with detours to sandwiches and pizzas or tarts along the way.

Mezze – You can either fill your table up with an assortment of these small plates – consider them the Tapas of the Middle East – or you can order a few as appetizers before the rest of the meal. Remember, it all starts with Pita Bread, sometimes with olive oil and za’atar as a dipping sauce. The vegan side of the menu is an incredible combination of flavor, satisfaction and good health. Try Tabouleh (parsley salad), Hummus (chick pea and tahini dip), Baba Ghanouj (eggplant and tahini dip), stuffed grape leaves (the vegan version has rice and pine nuts or chick peas in them, and the meat version has a nicely flavored rice and meat stuffing), Labneh (strained yogurt with olive oil and garlic), Lubieh (green beans) bil Zeit and Bamieh (okra) bil Zeit (either one, stewed in garlic and tomatoes), Ful Madames (fava beans) and Fattoush (salad served over toasted Pita Bread). The meat dishes include some amazing flavors and textures. Try Hummus topped with Shawarma and Pine Nuts, Soujouk (spicy sausage), Ma’anek (mild beef and lamb sausage), Kibbeh (shaped like footballs, stuffed with meat and nuts and then fried, or if you’re lucky, raw Kibbeh Nayeh), and Warak Enab (grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat). Also, most places offer combination Mezze Platters, which are usually good deals. Don’t forget accompaniments like olives and pickled turnips, which are standard. The Lebanese serve a whipped paste of garlic with dishes like Kibbeh Nayeh. These are the highlights – pay attention to any daily specials, because they are likely to be good. And at places with their own butcher connections like Mount of Lebanon, try the Lamb Brains or the Lamb Testicles. Trust me.

Mains – Here is where the dilemma lies. I can easily order Mezze and be satisfied at just about any Middle Eastern restaurant. Alternatively, I can go with a sandwich or a few meat pies. But the main courses in Middle Eastern restaurants are rib-sticking comfort food with incredible flavors. You can start with Shish (“skewer” in Turkish) Kebab (“meat” in Turkish), flavorful grilled meats – lamb, beef, chicken, or mixed – over rice pilaf. You can argue all day long over whose Kebabs are best between the Arabs, Turks, Persians, Afghanis and Pakistanis, but they’re all good. Kafta is the ground meat version, formed over the skewers and grilled the same way, considered the hamburger of the Middle East. Lamb is probably the most common meat in the Middle East, so ordering it in any of a variety of ways – Lamb Shish Kebab, Lamb Chops, Lamb Shanks (braised), Lamb Shawarma (see sandwiches, below), Lamb Ouzi (rice and lamb platter), Lamb Stew, Lamb Feteh (lamb with yogurt sauce), and on and on. Also, the Arabs are damned good at stuffing things (“mahshi” in Arabic and “dolmas” in Turkish), so when you see stuffed grape leaves, stuffed squash or stuffed cabbage/eggplant/peppers/onions, just order it and you will also be stuffed! Stuffed Cabbage, or Malfouf Mahshi, was my father’s favorite. The closest I’ve found to it in this area was at Kazan, the Turkish restaurant in McLean.

Sandwiches, Pies and Pizzas – Think about it, if Pita Bread is the staple of the Middle East, and if they’ve been making it for many millennia, you would think they have developed a few tricks to turn it into a meal, right? Shawarma is by far the most popular (“Doner” in Turkish), similar to the Greek Gyro (but with different seasonings and bread). It’s strips of lamb, skewered with seasonings and herbs in between layers, and then placed on a skewer to rotate upright against a heat source. The best version I ever had in my life was in East Jerusalem about 20 years ago. And then there’s anything you can stuff into a Pita, including Soujok, Ma’anek, Kafta and Falafel. Yes, Falafel is Arabic street food, and probably originated in Egypt. All of these Pita sandwiches include lots of veggies and usually a tahini or yogurt sauce, and are served wrapped in foil to keep the yummy juices in. As for Pies, meat, spinach, yogurt and cheese, mixed with spices or vegetables, are variously baked inside small open-face pastries or closed dumplings. If you see Sambousik, it’s a fried Lebanese lamb dumpling. The Mediterranean Gourmet Market makes the best and most varied versions, as they do Lebanese Pizza – Lahmeh B’Ajeen (baked with beef, onions, tomatoes and herbs), Manakish bel Za’atar (my favorite pizza on the planet!), Spinach Manakish, Manakish bil Jibneh (various cheeses).

Sweets – You probably didn’t know that Syria consumes more sugar per capita then any other country. This part of the meal starts with Turkish coffee – the Ottomans ruled the Middle East for four centuries, until World War I – and almost always includes Baklava. In this case, the Greek version is far inferior, too heavy-laden with honey. The Syrian and Lebanese versions are washed in a simple syrup cut with cinnamon and rose water, and it is the perfect end to the feast. Kataifi is a shredded wheat version of Baklava, and Ma’amoul is a nice shortbread and almond cookie stuffed with dates, pistachios and/or walnuts.

And now, Kibbee Nayee’s first-ever ranking of Middle Eastern restaurants in the Washington DC Metropolitan area:

1. Mediterranean Gourmet Market in Franconia – More of a mini grocery with a few tables, but George and Lilian turn out the best Lebanese dishes in the area. This is my go-to Lebanese restaurant.
2. Me Jana – Climbing my list because of consistent quality. The food is good, but they reach for general patronage with Calamari, Chilean Sea Bass, and Crab Cakes, but they deserve special credit for Potato Kibbeh, a Lenten version of Kibbeh.
3. Mount of Lebanon – No alcohol, but the best Kibbee Nayee at the best price in the DC area. Whenever I’m missing, you can probably find me here.
4. Lebanese Taverna – The original on Washington Blvd. in Arlington is still turning out quality food, but the rest of the kitchens are lagging behind. However, I had a few good meals at the Tysons Corner location in the past year.
5. Mediterranean Bakery in Alexandria – A nice but over-priced grocery, with the area’s best Pita breads fresh out of the oven, and the best selection of olives anywhere in the DC area. The food that comes out of the back is good, and the Za’atar Bread is first-class.
6. Jerusalem Restaurant in Falls Church – Frustrating service, but pretty good food with somewhat of an emphasis on Palestine.
7. Layalina – The only place that actually advertises that it serves Syrian food, with the area’s best selection of Hummus (Hummus bil Flay-Flay is a spicy version with Aleppo peppers, and it’s really good) and some of the best lamb shanks in the area.
8. Cairo Café in Lincolnia – One of the only places where you can get real Koshary, so it has to be on the list by default.
9. Shamshiry – I don’t want to ignore the Iranians here. Their food is really good, but just a little bit different than some of the Arabic dishes.
10. Zaytinya – Lower on the list because it lacks some authenticity and throws in Greek and Turkish to make it seem like “Middle Eastern fusion” cuisine, but let’s face it, this is a good restaurant.
11. Mama Ayesha’s – This place has its ups and downs, but it’s been around for a long time and its daily specials are damned good.
12. Cedar Café in Burke – Serviceable neighborhood Middle Eastern lunch counter.

Consider this a once-over, to be updated as the mood or new information strikes me. Hopefully, the members of our community who shy away from Middle Eastern food because they don't understand it will now partake with some confidence. May you have your meal with gladness and health! (bil-hanā' wa ash-shifā') بالهناء والشفاء / بالهنا والشفا

[thistle]

Thank you for the comprehensive overview-based on your recs, I'm going to hit up the Mediterranean market, I've had takeout from Lebanese Taverna, which was good, but I'm ready to try other spots...

[The Hersch]

Holy cow, are you and Fishinnards competing for the Oscar in Best Post on Donrockwell.com? Wonderful article, thank you so much.

[darkstar965]

[My goals here are straightforward – First, I wanted to put together a primer on Middle Eastern food so that Rockwellians don’t walk into a Middle Eastern restaurant and scratch their head like I do when I walk into a Chinese or Korean or Thai or Martian restaurant. May you all place your orders in a slightly more informed manner from this day forward...

A mere "like" wasn't enough. Thank you so much for this. Awesome content and so generous of you to take the time to share this. The broader Middle East is like Korea for me. Have spent time there. Even lived there for a bit. Very far from anything approaching expert. Learned a ton from your post. Will learn more working through your reccs. Thanks again. Wow.

[DonRocks]

Holy cow, are you and Fishinnards competing for the Oscar in Best Post on Donrockwell.com? Wonderful article, thank you so much.

Believe it or not, Kibbee Nayeh came up with this idea about a week ago, before Thai Noodles 101 was ever posted, and I sort of "poo-pood" it; now that I see what he has done - yes, these two are competing for some type of award (I was going to recommend a more detailed analysis on a more narrow topic, e.g., "kibbee nayeh," and it still might be in order, but this by itself is fantastic). The title itself is derivative of the one I composed for fishinnards, of course, but the substance of the post is all Bruce's original work.

And here I was doubting him!

We have lots of first- and second-generation Americans in this community who could do similar primers (and some plain old experts like fishinnards who aren't, but could do them anyway). I would welcome longer, exploratory pieces such as this, in a "101 Series," and if we get enough of them, I'll surely submit the set for a James Beard Award for 2013 Internet Food Writing, and may even create a separate subforum. I like the thought of a difficult, narrowly defined topic - such as Thai Noodles - explored thoroughly, and presented in a way that an average lunk like me can really get a grasp of it. I never knew, for example, that "See Ew" simply means "soy sauce." Things like this make it *so much easier* to order Thai Noodles, and I'm positively savoring the post, absorbing a paragraph a day so I don't try and take on too much.

pandahugga, bless him wherever he is, had begun doing "The Chinese Alphabet," one letter at a time. A similar thing, done with commonly repeated Mandarin words, would be of great benefit. Likewise, anything in its own native language. I could certainly do one for French, but many of us know these already, although I could possibly add a level of detail to make it interesting. Regional Italian would also be quite interesting. Mr. Ruta?

We've only had a few posts that have had more than 10 "Likes," and Bruce's is one of them. Well done, sir.

[Kibbee Nayee]

I have often been frustrated by how little I know of a particular ethnic cuisine, as if I'm missing out on the full enjoyment. I watch as the indigenous crowd orders things I can't pronounce and have no idea as to its meaning or relevance in that culture, while I ignorantly chow down on the Americanized side of the menu. It struck me during a recent visit to a Japanese restaurant, where Lady KN and I were tackling about $100 of sushi, that a few four-tops of Japanese diners were tucking into bowls and plates of incredibly yummy looking foods, at about half of what two of us where spending but with double the enjoyment. Then I saw the fishinnards opus on Thai noodles and the thread on Ju Mak Jib that resulted in a Grover tutorial on Korean food to be delivered at To Sok Jip....and it struck me that this site is a treasure trove of ethnic food knowledge. If we could find a way to make it into an accessible repository, so that the next time any of us heads into a (fill in the ethnicity) restaurant, we can order like a local and enjoy the full talents of the kitchen staff. I approached our fearless leader with the idea, and here we are....!

[ALB]

Thank you for such a comprehesive review! Can you come fill in MD for us Until then, I'll have to come over and try some of your recommendations. Thank you!

[zoramargolis]

Shemali's, the small Lebanese-owned market in Foxhall Square (where Ace Beverage is located) took over the small lunch counter in the building last summer. When Shemali's was located in the now-defunct shopping strip on Wisconsin in Cathedral Heights that included Murphy's and Giant, they had a small lunch counter in the store. But when they re-located to Foxhall Square several years ago, they sold only a few prepared foods--kibbe, meat and spinach pies, baba ghanouj and hummus, felafel--in their refrigerator case and freezer, all of which we are fond of. I only recently found out that they are preparing food to order in the building's little café. They have a vertical grill, but the day I was there they weren't using it, and were cooking chicken shwarma on the flat top. That and felafel sandwiches were all I have tried there, but I thought the marinated, boneless chicken breast was delicious, not overcooked as boneless breast usually is. Rolled in a flatbread with lettuce, tomato and garlic-y yogurt sauce, I polished it off in no time. My daughter is a devotee of the felafel place in Adams-Morgan, but she was happy with the version from Shemali's.

I know that you are based in VA, KN. Have you been to Shemali's?

[Kibbee Nayee]

I know that you are based in VA, KN. Have you been to Shemali's?

Not yet, but my odyssey is never-ending....Thanks for the tip, Zora. I will definitely check it out.

[The Hersch]

I'd forgotten all about that little windowless cafe at Foxhall Square (in Wesley Heights, mark you). I used to go there for lunch now and then many years ago when I worked at AU. Like in the 1980s. Even then, it had an eastern Mediterranean flavor, with things like tabbouleh and I don't remember what else. Has it been in continuous operation all these years?

[Heather]

KIbbee Nayee, thank you so much for this post. Don, I'm not sure why you doubted the utility of a post like this. More knowledge is always a good thing. I'd love to see more places on the MD side of the river - will you be adding to this? Maybe there should be a Rockepedia section of the board for informational posts like these?

(ETA my original post was edited, apparently.)

---

[umm, no, it wasn't (until just now). In fact, this is the very first time I've even seen this post.]

Edited January 23, 2013 by DonRocks

[Kibbee Nayee]

Maybe there should be a Rockepedia section of the board for informational posts like these?

I like this idea a lot.

On the list of cuisines I know the most about, my next best category would be Pennsylvania Dutch. However, we don't have any of those around these parts, so such a write up might have little utility.

[Bart]

I agree. I wrote to Don on the twitter machine suggesting a "resources" section or something like that becuase I had a hell of a time finding this thread on my own. "Shopping and Cooking" is the last place I looked for it!

[Bart]

Kibbee Nayee -

Gerat post! Thanks for writing it.

What's your best spot for Syrian "grape leaves" aka yeb'r't? I'm talking about the thin rolls (about the length and diameter) of your index finger that are served warm and contain meat. Not the short, fat, cold, veggie ones you get at Lebanese Taverna.

I used to have them all the time growing up at family gatherings - - Christmas, NYE, birthdays, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, etc, but haven't been able to find them here. The only time I've ever seen them was at Layalina and they were part of an entree, not a dish by themselves. I'd love to find a place to order 20 or 30 of them like chicken wings!

Thanks again for the write up.

[Kibbee Nayee]

What's your best spot for Syrian "grape leaves" aka yeb'r't? I'm talking about the thin rolls (about the length and diameter) of your index finger that are served warm and contain meat. Not the short, fat, cold, veggie ones you get at Lebanese Taverna.

Hey, are you one of my peeps? Best by far are ordered ahead at Mediterranean Gourmet Market. I call them warak enab bil laham. Give the Mediterannean Gourmet Market a day or two advance notice, and order at least 50 -- I have an order in for 200 this weekend as part of a feast I'm having for my family. I think they're $1.25 each. I ask for the laban with cucumber to serve with them.

[Dr. Delicious]

I have an order in for 200 this weekend as part of a feast I'm having for my family.

So, how do we sign up to become part of your family?

The Mediterranean Bakery has a spectacular and delicious assortment of baklava, which may be obvious given the fact that, you know, it's called the Mediterranean Bakery. I also recall a tasty beef shawarma...but stay away from the gyro, which used pre-cut and previously frozen meat when i was last there.

[thetrain]

Hey, are you one of my peeps? Best by far are ordered ahead at Mediterranean Gourmet Market. I call them warak enab bil laham. Give the Mediterannean Gourmet Market a day or two advance notice, and order at least 50 -- I have an order in for 200 this weekend as part of a feast I'm having for my family. I think they're $1.25 each. I ask for the laban with cucumber to serve with them.

Significantly better than Mount of Lebanon's/Lebanese Butchers?

[Kibbee Nayee]

Significantly better than Mount of Lebanon's/Lebanese Butchers?

Not significantly, but better. And a nice addition to the Mediterranean Gourmet Market version are some potato slices that suck up the meaty and lemony flavor of the grape leaves. I could eat those potatoes on their own.

(And remember, if you order a large quantity, they freeze well.)

[Bart]

Hey, are you one of my peeps? Best by far are ordered ahead at Mediterranean Gourmet Market. I call them warak enab bil laham. Give the Mediterannean Gourmet Market a day or two advance notice, and order at least 50 -- I have an order in for 200 this weekend as part of a feast I'm having for my family. I think they're $1.25 each. I ask for the laban with cucumber to serve with them.

Yep, I'm one of your peeps! My grandparents on my mothers side immigrated here from Syria via Ellis Island way back when.

I'll give the Med Market a try. If it's the place I'm thinking of, I think I went there a few years ago for kibbee based on another one of your recommendations. If I told some of my aunts that they could get a buck twenty five for each one, I think I'd have permanent house guests and an assembly line going in my kitchen. Hummm, maybe that's not such a bad idea.....

[The Hersch]

What's your best spot for Syrian "grape leaves" aka yeb'r't? I'm talking about the thin rolls (about the length and diameter) of your index finger that are served warm and contain meat. Not the short, fat, cold, veggie ones you get at Lebanese Taverna.

I have no idea how the stuffed grape leaves of the Levant compare with those of Greece, but the "dolmadakia" at Plaka Grill in Vienna are very much like what you describe, and are very good. You can see the menu with a description here. The menu doesn't mention that they're served warm, but they are. I think they come six to an order, but I'm not certain of that.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Yep, I'm one of your peeps! My grandparents on my mothers side immigrated here from Syria via Ellis Island way back when.

I'll give the Med Market a try. If it's the place I'm thinking of, I think I went there a few years ago for kibbee based on another one of your recommendations. If I told some of my aunts that they could get a buck twenty five for each one, I think I'd have permanent house guests and an assembly line going in my kitchen. Hummm, maybe that's not such a bad idea.....

Ditto! My grandparents, all four of them, came through Ellis Island around the World War I timeframe. That was a mostly Orthodox Christian exodus following the break up of the Ottoman Empire. We are from Homs (my mother's side) and Latakia (my father's side). People from Homs used to be the Polish jokes of Syria, but with the current revolution, they will be hailed as the heroes of freedom. We should meet at Mediterranean Gourmet Market for a $20 Tuesday or something along those lines.

That brings me to an important addendum to my previous Middle Eastern Food 101....the restaurants we enjoy in this area (as well as Dearborn, Michigan, and Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn and a few other pockets around the U.S.) are the product of large-scale immigration. Thus, you will find mostly Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian, Egyptian and Morrocan resturants here. And you will not find many Saudi Arabian or Algerian (or Omani or Yemeni and so forth) restaurants in the U.S.

After World War I, France and Britain carved up the Middle East into protectorates. At the time, Greater Syria included what is now Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon. The French got Syrian and Lebanon - they jerry-mandered Lebanon because they wanted a country that had a Christian majority, and at the time, six out of every 11 people in that geographic region were Eastern Rite Catholics and Syrian Orthodox. It was an interesting idea at the time, and it infused a lot of French influence into the cuisine, but it created a political mess that still plays out to this day. The Brits controlled Jordan and Palestine, and thankfully, introduced no culinary influences.

In my opinion, the best food in the Middle East is Tunisian, the ultimate fusion of Arab, African (Berber), Italian and French. We don't have many examples in this country, but Moroccan is close enough and good enough. My personal favorite is Syrian, which is my comfort food, but we have more Lebanese restaurants here because it's more politically acceptable to be Lebanese than Syrian. However, there was no such thing as Lebanon less than a century ago -- it was Syrian food influenced by France, and even at that, mostly in Beirut.

[Bart]

KN -

I'd love to hit up the Med Market with you sometime!

My ancestors came from Aleppo and were also Christian. They ended up in upstate New York.

What's your go-to place for stuffed squash? (Coosa squash stuffed with the grape leave filler). My mom calls is "mek-shi" but I found a recipe online that spells it "mihshi". I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!

[Kibbee Nayee]

KN -

I'd love to hit up the Med Market with you sometime!

My ancestors came from Aleppo and were also Christian. They ended up in upstate New York.

What's your go-to place for stuffed squash? (Coosa squash stuffed with the grape leave filler). My mom calls is "mek-shi" but I found a recipe online that spells it "mihshi". I'm sure you know what I'm talking about!

"Mahshi" means stuffed, and that dish was one of my father's favorite, Koosa Mahshi. I've only seen it as specials around here, at places like the otherwise forgettable Kazan Turkish restaurant in McLean, and sometimes at Mama Ayesha's near Adams Morgan. You can sometimes find the actual Koosa, a round squash, at Meditarranean Bakery on Alexandria.

[DaveO]

KN:   That is a great article.  Kudo's.   Very educational, interesting, and scrumptious!!!

One of my long term fave experiences in this region was that for a number of years my ex and I lived on a cul de sac with folks and more importantly cooks from around the Mediterranean.  We had a cook who provided Moroccan dishes, a cook from Lebanon (ably supported by his mother and sisters) a cook from Turkey, and the European participants were one from Spain and I contributed Italian dishes (Italian/ NJ style I must admit).

We ate together quite a bit having large cook outs with dishes and dinners from around that great body of water (though admittedly not all middle eastern).  Undoubtedly I found the food prepared Moroccan style my favorites, though I haven't seen or read kudo's about Moroccan dishes.   I think that particular cook was the best of all of us.

The endless presentation of middle eastern foods that were new to me were an adventure in new and exciting flavors and foods.   Thanks for the article.  It warms my taste buds!!!

[Bart]

KN -

    It's been almost 2 years.  Any updates to the Top 10, Top 12?

(for some reason, I can't cut and paste today so please see post #1 for the list!)

[Kibbee Nayee]

KN -

    It's been almost 2 years.  Any updates to the Top 10, Top 12?

(for some reason, I can't cut and paste today so please see post #1 for the list!)

I haven't been there yet, but I'm anxious to try Zikrayet on Eisnehower Ave in Alexandria. I think I saw a Groupon recently....and I still have to try Shemali's, recommended by Zora.

I need a few more visits before I declare it a "gem" but Granada in Herndon has a Syrian chef and has a "Mixed Iraqi Grill" that is to-die-for....

[plarkins]

Had a light dinner at Granada tonight. Shared a few different things: pickle plate, kibbeh, grape leaves, and the 'Granada sandwich'. The sandwich was tasty with good bread...not the typical wrap/gyro. Will defer to Kibbee on the bread type. Grape leaves will never make a place destination-worthy, but I thought they were particularly good. Will have to return with a bigger appetite so we can try the Iraqi grill items and the Turkish pizzas. 

[ktmoomau]

If any DR members are reading this who could do an Indian Food 101, or even a region, that would be amazing.  It is a cuisine that continues to perplex me a bit, that I am really interested in learning more.  This has been a great thread.  

[zoramargolis]

If any DR members are reading this who could do an Indian Food 101, or even a region, that would be amazing.  It is a cuisine that continues to perplex me a bit, that I am really interested in learning more.  This has been a great thread.  

Along with his expertise in Thai and Lao cuisine, Fishinnards is very knowledgeable about and adept at Sri Lankan and various types of Indian food.  If you ask him nicely and organize a time/place for such a lesson, and have participants kick in to pay for the groceries, I have a hunch he will be glad to teach such a class.

[Kibbee Nayee]

In every dark cloud, there is a silver lining. The news out of Syria these days is horrific, with refugees washing up on the shores of Europe, and eventually coming to the United States in the near future. The atrocities in Syria, from the Assad regime to the barbarian ISIS, are unspeakable.

[And yes, and my four grandparents fled Syria during WWI about a hundred years ago, to build a new life in the land of opportunity here in the USA. (In that wave and thereafter, we can trace the lineage of Steve Jobs, Salma Hayek, Casey Kasem, Danny Thomas, Dr. Michael DeBakey, Paula Abdul, Rep. Darrel Issa, Ralph Nader, Gen. John Abizaid, Helen Thomas, F. Murray Abraham, and many, many others).]

The silver lining? I'm going to assert that within the next few years, the amount and quality of Syrian food in most American metropolitan areas will grow and be very enjoyable. There will be some sorting out of the competition, but there will also be a few Dory Abi-Najms in the crowd, and we will benefit immensely from this immigration. I am really looking forward to it.

[Kibbee Nayee]

This NYT article is a good read about Syrian food. The author also has a website about Syrian food.

"Food tells Syria’s history better than the volumes that chronicle rulers and wars. Syria’s land was part of the Fertile Crescent, where agriculture was born. It was fought over by the ancient Sumerians, Egyptians and Babylonians (authors of what are among the world’s oldest written recipes); it was ruled by Persians, Byzantines and Ottomans — and we can taste their influence."

 

[Kibbee Nayee]

It's noteworthy that Joudie Kalla, a women of Palestinian descent, has written the definitive volume of Palestinian food, "Palestine on a Plate: Memories from My Mother's Kitchen."

Palestinian food is under-appreciated, and it might be the mother of all Middle Eastern cuisines. Far too many of these dishes are mis-characterized as Israeli dishes, but they are Palestinian through-and-through.

I look forward to adding this one to my collection.

 

[dcs]

The Long Journey of the Aleppo Pepper, by Tom Verde, October 9, 2018, on nytimes.com.

[Kibbee Nayee]

As I read through this somewhat dated thread, I would like to add Al Raouche in Merrifield to the list of excellent Middle Eastern restaurants. The daily specials, like stuffed grape leaves and squash (Koosa) on Tuesdays and stuffed cabbage (Malfouf) on Saturdays are worth the detour.