Entrées
Egyptian cuisine is characterized by dishes such as Ful Medames, Koshari, rice-stuffed pigeon, 'Molokheyya, and Fetir Meshaltet. Egyptian cuisine also shares similarities with food of the Eastern Mediterranean region, such as rice-stuffed vegetables, grape leaves, Shawerma, Kebab, Falafel (طعمية, ), Baba Ghannoug (بابا غنوج, ), and baklava .
Some consider Koshari - a mixture of rice, lentils, and macaroni - to be the national dish. In addition, Ful Medames (mashed fava beans) is one of the most popular dishes. Fava bean is also used in making falafel (also known as "ta`meyya"), which originated in Egypt and spread to other parts of the Middle East.
Ancient Egyptians are known to have used a lot of garlic and onion in their everyday dishes. Fresh mashed garlic with other herbs is used in spicy tomato salad and is also stuffed in boiled or baked aubergines (eggplant). Garlic fried with coriander is added to Mulukhiyya, a popular green soup made from finely chopped jute leaves, sometimes with chicken or rabbit. Fried onions can be also added to Koshari.
| Dish | Definition |
|---|---|
| Baba Ghannoug | A condiment made with eggplants, chickpeas, lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, cumin and oil. |
| Durham | A dry mixture of chopped nuts, seeds, Middle Eastern spices, and flavors. |
| Kebab (Template:IPA-are) | Usually of lamb meat, chops and minced meat on skewers grilled on charcoal. |
| Kofta | |
| Kebdah (Template:IPA-are) | Fried liver, with seasonings. It is seen as something of an Alexandrine specialty, where it is known as Kibda Iskindiraniyya. |
| Kessiah (Template:IPA-are) | A milk or yogurt savory pudding, made with flour, sometimes seasoned with fried onions, chicken broth, and/or boiled chicken. |
| Maḥshi | A stuffing of rice, seasoned with herbs and spices, into vegetables like green peppers, aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes, or cabbage leaves. The stuffed vegetable is then placed in a pot and topped with tomato sauce and lemon or lime. |
| Maḥshi ḥamām | Pigeon stuffed with rice or wheat and herbs, then roasted or grilled. |
| Maḥshi waraa enab | Grape leaves stuffed with a rice mixture that can be made either with sauteed ground beef or vegetarian style. The rice is seasoned with crushed red tomatoes, onion, parsley, dill, salt, pepper and Egyptian spices. This mixture is then stuffed and rolled into an individual grape leaf, placed in a pot and topped with tomato sauce and lemon or lime. |
| Mesa'a`ah | Sliced eggplants that are lightly grilled and placed in a flat pan with sliced onions, green peppers, and jalapeños. It is then covered with a red sauce made of tomato paste and Egyptian spices. This pan is cooked in the oven for 30–40 minutes at 350 degrees. |
| Molokheyyah | Green soup prepared in various styles, wherein the mallow leaves are very finely chopped, with ingredients such as garlic and coriander added to give it a characteristic aromatic taste. |
| Roz Meaammar | A rice dish made by adding milk (and frequently butter or cream) and chicken stock or broth to cooked rice and subsequently baking it in an oven. Frequently substituted for plain white rice at festive occasions and large family meals. |
| Shawerma | A popular sandwich of shredded beef, lamb or chicken meat, usually rolled in pita bread with Tahina sauce. It is a relatively recent import from Levantine cuisine, possibly brought by Lebanese immigrants, but it has been incorporated into the Egyptian kitchen. |
| Tehina | sesame paste dip or spread made of sesame tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. Typically served with pita bread. |
| Tehina salad | a condiment made with sesame butter, chickpeas, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, parsley, cumin and olive oil. |
| Bram rice | Rice made with milk in a special kind of plate, usually stuffed with chicken liver |
| Kobeiba | Kofta with bulghur wheat and meat |
| Macaroni béchamel | An Egyptian variant of the Greek pastitsio, typically incorporating Gebna Rūmī (Egyptian Sardo or Pecorino cheese) |
| Shakshouka | Eggs with tomato sauce and vegetables. An import from Moroccan cuisine, it has since become Egyptianized. |
| Samak mashwy | Grilled fish. Like most fish dishes, a specialty of Alexandria. |
| Samak makly | Fried fish. Again, a specialty of Alexandria. |
| Torly | A tray of baked squash, potatoes, carrots, onions, and tomato sauce |
| Calamari | Squid, fried and served with tartar sauce, or grilled. |
- Macarona béchamel, also known as "pastitsio" in Greece, it consists of a mixture of penne macaroni and béchamel sauce, and usually one or two layers of cooked spiced meat with onions.
- Beeftek (veal schnitzel; a French import)
- Kersha (Sheep gelatin with vegetables).
- Bird Tongue (Orzo) Noodle Soup.
- Besara (بسارة, ).
- Duck.
- Duqqa.
- Eggs with basterma.
- Falafel.
- Ferakh panée (فراخ پانيه; ; “chicken schnitzel”)
- Feseekh (فسيخ; ; salted or fermented mullet, generally eaten on the spring festival of Sham El Nessim, which falls on Eastern Easter Monday).
- Fitīr: Pies made of thin dough with liberal quantities of samnah. Made with fillings both savory (e.g. cheese, suguq) and sweet (e.g. qishta, jam). Certain types of restaurants specialize in fitir, although since at least the early 2000s they also generally make pizza.
- Ful medames .
- Goose.
- Hummus
- Koshari .
- Lentil Soup.
- Chicken liver
- Beef liver
- Maḥshi (grape leaves dolma, cabbage, green pepper, eggplant, squash, aubergines, courgettes, tomatoes, onions).
- Messaqa'a .
- Molokheyya (Egyptian style), with rabbits, chicken or other type of meat.
- Pigeon (حمام, ) stuffed with rice.
- Shish taouk ; a relatively recent import from the Levant.
- Sayyadeyah .
- Ta'meyya (طعمية, ) (Falafel).
- White (feta) cheese & tomato salad with olive oil and garlic.
- Tagin - A typical food found all over North Africa. Lamb, beef, chickpeas, artichokes, okra, and broad beans were all popular Egyptian tagin items.
- Tehina
- Octopus (akhtaboot ) (grilled).
- Mussels (fried and served with tartar sauce or stuffed with rice filling).
- Shrimp (gambari ) (salad, grilled or cooked with vegetables in güveç-casserole).
- Fattah Masryah .
- Bamyah,"beram bamyah" .
- Kawarea and Mumbar (كوارع و ممبار, )
- Dukkah
Read more about this topic: Egyptian Cuisine