Egyptian cuisine
Shorbat Adas: The Lentil Soup With a Cameo in Genesis
Country of origin: Widely shared across the Levant, Egypt, and the wider Middle East This round’s pick is…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Zereshk Polo: The Persian Rice Dish Built Around a Tiny Tart Berry
Country of origin: Iran This round’s pick is zereshk polo — saffron-scented basmati rice studded with zereshk, tiny…
Iraqi cuisine
Kubba: Iraq’s Rice-Shelled Cousin of Kibbeh, Served in Soup
Country of origin: Iraq This round’s pick is kubba (also spelled kubbeh) — Iraq’s take on the meat-and-grain…
Egyptian cuisine
Sambousek: The Middle East’s Answer to the Samosa, and Maybe Its Ancestor
Country of origin: Widely shared across the Levant, Gulf, and Iraq, with roots connecting to a much older,…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Kashk-e Bademjan: Persia’s Smoky Eggplant Dip Built on Fermented Whey
Country of origin: Iran This time the pick is kashk-e bademjan — a rich, smoky Persian eggplant dip,…
Persian/Iranian cuisine
Ash-e Reshteh: The Soup Persians Eat to Wish Someone a Good Path Ahead
Country of origin: Iran This round’s pick is ash-e reshteh — a thick, hearty Persian soup built from…
Bahrain
Balaleet: The Gulf’s Sweet Noodles for Breakfast
Country of origin: Gulf region (UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait) Balaleet is Sweet, saffron-and-cardamom-spiced vermicelli noodles, traditionally topped with…
Turkish cuisine
Turkish Delight: The Confection With an Actual Founding Company Still Running
Country of origin: Turkey (Ottoman Istanbul) Today’s random pick lands on Turkish delight, known in Turkish as lokum…
Turkish cuisine
Döner Kebab: A Turkish Technique With a Disputed Berlin Chapter
Country of origin: Turkey, with a contested modern chapter tied to Berlin, Germany Thin-sliced, seasoned meat stacked on…
Turkish cuisine
Pide: The Boat-Shaped Bread Built for Toppings That Actually Fit
Country of origin: Turkey A boat-shaped Turkish flatbread with pinched, raised edges, filled with combinations like spiced ground…