Falafel is a deep-fried
ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Falafel is
usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread
known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot
sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten
alone as a snack or served as part of a meze.
Generally
accepted to have first been made in Egypt, falafel has become a dish eaten
throughout the Middle East. The Copts of Egypt claim to have first made the
dish as a replacement for meat during Lent. The fritters are now found around
the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food.
The
word falafel can refer to the fritters themselves or to sandwiches
filled with them.Some sources trace the name to the Arabic word falāfil
is the plural of filfil
which means "pepper"--probably from the Sanskrit word pippalī
which means "long pepper”. A Coptic origin has recently been proposed from
Pha La Phel 'of many beans'. The word has now spread to the rest of the
world. In English, it is first attested in 1941.
Falafel
is known as ta'amiya in Egypt, with the exception of Alexandria, as well
as in Sudan. The word is derived from a diminutive form of the Arabic word ṭaʻām meaning
"food"; the particular form indicates "a unit" of the given
root in this case Ṭ-ʕ-M (having to do with taste and food), thus meaning "a little
piece of food" or "small tasty thing”.
The origin of falafel is unknown and controversial.
A common theory is that the dish originated in Egypt, possibly eaten by Copts
as a replacement for meat during Lent. As Alexandria is a port city, it was
possible to export the dish and name to other areas in the Middle East. The
dish later migrated northwards to the Levant, where chickpeas replaced the fava.
It has also been theorized to a lesser extent that falafel originated during
Egypt's Pharaonic Period or in the Indian subcontinent. In modern
times, falafel has been considered a national dish of Egypt, Palestine and of Israel.
Falafel
grew to become a common form of street food or fast food in the Middle East. The croquettes are regularly eaten as part of meze.
During Ramadan, falafel balls are sometimes eaten as part of the iftar,
the meal that breaks the daily fast after sunset. Falafel became so popular
that McDonald's now serves a "McFalafel" in some countries. It is still popular with the Copts, who cook large
volumes during religious holidays. Debates
over the origin of falafel have sometimes devolved into political discussions
about the relationship between Arabs and Israelis.
While
falafel is not a specifically Jewish dish, it was eaten by Mizrahi Jews in
their countries of origin. Later, it was adopted by early Jewish immigrants to
Palestine. Due to its being entirely plant based, it is considered parve under Jewish
dietary laws and gained acceptance with Jews because it could be eaten with
meat or dairy meals. Falafel is now an
iconic part of Israeli cuisine and often referred to as a national dish. This
has led to resentment by Palestinians and assertions of copyright infringement
by the Lebanese Industrialists' Association.
Shawarma is a Levantine Arab meat preparation, where lamb, goat,
chicken, turkey, beef, or mixed meats are placed on a spit (commonly a vertical
spit in restaurants), and may be grilled for as long as a day. Shavings are cut
off the block of meat for serving, and the remainder of the block of meat is
kept heated on the rotating spit. Although it can be served in shavings on a
plate (generally with accompaniments), "shawarma" also refers to a pita
bread sandwich or wrap made with shawarma meat. Shawarma is eaten with tabbouleh,
fattoush, taboon bread, tomato, and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus,
pickled turnips and amba. Shawarma is a fast-food staple across the Middle
East, Europe and the Caucasus. People have described the Shawarma as "the
greatest meal since the invention of the Dorito".
The Arabic word shawarma comes from the Turkish word çevirme
'turning', and has its origins in Anatolia. It is similar to the dish called döner
kebab 'turning kebab' in Turkish, and the Greek gyros 'turned', formerly
called. A related Armenian dish is "tarna", literally meaning
"to turn".
Mandi is the traditional dish in Yemen native to Hadhramaut Province Yemen and many other Yemeni Cities known as Haneeth also. It is now very popular in the rest of the Arabian Peninsula and in many other Arab countries such as Egypt and Syria. Mandi is usually made from meat (lamb or chicken), basmati rice and a mixture of spices. The meat used is usually a young and small sized lamb to enhance the taste further. The main thing which differentiates mandi is that the meat is cooked in the tandoor (Taboon in Yemeni) which is a special kind of oven. The Tandoor is usually a hole dug in the ground and covered inside by clay.
To cook mandi, dry wood is placed in the tandoor and burned to generate
a lot of heat turning into charcoal. Then the meat is suspended inside
the tandoor without touching the charcoal. After that, the whole tanoor
is closed without letting any of the smoke to go outside. Raisins and pine nuts can be added to the rice as per one's taste. Mandi is considered as the main dish served in special events such as weddings and feasts.
