Egyptian cuisine is delicious and offers a wide variety to satisfy every taste. A lot of dishes rely heavily on legumes, greens and rice to the delight of all vegetarians out there! Mouth-watering beef is also on the menu with traditional herbs and spices, following up with delectable desserts for your sweet tooth. Here are the 10 best Egyptian dishes you should not miss!
1. Fool medames & taameya
Fool medames and taameya are staples in any Egyptian breakfast. Fool is cooked fava beens with olive oil, cumin, salt and chili. It can be cooked with tomatoes, onions, garlic, green pepper and tahini the "Alexandrian" way or with eggs or pastrami. You can never run out of ways to eat fool!
Taameya is the Egyptian version of falafel, made out of crushed fava beans and greens which are then fried and topped with sesame. Taameya can also be stuffed with chili sauce for a spicier experience! They are usually served with tahini, pickles and traditional baladi bread (Egyptian flat bread).
| "Fool medames, falafel and tahini, koshari and baladi bread", photographer: Marina Rafik |
2. Koshari
Koshari is a mix of rice, black lentils, pasta along with tomato sauce topped with delicious fried onion flakes and chickpeas. It is usually served with tomato sauce, an optional vinegar dressing and chili sauce. Koshari is the most filling and pocket-friendly meal Egypt has to offer!
Picture taken by Marina Rafik. Fool medames (bottom of the picture), falafel and tahini (to its right), koshari (top right corner) and baladi bread (center of the picture).
| "Koshari", source: taste.com.au |
3. Hawawshi
Hawawshi is the perfect satisfying combination for meat lovers. Spiced minced beef is placed inside flat bread or dough, brushed with oil or ghee and then baked in the oven for a final delicious crisp.
| "Hawawshi", photographer: Mohamed Hamza |
4. Mumbar
Another Egyptian specialty is mumbar which is rice stuffed cow intestines. As weird as it may sound, mumbar is absolutely delicious and definitely worth a try.
| "Mumbar", photographer: Mohamed Hamza |
5. Kebda eskandarani (Alexandrian liver)
Beef liver thinly sliced and usually cooked with hot peppers and spices is the highlight of Egyptian street food. The Alexandrian style liver is commonly served in bread along with pickles and french fires.
| "Kebda eskandarani", source: yelp.com |
6. Molokheya (green leaves stew)
You have not tasted Egyptian food until you've tried Molokheya. Molokheya is a type of green leaves which is finely chopped along with garlic and boiled with broth. It is usually served with rice and a type of meat, commonly chicken or rabbit.
| "Molokheya", photographer: Mariam Shafik |
7. Fesikh
You know spring is here when you spot Fesikh on the market. Fesikh is a type of dried salted fish eaten with green onions and lemon typically on Sham el Nessim, the oldest Egyptian holiday celebrating the beginning of spring.
| "Fesikh", source: yelp.com |
8. Roz me'ammar
Rice smothered in fresh cream and milk is then cooked in the oven until a golden crust forms. Roz me'ammar is a favourite in all Egyptian households.
| " Roz me'ammar", source: lakako.com |
9. Fetir meshaltet
Fetir is traditional layered Egyptian pie which can be served either savory or sweet stuffed with pretty much any filling you can think of.
| "Fetir meshaltet", souce: aegyptischkochen.blogspot.ru |
10. Om Ali
Last but not least, Egyptian bread pudding with milk and cream makes for a wonderful dessert!
| "Om Ali", source: ayamzaman.co.uk |
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Nadine Banna is an Egyptian aspiring author with a firm belief that the written word can touch and change lives. This is why she started her writing blog (A Piece of Me) to share short fiction, poetry and thoughts. Currently in the R&D sector in the biopharmaceutical industry, she uses it to fuel her creativity and writing in the hopes that one day she will change the world!
