The Arabic diet is defined as a variety of regional diets that span the Arab world, from the Maghreb to the Fertile Crescent and the Arabian Peninsula.
Arabia is not a gastronomic desert, but has a centuries-old gastronomic history, the Arab region as an important link in the ancient trade route, the history of Arabic cuisine can be traced back to the ancient civilizations of the Middle East. The Sumerians, Babylonians, Phoenicians or Canaanites, Hittites, Aramaeans, Assyrians, Egyptians, and Nabataeans all contributed to the formation of the Arab diet.
These ancient peoples made their living from products such as wheat, vegetables and spices they grew. They prefer meats such as lamb, lamb and poultry, and their staples are mostly toast and pies.
The first written recipe in history was found in a Babylonian temple in Iraq and dates back to 1750 BC. Later, the Greeks, Romans, and later Mongols, Tatars, Turks, Anglo-French colonizers, and many other conquerors who ruled and stayed for a while left their mark on the food of Arabs and other peoples in the West. Trade with other Asian countries in ancient times, especially due to the Silk Roads, had the greatest impact on the evolution of Arab food.
The same goes for Arabic sweets, which originated in many different cultures, such as the Greeks, Ottomans and Mamluks. The taste of these desserts is very unique, and special ingredients are used in the preparation.
On the other hand, in the past, the natural environment of the Arabian Peninsula was quite harsh, and high-calorie sweets could provide people with the energy they needed, and desserts gradually became an essential food for Arabs. In the Arab region, dessert shops can be found everywhere, not only as a snack, desserts can be said to be Arabs in the main meal is also a must, even in the breakfast, there is no shortage of desserts.
baklava
Baklava
Baklava is the most famous and widely distributed dessert in Arabia and is a time-honored dessert. Baklava is made from chiba dough, chopped nuts, butter and sugar or honey as a sweetener, baked and poured a delicious sweet syrup over the layers of the dough.
There is no clear record of the origin of baklava, both the Greeks and Turks claimed that the origin of baklava was their country, and other theories point to the placenta cake of ancient Rome, the traditional Turkic layered bread in Central Asia (more supported by more people) and the Persian lauzinaj.
There are other theories about the origin of baklava, such as it dates back to ancient Mesopotamia and is mentioned in a mesopotamian walnut recipe; Baghdadi had something similar in his 13th-century recipes; It's a popular Byzantine dessert....
Baklava has been continuously improved, and different regions have their own unique practices. In Afghanistan and Cyprus, for example, baklava is made into triangular pieces and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. Armenian baklava is made with cinnamon and cloves. In Azerbaijan, baklava is mainly prepared during the Nowruz Festival, cut into diamond shapes and decorated with almonds or walnuts. In Greece, baklava is made from 33 layers of clumps, referring to Christ's 33 years on earth. In the Lebanese city of Tripoli, baklava is made from lasagna filled with various nuts and soaked in an "Atir" (ka-tr) syrup made from orange blossom and rose water, sugar and water. It is made into various shapes such as triangles and rectangles.
Sugar balls
Luqaimat
Sugar balls (Luqaimat) can be translated in Arabic as "one bite size". Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, it is the most popular food during Ramadan in Arab countries. The sugar balls were the earliest pastries mentioned by scholars in ancient Greek literature, and the ancient Greek poet Calimachus called them "honey keepsakes" in The Night's Watch, and these desserts were also prizes for the Olympic victors at that time. The earliest recorded dates back to the early Middle Ages and the Abbasid caliphate of the 13th century.
The traditional practice of dynamite balls is to make flour, water and yeast, fry them in a frying pan, and finally drizzle with syrup and sprinkle with spices such as cinnamon. In the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf, cardamom or saffron was sometimes seasoned, which is little different from the recipes of the 13th century. Cyprus is usually seasoned with cinnamon added to honey syrup and lightly sprinkled with powdered sugar. The Greeks would flavor it with honey, cinnamon, walnuts or chocolate sauce. In Turkey, there will be more styles.
Kunafa
Knafeh
Known as the "Queen of Arabic Desserts," Knafeh is made from vermicelli-like noodles soaked in syrup, spread with soft cheese and drizzled with rose water and pistachios. First mentioned in writing in the 10th century, legend has it that it originated from the Fatimid dynasty in Egypt, and another theory says it originated during the Umayyad dynasty. Similarly, the recipes of dishes mentioned in historical documents are not the same as those of the modern version of the improved Kuna method.
Different forms of kuna methods have now been developed in many cities in the Arab region, such as in Palestine, Turkey and Azerbaijan. However, the ingredients are still cheese, nuts, syrups and wheat. There are now four main types of kuna methods:
- Khishnah: A shell made of slender noodle threads.
- Na'ama: Semolina dough.
- Mhayara: A mixture of khishnah and na'ama.
- Mbrwma: It's made with noodle preparation.
Now this dessert is also becoming more and more popular in other countries outside the Middle East, and the United States has also appeared in the frozen fast food version of the Cuna method.
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These are common desserts in the pan-Arab region, but there are also many countries that have unique dessert masterpieces.
Turkish delight
Accommodation
Turkish gummies (Lokum) are a delicate jelly-like dessert in Turkey that is usually made into a bite-sized cube. Before the word lokum appeared, it was known in the Ottoman Empire as "rahatü'l-hulkum", meaning "to make the throat comfortable", and was later further shortened to "lokum".
The raw materials are starch, sugar and so on. Traditionally, it is usually flavored with rose water, mastic gum, bergamot or lemon. Some also add chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts or walnuts. This candy is usually eaten in small cubes sprinkled with powdered sugar, dried coconut or tartar cream.
Traditional Turkish gummies date back more than 500 years, and legends of their origins come from the Ottoman court and Sultan Abdulhamid. Legend has it that Sultan Abdulhamid had a conflict with many of his wives and mistresses, who believed that the secret to winning their hearts was through food, and he summoned the most powerful confectioners in the empire to make a delicious dessert that eventually led to the creation of peace and harmony among the women in the palace.
The invention of the modern version of the lokum is attributed to Bekir Efendi, who was appointed chief pastry chef at the Ottoman court. The Haci Bekir candy shop he opened in 1777 is still open today and is considered one of the 100 oldest companies in the world.
Haci Bekir
Later, in the 19th century an unknown British traveler discovered the dessert and brought it back to England, and since he did not remember that this dessert was traditionally called Lokum, he directly renamed it Turkish fudge and continues to use it today.
um Ali (Egypt)
Umm Ali
Umm Ali is a traditional Egyptian dessert made from grains, nuts, coconut, raisins, honey and hot milk. um Ali is known as Egypt's "national dessert" and is also known as "Ali's mother". It is named after the wife of Aybak, a ruler of the Ayubid dynasty of Egypt. Although um Ali is a dessert, it is a cruel story behind it.
During the Mamluk era of Egypt around 1517, before the Ottoman Empire ruled Egypt. um Ali was forced into a divorce and Shajaldur became Aybak's second wife. According to folklore, um Ali was so angry that her ex-husband had been murdered by Shajjardur that he ordered her maid to kill Shajaldur by beating her, and there is also a theory that the maid threw clogs at her until she died.
Um Ali was so happy that Um Ali was so happy that to celebrate, um Ali asked the chefs to make the most delicious dessert they could make and distribute it to the whole of Egypt and the whole country to enjoy. Because it was so delicious, this dessert later became a national dish in Egypt.
Maamur (Lebanon)
Ma'amoul
Lebanese Arabic desserts are famous for their delicate appearance, with a creamy brim wrapped in nuts under a crispy crust that exudes a strong creamy aroma. There are many varieties of desserts, the taste is good, most of them are very sweet, you can't eat a lot at once, it is best to eat with Arabic black tea and coffee.
The most famous of these is Ma'amoul, a sandwich crisp biscuit made from semolina. The filling can be made from dried fruits such as figs or dates, or nuts such as pistachios or walnuts, and some are also made of almonds and pressed into molds carved from wood. Whether it's Easter or Eid al-Fitr, a holiday in lebanon is incomplete without a cookie called Ma'amoul.
Mibuddin (Persia)
Custard
Mibuding is a classic Middle Eastern dessert from Persia. It is mainly made of rice, sugar, milk and rice flour, starch or flour. Originally given to an Arab general by a Persian cook in the 7th century, it has spread and become popular ever since.
However, in general, the sweetness of Arabic sweets is very high, and for Chinese, there is often a sweet feeling, which is not suitable for eating more. The Arab region is also currently a high incidence of diabetes, which must have something to do with the sugar content of its desserts.
Reference:
https://stepfeed.com/the-origins-of-arab-sweets-9797
https://juliadomna.com.tr/en/details/75/the-Origin-of-Arabic-Sweets
https://kaleela.com/delicious-arabic-sweets-popular-in-the-middle-east/
https://whywaittoseetheworld.com/arabic-sweets-introduction/
http://www.hellenicaworld.com/Greece/Cuisine/en/Baklava.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauzinaj
https://www.arabamerica.com/knafeh-queen-arab-desserts/
https://www.slurrp.com/article/the-origin-of-knafeh-the-ancient-middle-eastern-dessert-thats-gaining-popularity-1644594432444
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/food/1995/04/19/a-sweet-treat-for-greek-easter/2501cd04-63af-4f12-9b1c-a22dde7a069a/
https://turkishgul.co.uk/a-brief-history-of-turkish-delight/
https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/04/11/522771745/maamoul-an-ancient-cookie-that-ushers-in-easter-and-eid-in-the-middle-east