Arabic foods evoke the richness and diversity of Middle Eastern culture. For thousands of years, the peoples of this region have prepared meals taken from the bounty of the land, using native fruits, vegetables and meats as they were available. Foods were often chosen for their portability and ability to be preserved for long treks through desert wastelands. The result of harsh conditions and scarcity are the Arabic dishes we know today-simple, economical and easily prepared.

Arabic Foods Have Nomadic Origins

The variety in Arabic foods come from their nomadic beginnings. As the tribal caravans traveled through the Middle East, they discovered new foods and spices to add to their diets and incorporate into their recipes. Each region and country has its own culinary traditions, some preferring heavily spiced foods and some putting the emphasis on certain vegetables or grains. Whatever was readily available was used and later cultivated, as nomadic culture evolved into a more settled way of life.

Food plays an important role in any society, and nowhere is this more evident than in Arabic culture. From its very beginnings, Arabic cuisine has been used to express hospitality to guests and to bring the community together. Even today, guests to an Arabic home or business are likely to be served fresh-brewed coffee or tea and a local delicacy as an expression of welcome. An invitation to an Arab home for a meal has always been an opportunity for people both inside and outside the Arab community to share an abundance of traditional foods and the warmth of friendship.

Staples of Arabic Cooking

Though there are a wide variety of Arabic dishes, they all consist of a few main ingredients. Lamb is the most commonly used meat. Eggplant, cauliflower, zucchini and spinach are the main vegetables. Beans comprise a large part of the diet, mainly garbanzo, fava and chick peas. Wheat and rice are staple grains used for flour and mixed with meat and vegetables. Olive oil, garlic and lemon are used as dressings. Nuts are eaten raw and roasted , and are sometimes featured in the sweet pastries that finish the meal.

Local Arabic foods are sometimes turned into products that are easily stored and exported. Canned hummus, a dip made from sesame seed paste and garbanzo beans is an item now enjoyed by people around the world. A jar of quince and fig jam gives the Westerner a taste of these exotic fruits, and bulgar wheat is packaged for convenience. All of these items are now available at import stores and Arab markets. The growing popularity of Arabic foods outside the Middle East is a testament to their appeal, which transcends cultural barriers.

Popular Arabic Foods

Many Arab dishes will sound familiar to Westerners, as they have been a part of the world's diet for some time. Others will seem more exotic. Pita bread dipped in hummus or tahini, a ground sesame paste, is one of the most popular Arab dishes. Pita is used in other cultures as a basis for sandwiches. Falafel is also well-known to people around the world. This burger made from chick peas, onion, potato and flour is a high-protein meal in itself. Kouzi features lamb baked over rice which absorbs the juices of the meat.

Salads are a favorite in Arab cuisine. Tabbouleh is a mixture of bulgar and tomato, mint and parsley. Rocca and cilantro are spicy greens mixed with olive oil, garlic and lemon that make a light and tangy salad. Spices play an important role in Arabic cooking, and there are many that are specific to Middle Eastern recipes. Cardamom, cumin and coriander are used alone or as part of a spice mixture that brings out the flavor in meats, stews, salads and vegetables.

Arabic foods have had an influence on the culture of the Middle East and the world. Their simplicity and rich flavors translate well to other cultures, and have helped to bring people of many nations together for thousands of years. For Arab peoples, they have sustained life and expressed hospitality to neighbors, friends and family for millennia. The exotic sights, tastes and smells of Arabic foods tantalize the taste buds and excite the imagination, evoking images of a culture rich in diversity and tradition.