Middle East - Anthony Ham [84]
▪ While two pieces of matzah (unleavened cracker bread) on the table are customary for the Jewish Sabbath, three are required for Passover. This is so that one can be broken at the start of the meal, emblematic of the sustenance of downtrodden slaves who made their escape to freedom in too much haste for bread to rise.
▪ The sourness of the Easter dish shoraba zingool reminds Christians of the vinegar on the sponge offered by the Roman centurion to Christ on the cross.
▪ For Christians in the Palestinian Territories, traditional Easter dishes include stuffed lamb or ribs accompanied by stuffed kibbeh, a pointed meatball encased in cracked wheat and fried, symbolising the spear that pierced Jesus’ side.
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In the 17th century 1300 workers slaved away in the kitchens of İstanbul’s Topkapı Palace, producing food for around 10,000 people every day.
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Mourning carries with it a whole different set of eating rituals. A loved one is always remembered with a banquet. This takes place after the burial in Christian communities, and one week later in Muslim communities. The only beverages offered are water and bitter, unsweetened coffee. In Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Muslims may serve dates as well, while Christians bake rahmeh, a type of bun commemorating the soul of the departed. For some, a North African Arab dish, named mughrabiyeh (Arab pasta formed by rolling wheat grains in flour to make small, round beads) is made when someone dies. Muted varieties of much-loved sweets, such as helva and lokum (Turkish delight), are commonly part of the mourning period in Turkey; a bereaved family will make irmik helvası (semolina helva) for visiting friends and relatives.
When observant Jews mourn the dead, religious dictates urge them to sit around the deceased for seven days and then have a solemn meal of bread to signify sustenance, and boiled eggs and lentils, whose circular forms invoke the continuation of life.
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Go to www.inmamaskitchen.com and select ‘Jewish Cooking’. Contributors to this thoughtful site will take you from the history of the Diasporas to a recipe file that spans the globe.
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WHERE & WHEN TO EAT & DRINK
Eating patterns and styles differ throughout the region, but one rule stands firm in each and every country: the best food is always served in private homes. That’s not to say there aren’t some outstanding meals to be had in restaurants. But if you’re fortunate enough to be invited to share a home-cooked meal, don’t think twice.
While restaurant food can be disappointing in Egypt, Israel and Jordan, it can soar to the culinary heavens in Lebanon, Syria and Turkey, particularly in the big cities. The widest selection of regional dishes is, of course, to be found in capital cities and larger towns such as İstanbul, Aleppo, Tripoli and Alexandria.
When you do eat out, you’ll find that the locals usually dine at a later hour than in many Western countries (it’s normal to see diners arrive at a restaurant at 10pm, particularly in summer). They also dine as large family groups, order up big, smoke like chimneys and linger over their meals. The main meal of the day is usually lunch, which is enjoyed at around 2pm. In most places restaurants open from late morning until late into the night, meaning that you can usually keep hunger at bay at most times of the day while your body clock becomes accustomed to the unfamiliar hours. If not, you’re never far from some local form of fast-food outlet serving shwarma or falafel. See under Business Hours in each country’s Directory section for the usual opening hours for restaurants.
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To ask, ‘Do you have any vegetarian dishes?’ in Egypt say, ‘Andak akla nabateeyya?’ In Turkey ask, ‘Etsiz yemekler var mı?’ (Is there something to eat that has no meat?) In other countries ask for dishes that are ‘bidoon lahem’ (without meat).
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