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FOODS OF THE EGYPTIANS

Thousands of years ago, ancient Egyptians left evidence of their love for food. Well preserved wall paintings and carvings have been discovered on tombs and temples, depicting large feasts and a variety of foods.

Many of these ancient foods are still eaten in Egyptian households today. Peas, beans, cucumbers, dates, figs and grapes were popular fruits and vegetables in ancient times. Wheat and barley, ancient staple crops, were used to make bread and beer.

Fish and poultry were also popular. Dried fish was prepared by cleaning the fish, coating the pieces with salt, and placing them the sun to dry. Fasieekh (salted, dried fish) remained a popular meal in Egypt as of 2000.

The unique Egyptian cuisine has been influenced throughout history, particularly by its neighbors from the Middle East.

Persians (modern-day Iraqis), Greeks, Romans (modern-day Italians), Arabs, and Ottomans (from modern-day Turkish) first influenced Egyptian cuisine thousands of years ago.

More recently, the foods of other Arabic people in the Middle East such as the Lebanese, Palestinians, Syrians,

as well as some foods from Europe, have affected the Egyptian diet. However, Egyptian cuisine maintains its uniqueness.

After thousands of years, rice and bread remain staple foods, and molokhiyya (a spinach-like vegetable)

and ful mudammas (cooked, creamy fava beans), a national dish, are nearly as popular as long ago.

Egypt has a variety of national dishes. Ful (pronounced "fool," bean paste), tahini (sesame paste), koushari (lentils, macaroni, rice, and chickpeas), aish baladi (a pita-like bread), kofta (spicy, minced lamb), and kebab (grilled lamb pieces) are the most popular.
Aish the Arabic name for bread, means "life." It accompanies most meals and is served in various forms.

The most common bread is pita, usually made with whole wheat (or sometimes white) flour. Long, skinny French-style loaves of bread are also widely eaten throughout the country. Traditional Egyptian cheeses, as well as feta imported from neighboring Greece,

are frequently served alongside bread at meals.

Ful (creamy bean paste made from fava beans), one of the country's several national dishes, is a typical breakfast meal.

It is often served in a spicy sauce, topped with an egg. Lunch, normally served between 2 P.M. and 4 P.M.,

usually includes meat or fish, rice, bread, and seasonal vegetables. Salad ( mezza, or mezze if more than one is served),

topped with typical Middle Eastern fare such as olives, cheese, and nuts, may also be eaten. Meat (usually lamb, chicken, fish, rabbit, or pigeon), vegetables, and bread make up a typical dinner in Egypt.

Tea and a dessert, such as baklava (honey pastry), basbousa (cream-filled cake), or konafa (cooked batter stuffed with nuts), are familiar after-dinner treats. Tea and coffee are widely consumed.

Egypt's numerous coffee and teahouses brew very strong coffee and tea (often mint tea), usually offering both full of sugar.

Coffeehouses are typically filled with men who gather to play dominoes or backgammon.

Coffee is served saada or "bitter" (no sugar) or ziyada or "very sweet." Egyptians also enjoy a drink called sahleb

, made from wheat, milk, and chopped nuts.
For a typical dessert, Egyptians may serve mint tea with sugar and a sweet, flaky pastry called baklava.

Koushari (Lentils, Macaroni, Rice, and Chickpeas)

1 cup lentils
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup elbow macaroni
1 cup rice
1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas (also called ceci)
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Sauce

1 cup canned tomato puree
¼ cup olive oil
2 onions
1 garlic clove, or to taste

Procedure

Prepare lentils: Place the lentils in a sieve and rinse thoroughly. Place them in a large saucepan with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt.
Heat until the water begins to boil. Lower the heat, and simmer for about 1 hour until lentils are tender. Drain and set the lentils aside.
Prepare the macaroni: Fill the same saucepan with water (add salt if desired). Heat until the water begins to boil.
Add the macaroni and boil about 12 to 15 minutes, until the macaroni is tender. Drain and set the macaroni aside. (It is okay to combine the macaroni and lentils.)

Prepare the rice: Heat the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in the same saucepan. Add the rice and cook for 2 or 3 minutes, thoroughly coating the rice with oil. Add 2 cups of water and heat until the water begins to boil. Cover the saucepan and simmer until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes.

Assemble koushari: Drain chickpeas and rinse. Add chickpeas, lentils, and macaroni to cooked rice and toss very gently with a fork.
Make sauce: Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each half crosswise into thin slices.
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a skillet. Add onions and cook, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until onions are golden brown.
Add garlic clove and cook 1 or 2 more minutes. Stir in tomato puree and heat until bubbly.

Now pour the sauce over the lentil mixture and heat over very low heat for about 5 minutes, until completely warm.
Serve with pita bread.

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