National cuisine of Egypt for gourmets. Authentic recipes, delicacies and specialties

Egyptian cuisine is a kaleidoscope of amazing tastes. Its richness and diversity impress even discerning gourmets. It harmoniously combines the culinary traditions of Greece, Syria, Lebanon and other countries. Hot climate has determined the taste preferences of the Egyptians: vegetable products are always preferred to meat and fish. Great importance is paid to the way of cooking. Residents of Egypt use spicy marinades and a lot of seasonings. Food is served with various sauces. Egyptian falafel and fava beans are widely recognized. Instead of ordinary bread, Egyptians eat "Aish Baladi" flatbread. Food is traditionally divided into everyday and festive dishes. The main meal is dinner when tables are groaning with food.

Meat dishes are the pride of Egyptian national cuisine. One example is the Nubian "Fatta". It's a thick meat broth with beef, rice, scrambled eggs and fried bread that is cooked for auspicious occasions. Egyptians prepare delicious pilaf with chicken liver and mushrooms. Connoisseurs of exotics should try "Mahvi" - fried pigeons stuffed with rice or millet, camel's liver or a ram roasted on a spit. In any restaurant, you can taste "Kufta" lamb chops with spices, kebabs, pastrami, "Shakshuka" - fried eggs with meat and tomatoes, "Tarb" - stuffed lamb's stomach. "Uara-Inab" is rolls of grape leaves with rice and minced meat.

Poultry and fish dishes are also of interest to tourists. This is fragrant "Mulukhiyah" from jute leaves, chicken, garlic, and coriander. In Alexandria or Port Said it is prepared based on seafood. Chicken in Cairo has a special taste. The poultry is marinated, boiled, coated in honey and baked in the oven. "Molokheyya" chicken soup is prepared from vegetables, garlic, and herbs. The traditional way of cooking fish dishes is grilling. Fresh fish is cut, rubbed with spices, and cooked on the grill. "Fesikh" is usually prepared during Sham El-Nessim spring festival. Mullet is dried in the sun and salted in big jars, after which eaten with bread, lemons, and onions. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Egyptian cuisine includes a variety of vegetable side dishes and snacks. These are "Torshi" salad from pickled vegetables, "Tabule" from tomatoes with greens, olive oil, and lemon juice. Such an unusual dish as "Kushari" is prepared from lentils, chickpeas, rice, pasta and fried onions with tomato sauce and garlic. One of the Egyptians' favorite dishes is "Ful medames". It is beans dressed with a sauce of vegetable oil, garlic, and lemon juice. Today, it complements pastrami along with fried or boiled eggs. Popular snacks are mashed taro roots with garlic-lemon dressing and coriander, "Dukka" from nuts with herbs and spices, "Mesh" with tomatoes and "Gibna Domiati" white soft cheese, bean burgers, "Tahini" paste made from sesame and cumin.

Particularly noteworthy are delicious Egyptian sweets. These are delicate lucum, fruits, and nuts in sugar, halva from sesame paste, honey baklava with nuts. A traditional dessert is "Basbusa" pie from semolina with honey and nuts. Sweet "Kunafa» is cooked from thin "Kudaif" pasta. The dough is filled with creamy nut filling, baked and poured with fruit syrup. "Sakalans" is based on halva with honey and whipped cream. Tourists should try "Balah El Sham" deep-fried sugar sticks, "Gullesh" with custard, "Muhalabia" milk-rice pudding with butter and nuts.

Egyptians prefer to drink black tea, coffee with cardamom. National drinks are slightly sour karkade of Sudanese Rose leaves, "Asyr-Asyp" cane juice, and "Hushaf" from dates. Egyptian wines are also in demand among tourists. Well-developed restaurant chains invite guests to appreciate the taste of national dishes and drinks. In Cairo, "Aboud El side" serves masterfully prepared stuffed pigeons. The calling card of "Abu Ashraf" in Alexandria and "Dananir" in Sharm el Sheikh are fish and seafood dishes. Africa restaurant in Luxor offers traditional dishes cooked in pots on an open fire. The main specialty of "Felfela" restaurant in Hurghada is Kufta, grilled veal, and lamb.