Middle East and Africa

Middle East

Middle East Cuisine Basic to all Middle East cuisine are five ingredients: Lemon, garlic, green pepper, eggplant and tomato

Middle East Cuisine Like Mediterranean Cuisine, Middle Eastern cuisine uses many kinds of olives and olive oil.

Middle East Cuisine Spice caravans were once a common sight in the middle east, and spices are still used liberally in middle eastern cuisine. Middle Eastern food is not spicy hot, but spices do add a delicate flavor to foods.

Middle Eastern Cuisine In the Middle East, lamb is the staple meat and is often roasted whole. Middle Eastern yogurt is curdled milk with a tangy flavor, and is not at all like yogurt found in the United States

Middle Eastern Cuisine Wheat, beans, rice, lentils, and chickpeas are the staple grains in the Middle East Bulgur is a grain product made from whole wheat that has been cooked, dried, and cracked. Middle Easterners add this wheat to many dishes including soups and stews

Middle Eastern Cuisine Middle Easterners, as a general rule, enjoy rich desserts and coffee. Middle Eastern coffee is strong, and mostly served black (without cream or sugar)

Africa

African Cuisine Each country in Africa has its own unique cuisine. Most African countries don’t have refrigeration, so cooks who live in cities are likely to make daily trips to the market to buy fresh food.

African Cuisine A wide variety of fruits and vegetables grow in Africa. Papaya, plantains, cassava, okra and mango are common in African cuisine

African Cuisine In urban areas of Africa, some people follow a daily meal pattern, but in the more poverty-stricken areas of the continent people eat what they can when they can.

African Cuisine The traditional African dinner table is low, and people sit on pillows—not chairs. Diners do not use knives or forks. Most eating is done with the fingers, though spoons may be used