Syrian cuisine


Syrian cuisine includes the cooking traditions and practices of modern Syria, merging the habits of people who settled in Syria throughout its history.
Syrian cuisine mainly uses eggplant, zucchini, garlic, meat, sesame seeds, rice, chickpeas, fava beans, lentils, cabbage, cauliflower, vine leaves, pickled turnips, cucumbers, tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, mint, pistachios, honey and fruits.
At the beginning of the 21st century, selections of appetizers known as "mezze" are customarily served along with Arabic bread before the Syrian meal's main course, which is followed by coffee, with sweet confectioneries or fruits at will. Many recipes date from at least the 13th century.

Foods

Meze

include:
NameDescription
Hummus a dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.
Hummus bil-lahm hummus with meat on top.
Tabbouleh bulgur, finely chopped parsley, mint, tomato, spring onion, with lemon juice, olive oil and seasonings.
Mutabbal mashed eggplant blended with tahini, olive oil, salt and garlic.
Babaghanoush eggplant mashed and mixed with seasonings.
Moussaka grilled eggplant mashed with olive oil, tomato, onion and garlic.
Fasolia bi zeit green beans with olive oil, lemon and garlic.
Kibbeh in the Middle East– dishes made of bulghur, chopped meat, and spices.
Fattoush salad made from several garden vegetables and toasted or fried pieces of pita bread.
Falafel a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both.
Olives
Halloumi cheese usually sliced and grilled or fried.
Labneh strained yogurt which tastes similar to cream or sour cream only more tart.
Shanklish cow's milk or sheep's milk cheeses.
Makdus Stuffed and pickled eggplants.
Muhammarah a hot pepper dip from Aleppo, made from Aleppo pepper.
Fatteh pieces of Arabic bread covered with other ingredients.
Fatteh bi-s-samn Fatteh made with beef or sheep tallow.
Fatteh bi-z-zayt Fatteh made with vegetable, corn, or olive oil.
Fatteh al-makdus Fatteh with makdus and minced meat.
Fatteh dajaj Fatteh with chicken.
Fatteh bi-l-lahm Fatteh with meat.
Lahmacun a thin piece of dough topped with minced meat and vegetables.
Harra' Esbao'o lentils with dough
Baterish mashed roasted eggplant
Shakeria cooked yoghurt
Makmur chopped zucchini with rice
Jez Mez a sort of Shakshouka
Kashk drained yogurt

Vine leaves

''[Kebab]''

NameDescription
Kebab Grilled meat.
Kebab Halabi Kebab served with a spicy tomato sauce and Aleppo pepper. It has about 26 variants, including:
  • kebab hindi, made from rolled lamb, with tomato paste, onion, capsicum and pomegranate molasses;
  • kebab kamayeh, made from soft meat with truffle pieces, onion and various nuts;
  • kebab karaz, made from lamb meatballs with cherries and cherry paste, pine nuts, sugar and pomegranate molasses;
  • kebab khashkhash, made from rolled lamb or beef with chili pepper paste, parsley, garlic and pine nuts;
  • siniyyet kebab, made from lean minced lamb served on a tray with chili pepper, onion and tomato.

''Kubbeh">Kibbe">Kubbeh''

A variety of Syrian dishes made from a fried, baked, grilled, cooked, or raw mixture of bulghur and minced lamb are called "kubbeh". Kubbeh recipes include:
NameDescription
Kubbeh bi-s-siniyyeh A plate of baked kubbeh.
Kubbeh Halab Kubbeh with a rice crust. Although named after Aleppo, this recipe seems to be of Iraqi origin.
Kubbeh hamid Kubbeh with lemon juice.
Kubbeh labaniyyeh Cooked kubbeh with yogurt.
Kubbeh 'qras Grilled Grilled kubbeh.
Kubbeh nayyeh Raw kubbeh.
Kubbeh safarjaliyyeh Kubbeh with quince.
Kubbeh summa'iyyeh Kubbeh with sumac.

''Mahshi''

A famous dish served in Syria is made from vegetables which are stuffed with ground beef or lamb or mutton, and nuts and rice.

Street food

Syrian street food includes:
NameDescription
Booza Ice cream known for its elastic texture, which is caused by the presence of mastic.
Falafil Fried balls or patties of spiced, mashed chickpeas, most often served in Arabic bread, with pickles, tahina, hummus, sumac, cut vegetable salad and often, shatteh, a hot sauce, the type used depending on the falafil maker.
Ka'ak Rings of bread, made from farina and other ingredients, commonly sprinkled with sesame seeds, occasionally served on the table to accompany Syrian cheese. A buttery and sweetened version of these, filled with crushed dates or walnuts, is eaten as a dessert, usually served to eat with string cheese shaped into a braid.
Shawarma Sliced and marinated meat shaved off a roasting skewer and stuffed into Arabic bread or sometimes baguette, alone with hummus, or with additional trimmings such as fresh onion, French fries, salads and pickles.
Manakish Dough topped with thyme, cheese or ground meat. It can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch.

Sweets

Sweets include:
NameDescription
Ba'lawah Layered pastry filled with nuts, steeped in a honey syrup called "'atr", and usually cut in a triangular or diamond shape.
Barazek A sort of sesame seed cookies, made from white sesame seeds, butter, sugar, milk and honey.
Basbousa A sweet cake made of cooked semolina or farina soaked in simple syrup.
Bashmina Made mainly from flour with a honey syrup called "'atr".
Bilatat Jahanam Made mainly from sugar and flour with a red food coloring.
Crêpe A very thin French pastry with butter and sugar.
Ghazal al-banat Sugar cotton candy stuffed with pistachios or cashew.
Halawet al-jibn Pastry rolled and stuffed with cheese or thick milk cream, served with a honey syrup called "'atr".
Halaweh Homsiyyeh Also known as al Qurmashliya, made from flour, water and salt, then fried with oil until they form little pieces, which would be colored afterwards.
Halweh A slab of sesame paste studded with fruit and candy/sweets.
Haytaliya A sort of milk pudding.
Kanafeh Shoelace pastry dessert stuffed with sweet white cheese, nuts and syrup.
Ma'mul Biscuits filled with dates, pistachios or walnuts, and shaped in a wooden mould called "tabi'". It is a popular sweet on Christian holidays, Muslim holidays, and Jewish holidays.
Mamuniyyeh Mixture of semolina and ghee butter simmered in water with sugar, usually served with salty cheese or milk cream called "qishteh".
Muhallebi A sort of milk pudding.
Nabulsiyyeh A layer of semi-salty Nabulsi cheese covered with a semolina dough and drizzled with a honey syrup called "'atr".
Qada'ef Semolina dough stuffed with a paste made from sweet walnuts or milk cream, with a honey syrup called "'atr".
Qamar al-Din Dried apricot paste.
Raha A confection based on a gel of starch and sugar.
Rice pudding Made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon.
Simsimiyah A confection of sesame seeds and sugar or honey, with some Saponaria.
Suwar as-sitt A disc-shaped pastry steeped in a honey syrup called "'atr" while the centre is covered with smashed pistachios.
Taj al-malik Round dry pastry, the centre of which is filled with pistachios, cashews or other nuts.
Zilabiyyeh Thin sheets of semolina dough, boiled, rolled and stuffed with pistachios or milk cream called "qishteh".
Znud as-sitt Phyllo pastries with various fillings.

Cakes

NameDescription
Ara A distilled alcoholic spirit, transparent in color, made from anise seeds.
Wine An alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes.
Syrian beer A beverage prepared from yeast-fermented malt, flavored with hops.
Syrian coffee A beverage made from lightly roasted coffee beans along with cardamom, and served in small cups.
Qamar al-Din A thick apricot juice, typically served for Iftar during Ramadan.
Al-mateh A caffeine-infused drink produced from ground yerba mate leaves and served hot.
Salep A traditional winter beverage which is a flour made from the tubers of the orchid genus Orchis. Salep flour is consumed in beverages and desserts.
'Ayran A yogurt-based beverage mixed with salt and water.
Polo Mint lemonade.
Jallab A fruit syrup which can be combined with liquid to form a hot or warm beverage.
Qahweh bayda' A caffeine-free drink made from water and orange blossom water, sweetened with sugar at will, usually served in lieu of coffee.