Levantine Cuisine

Levantine cuisine is the cuisine of the Levant region of the Middle East, including Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, and surrounding areas.

Levantine cuisine shares similarities with neighboring cuisines such as Egyptian cuisine, Turkish cuisine, and Persian cuisine.

Some foods such as bread are made in a traditional clay oven called tabun(طابون). Thin flatbreads may be cooked on a convex griddle called saj.

Ingredients

chickpea, fava bean

Several common herbs are native to the region including parsley and thyme. Sumac, native to eastern Mediterranean areas including the Levant, has a sour flavor and is used for seasoning. Hyssop is a less common herb also from the region. Za’atar(زَعْتَر) refers to thyme, oregano, hyssop, and related herbs as well as to a mixture of dried herbs, usually including sumac, thyme, and/or oregano. Herbs are used fresh and dried.

Sesame seeds are made into sesame paste or tahini(طحينية).

Lemons have been cultivated around the Mediterranean for hundreds or even thousands of year.

eggplant

Olive is native all around the Mediterranean. It is widely used to make olive oil. Raw olives are very bitter and must be cured and/or fermented to remove bitterness.

lamb

Dishes

• pita bread(خبز البيتا khubz albayta): small flatbread with a pocket
• tabun bread(خبز طابون khubz tabun): thin flatbread baked in an oven
• markuk bread(خبز مرقوق khubz marquq): thin unleavened flatbread generally cooked on a convex griddle(saj)
• manaqish(مناقيش): flatbread cooked with toppings such as za’atar
• fattoush(فتوش): pita bread salad with vegetables
• za’atar(زَعْتَر): topping made of mixed various herbs
• toum: garlic sauce
• hummus(الحمص): dip made from seasoned sesame paste and chickpeas
• baba ghanoush(بابا غنوج): mashed cooked eggplant dip
• tabbouleh(تبولة):
• dolma(محشي):
• falafel(الفلافل): fried mashed chickpea or other legume
• kibbeh(كبة):
• shawarma(شاورما): slow-grilled marinated meat, generally served wrapped in flatbread with toppings
• sfuf(صفوف): sweet semolina cake, usually with nuts added