You are what you eat: the Culture of Food in the Arab World - Essay Example

?You are what you eat: the Culture of Food in the Arab World Introduction The Arabic world consists of many different dialects locally with each country having its own dialects (Ishige, 2008). Despite the many different dialects, most neighbouring Arabic countries can easily understand each other’s dialects as well as for slightly for those distant Arabic speaking countries. Regardless of this difference in addition to the place they come from; Hegarty and O'Mahony (2001) reveal that all Arabs have a clear understanding of the Standard Arabic Language meaning they all can communicate. It is this language factor that underpins the union of or rather the bond that binds together all Arabs (Nabhan, 2006). Other elements of the Arabic culture including music, traditional clothing and food also have great variations from country to country although the variations are not very significant. Edelstein (2010) posits that each Arab country creates a difference in its culture by injecting or infusing a slight flavour from neighbouring non-Arab nations into their culture. This document sets out to explore the major cultures of food in the Arab world. In addition, the paper proceeds to give a brief assessment of the different food cultures in few selected Arab-speaking countries. Globally, each country has got their cooking habits as well as special recipes for cooking certain special foods that ultimately contribute to the countries’ general health of the residents. By now, most of us are familiar with the phrase you are what you eat as it typically addresses the consciousness with which people should be with when deciding on what to eat. This saying has resulted in the development of a commercial advertisement where customers leave a donut shop in costumes shaped like the donut they consumed; a direct indicator that you become like a donut when you eat one and if you don’t want to become one; then eat healthier foods (Edwards, 2006). Despite the fact that there are unhealthy and healthy eaters; research from different countries reveals that the differences in the state of health is as a result of the types of meals that these people eat regularly. The continuing increase in globalization has mass impacts on the food cultures of different countries. Today, countries have begun including recipes from different nations around the world in planning of their meals. A suitable example is with Asian countries where red meat was rarely consumed - approximately once in a month – in the past and has now started to feature in most of their diets as they continue with the acceptance of recipes from the west (Edwards, 2006). In addition, Edwards (2006) reveals that the number of people suffering from diabetes and cancer from this region has been on the increase corresponding with the changes in their typical habits of eating. The Arabic Cuisine In the Arabic world, sharing of a meal with others is an expression of the hosts’ hospitality in addition to being an old honoured tradition. In the Arabic language, Tafathalo is a term used to invite one to the table and it means do me the honour (Ishige, 2008). The Arabic cuisine mainly combines Middle Eastern, Mediterranean and Indian food; an effect brought about the constant mingling of Arabs and non-Arabs that continues to grow. Furthermore, other European cultures like Italian, Spanish, Greek and French have had a hand to play in the changes in the Arab cooking. However, these effects are felt from different geographical locations, for instance, the Indian and Persian cuisine impacted the eastern Arab countries while the whole Arab world was impacted by the entry of the Turkish cuisine (Hegarty and O'Mahony, 2001). Ingredients As earlier noted, the Arabic cuisine is a mixture of a wealthy diversity of Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Indian food (Hegarty and O'Mahony, 2001). The most common items found include cinnamon, fish mostly in coastal areas, curry powder, lamb/veal, garlic, mint, mild to hot sauces, rice, onion, sesame, saffron, spices same to the Indian cuisine due to the profound business links between the two regions. Other items include thyme/oregano, tea, and variety of mainly citrus fruits, turmeric, and an assortment of vegetables like eggplants, cucumbers, tomato, lettuce, green beans, green pepper, parsley and zucchini (Ishige, 2008). Culture of the Arabic Cuisine In Arabic nations, Ishige (2008) asserts that the major theme when it comes to food is hospitality. In many formal celebrations and dinners, the major meals served include large quantities of chicken, lamb or veal, stewed vegetables, rice with tomato sauce. The dishes are then seasoned with a variety of herbs and spices and sometimes served alongside a number of other dishes in addition to salads. Tea is listed as the most favourite hot drink that is mostly consumed by many Arabs and as a result is considered inescapable (Goody and Drago, 2010). Some instances of the meals are usually accompanied by coffee as well. The diet from the Middle East is made of a host of ingredients that are rarely or sometimes not used in typical American kitchens. These items include fava beans, lentil soups, sesame and olive seed oils, dates, feta cheese and olives. The major problem with some Arabic dishes is that they require quite some time to prepare. Such dishes include stuffed zucchini, stuffed grape leaves, cabbage or green peppers. The Arab world has some misconceptions about religion. Among them is than all Arabs are Muslims and all Muslims are Arabs. This is untrue since research has it that Arabs represent about 11-15% of the world’s Muslim population (Ishige, 2008). Muslim Arabs do not eat pork meat in addition to not consuming alcohol. Despite this, many markets in most Arab countries like Egypt, Syria Lebanon and Iraq are stocked with these products mainly to be consumed by the Christian Arabs. Muslims only eat meat that has been ritually slaughtered in a similar way as that of the kosher; a Jewish tradition, terming it as halal to mean allowed (Goody and Drago, 2010). The Common Items in Arabic Recipes Bread – In the Arab world bread holds high regards to an extent that no piece of bread can be noticed on the street as they are picked by the people upon spotting them and placed where no one can accidentally step on it. In the Arabic cuisine, bread is considered an essential ingredient and is used on the side together with salads, or in dishes like the fatteh (Hegarty and O'Mahony, 2001). Dairy – Yoghurt in Arabic countries is used in a number of ways. First, it can be diluted with water and used as a refreshment drink or sometimes it is drained and thickened and used as a condiment. The yoghurt is often made from milk of cows, sheep and or goats. Meat – Most Arab countries use lambs as a source of meat although a few use veal more often as compared to lambs. A dish of a baby lamb and stuffed spiced rice is considered the most priced meal that guests can be served by an Arabic family (Nabhan, 2006). Camel and sheep meat are used for Bedouins as well. Fruits – most widely used fruits and nuts are both fresh and dry and they include lemons, dates, pistachios, pomegranates, apricots, apples, mango, figs, almonds and oranges. Grains – All Arabic countries consume rice as a staple food with numerous ways of preparing it. Serving of the dish is done alongside meat, stewed vegetables and or fish. Another staple grain in the Arab world is wheat that is used either as a whole grain, when cracked or it is milled into flour and used for preparing bread in addition to a variety of other pastries. In some Arab countries, another favourite grain used mostly is bulgur. In Iraq, it is cooked in a similar way as rice while in North African countries it is used in breakfast (Hegarty and O'Mahony, 2001). Oil – The most commonly used oil in the Arab world is olive oil. It is mostly common for dressing and cooking and its production is vast in Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and some parts of Northern Africa. In addition, sesame oil is used as a substitute of olive oil in countries with scarce deposits of olive oil. Salads – Salads are incorporated in almost every meal; whether lunch or dinner. Salads are prepared from fresh greens (vegetables) and simply dressed with fresh lemon or lime juice, pepper, olive oil and salt. Spices – the essence of the Arabic cuisine lies in the spices. Most commonly used spices in most Arab countries include allspice, cinnamon, caraway, saffron, cloves, cumin, turmeric, anise seeds, cardamom, black pepper, nutmeg and sumac. Arabs have a long history in the spices business with other countries. Vegetables – different vegetables exist in the Arab world and these can be consumed either raw or when cooked. The most favourite ones include zucchini, eggplant, okra, cauliflower, spinach and green beans. In addition to these, varieties of dried and fresh legumes and beans are also used, for instance lentils and peas. Mazza (Mezzah) – Most countries around the globe have definite appetizers and side dishes in their recipes. In the Arab world, the main appetizers or side dishes used are the mazza. The mezzah is made of a variety of small tidbits served on small plates and they accompany the main dish. Typically, the mazza include salads, pulses, grains and vegetables (Ishige, 2008). Food for Special Occasions In the culture of Arabs, food is considered special in observation of religious traditions and other related social interactions (Nabhan, 2006). A suitable example is where major holidays and events held by both Christian and Muslim Arabs are marked with special dishes served with special customs. For instance, Muslims celebrate several major holidays across a year. Muslims mark the end of a long fasting month of Ramadan with a holiday called Eid; the Eid marking the pilgrimage season to Mecca; and the Hijri New Year feast (Ishige, 2008). All these holidays are accompanied with periods of feasting on large volumes of food served with different customs to mark the different holiday that is being acknowledged. On the other hand, Christian Arabs have holidays and or feasts that they celebrate and these include the Lenten season, Easter holidays and Christmas holidays. These too include heavy feasting on certain foods with respect to the occasion. Other social events and occasions include the birth of a child, death or marriage which brings people together to share their experiences and in the process have a meal to share for that occasion. The Arab Table Hospitality and generosity are considered the most essential ingredients in the meal of every Arab living in every Arabic country. The Arab table has customs and these include: i. Entertainment is warm and joyous. ii. Hospitability is inescapable irrespective of the person’s relationship with the host, whether the person is invited or just dropped by. iii. Arab families expect no gift when they invite people but flowers or chocolate are acceptable. In addition, the invitation is expected to be reciprocated. iv. The host is often expected to use the word tafathalo when inviting guests to the table. The term means do me the honour (Hegarty and O'Mahony, 2001). v. The host usually invites the guests to pick from all the dishes and try to encourage them to take something from every plate in order to enjoy the different experiences. vi. The guest’s comments of satisfaction and gratitude after the meal are daymah or amer to mean “may the blessings stay with your home” (Ishige, 2008). Cuisine in Different Arab-Speaking Countries Egypt The Egyptian cuisine receives much influence from cuisines originating from Italy, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Greece (Goody and Drago, 2010). Egyptians have a long history of agriculture and have a variety of fruits and vegetables; consequently the cuisine here includes stuffed vegetables, mezzah dishes and pasta. The Nile River contains most of the fertile soils in Egypt and along with regional weather that is moderate; growth of dates, strawberries, sugarcane, figs, mangoes, radishes, turnips, cabbage, oranges, watermelon, artichokes, okra, fava beans, grapes and pomegranates was favoured. Popular dishes include Kushari that includes a combination of pasta and lentils served with a very spicy sauce. The Melokhia or mulukhiyya is prepared by crushing leaves of the Jew’s Mallow (Melokhia) plant – an herb in the mint family at large with a natural agent for thickening and is bitter; cook it with chicken broth together with fried and crushed garlic and coriander. Instead of serving the dish with chicken, it can also be served with goat or rabbit meat. The other dish mostly consumed in Egypt is Ta'mia or Falafel the spicy patty. The dish is great for vegetarians in addition to being able to make a great sandwich as it is made from dried beans. Iraq Of all the Middle East nations, Iraq’s cuisine is renowned for its sophistication as well as its ability to vary. In Iraq, Ishige (2008) affirms that the vegetables used include okra, eggplant, green beans, zucchini, green peas, wheat, bulgur, fava beans, rice, chard and barley. Egyptians use tamarind, dates, vinegar, dried lime, pomegranates and dill. Meat used mostly is fish and lamb meat. The most popular dish in the country is the Masgoof which is made with the shabbout fish that is unique to the Tigris River, it is fire grilled and then served with slices of lemon. Another dish is the Dolmah which is made of vegetables that include stuffed leaves of grape plant, eggplant, pepper, tomato, zucchini, onion, and cabbage leaves; which are then stuffed with a mixture of rice, minced meat (lamb), onions, and parsley (Goody and Drago, 2010). Lebanon The climate of Lebanon differs within the country and as a result alterations exist in the culinary traditions of this tiny nation. The lower mountains of the country are famous for producing grapes, olives, almonds and figs whereas the coastal regions are famous for producing bananas, sugarcane, dates and citrus. The higher mountains produce walnuts, apricots, cherries and peaches whereas the valleys produce wheat. Lebanese are renowned for their mazzah small dishes served prior to a main dish. This country’s cuisine is heavily composed of fresh vegetables, fruits and olive oil. The most popular dish and national dish is Kibbeh. However, the mode of eating this dish varies across the country and it includes raw Kibbeh Nayeh that is made from bulgur and ground lamb. Hummus Bi Tahina is a famous dip in the country that is made from sesame seed paste called tahina and chick peas (Goody and Drago, 2010). It is served anytime an appetizer is needed making every meal enjoyable due to the flavour it has that every Lebanese loves. The dip is easy and quick to prepare in addition to it being for all seasons. Conclusion Early periods saw Arabs heavily rely on a diet of wheat, rice, dates, barley and meat accompanied by heavy consumption of yoghurt products. However, recent trends in globalization that have resulted in mingling of different cultures have changed the food preferences of these people as they come into contact with different cuisines from different cultural backgrounds. As a result, today’s Arab cuisine is a combination of diverse cuisines from India, China, Lebanon etc and their different styles of cooking plus a variety of additional ingredients probably imported to the region. References Edelstein, S. (2010) Food, cuisine, and cultural competency for culinary, hospitality, and nutrition professionals, Jones & Bartlett Learning. Edwards, P. (2006) You are what you eat, viewed 24 Apr 2013 from http://www.boxingscene.com/nutrition/27314.php Goody, M.C. & Drago, L. (2010) Cultural food practices, American Dietetic Association. Hegarty, J. & O'Mahony B. (2001) "Gastronomy: a phenomenon of cultural expressionism and an aesthetic for living," International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 3-13. Ishige, N. (2008) The dietary culture of Asia, (Thomas A. Steele, Trans.), Asia Society. Nabhan G.P. (2006) Why some like it hot: food, genes, and cultural diversity, Island Press. Read More