That Translator Can Cook: Warak Enab (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Warak enab means ‘grape leaves’ in Arabic, but this dish is also commonly known as dolma, which is the singular term of this dish in Greek-usually the Greek stuffed grape leaves are referred to as dolmades (the plural term)…
That Translator Can Cook: Margoog
This hearty stew is also called ‘matateez,’ which is quite fun to say. I could not find anything about margoog’s history, whether I searched in English or Arabic, so…
That Translator Can Cook: Sumagiyya
While sumagiyya is made throughout the Levant (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine), it is a Gazan staple…
That Translator Can Cook: Malfouf (Stuffed Cabbage)
A lot of people don’t like cabbage because it stinks when you cook it, but cabbage is good for you…
That Translator Can Cook: Mombar
There are many similar yet distinct ways of stuffing sausage across North Africa and Southwest Asia…
That Translator Can Cook: Mutabbaq
Mutabar (muta meaning ‘egg’ and bar meaning ‘roti’) is the original name of this dish, but I’m not quite sure which language it is…
That Translator Can Cook: Kousa Mahshi
I don’t really make this dish much in the US because the zucchinis and eggplants are not the right size for this dish…
That Translator Can Cook: Lahm bi Ajeen/Sfiha
Lahm bi ajeen (lit. ‘meat with dough’) and sfiha seem to be almost the same recipe, except I see lahm bi ajeen is typically flat whereas sfiha’s corners tend to be pinched together…
That Translator Can Cook: Margat Bamya
A lot of the dishes that Iraqis cook today are quite similar to the ones that people cooked in ancient Mesopotamia and medieval times…
That Translator Can Cook: Mansaf
Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan because it’s rooted in Jordan’s Bedouin heritage, but mansaf is also popular in Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia with some slight variation in ingredients/preparation…
That Translator Can Cook: Shuwa
Shuwa derives from the Arabic verb ‘shawaa,’ which means “to grill.” This dish is considered “the cornerstone of Oman’s culture”…
That Translator Can Cook: Tagine
Tagine can be found across North Africa, basically wherever the Imazighen lived, but I believe tagine is most popular in Morocco and can even be considered one of its national dishes…
That Translator Can Cook: Tharid
Tharid is said to be Prophet Muhammad’s favorite dish: “…And the superiority of A'ishah [his wife] to other women is like the superiority of tharid to other kinds of food" (Sahih Al Bukhari Volume 7, Book 65, Number 329)…
That Translator Can Cook: Fattet Makdous
Now, this may not be healthiest dish, but it is certainly healthier than many other dishes. Store-bought pita chips are not healthy, but pita chips made by your own hands can be…
That Translator Can Cook: Timman Ou Qeema
This dish is popular in Iraq and tends to be served at Islamic celebrations like Ashura, which is the 10th day of the 10th Islamic month (Muharram)…
That Translator Can Cook: Fried Kibbeh
Apparently, kibbeh derives from a delicacy called ‘gubibate’ enjoyed by the King of Assyria in 9th century BCE…
That Translator Can Cook: Bazeen
Bazeen is an immensely popular dish in Libya. Families/friends gather around the dish: pulling pieces of the dough and soaking it in the sauce, tearing off bits of meat and potatoes…