Palästinensische Küche

Vorlage:Palestinians Palestinian cuisine (Vorlage:Lang-ar) consists of foods from or commonly eaten by the Arabs of historical Palestine - which includes Arabs living in the Palestinian territories, Israel, and refugee camps in nearby countries as well as by Palestinians living abroad. Palestinian cuisine is similar to other Levantine cuisines, including Lebanese, Syrian, and Western Jordanian.

The foods and cooking styles of the Palestinians varies by region and each type of cooking style and the ingredients used are generally based on the climate and location of the particular region. In the Galilee, the ingredients mostly used, include, various leaf vegetables and lamb. However, in the West Bank, the population has a cooking style of their own - it is particularly heavy and contrasts from the foods of the northern Levant. Main dishes involve flatbreads and roasted meats. The staple food of the inhabitants in the Gaza Strip is fish due to its location on the Mediterranean coast. Their culinary influences are also strongly affected by traditional Egyptian cooking, primarily involving the use of hot peppers and other tangy vegetables. Although the cuisine is diverse, Palestinians, in general, do not restrict themselves to the foods of their specific region and there is constant culinary diffusion amongst them.

In addition to appetizers and entrées, the area is also notable for its many desserts. Sweets range from those made daily or regularly and those that are commonly reserved for holidays. Most Palestinian desserts are pastries filled with either sweetened cheeses, dates or various nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios. Beverages could also depend on holidays such as during Ramadan, where carob, tamarind and apricot juices are consumed at daybreak. Liquor is not very prevalent amongst the population, however, some alcoholic beverages such as arak or beer are frequented by Christians and less conservative Muslims.

History

The modern cuisine of Palestine s primarily influenced by Arabian nomads (Bedouin) and the Turks. In Arabia, meals tended to be rough sketches composed of rice and livestock such as, sheep, goat and camel. Dates were commonly eaten as dessert or snack food due to its abundance in the region.

Bedouin traveled throughout the Middle East and even India and new spices (sumac, saffron, allspice) and vegetables were discovered and diffused to their more simple cuisine. Each new discovery was incorporated into the cuisine palatable to a particular tribe - a fact that many cooks believe is responsible for the diversity of some Arabic dishes today.^[1]

Bedouin influence was broadened by other cuisines in the region, notably from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt, resulting in a highly diverse food and drink culture. Nablus was a culinary center in the Levant along with Aleppo, Damascus and Beirut.^[1]

Regional cuisines

Galilee

The Galilee has a number of light entrées and of them includes waraq al-'ainib (wrapped grape leaves), or as known in the West as dolma, which is a very popular with the Galilee's Arab population. It is made from grape leaves wrapped around minced meat, white rice and diced tomatoes. It is then cooked and served as dozens of rolls on a large plate usually accompanied by boiled potato slices, carrots, lamb, and kousa mahshi, which are zucchinis stuffed with the same ingredients as in the waraq al-'ainib. If made with a large number of zucchinis it is known as waraq al-'ainib wa kusa.^[2]

Another meal is Kibbee, which is a bulgur crust stuffed with minced lamb or beef mixed with pepper, allspice and other spices and then fried. Kibbeh nayyeh is a variation of kibbeh that is served as raw lamb meat mixed with bulgar and a variety of spices. It is eaten as a dip for pita or markook bread and its leftovers are usually cooked as a different meal the next day.^[2] Shish kebab or mashwi and shish taouk are grilled meats on skewers.^[2]

West Bank

Musakhan is a common main dish and originated in the northern West Bank. It consists of a roasted chicken, topped with pieces of fried sweet onions, sumac, allspice and pine nuts over a Taboon bread.^[2]

Maqluba is an upside-down rice and baked eggplant casserole mixed with cooked cauliflowers, carrots and chicken or lamb. The meal is known throughout the Levant but among Palestinians especially. It dates back to the 13th century.^[3] Mansaf is a traditional meal of the West Bank having roots from the Bedouin population of Jordan. It is mostly cooked on occasions such as during holidays, a birth or a large gathering. Mansaf is cooked as a lamb leg or large pieces of lamb on top of a taboon bread that has usually been smothered with yellow rice. A type of thick and dried cheesecloth yogurt from goat's milk, called jameed, is poured on top of the lamb and rice to give it its distinct flavor and taste. The dish is also garnished with cooked pine nuts and almonds.^[4]

In addition to heavy meals, the West Bank's many subregions have their own fruit-based jams. In the Hebron area, the primary crops are grapes. Families living in the area harvest the grapes in the spring and summer to produce a variety of products ranging from raisins, jams and a molasses known as dibs.^[2]^[5] The Bethlehem area (Beit Jala and Jifna in particular), are known regionally for their apricots and apricot jam as is the Tulkarm area for its olives and olive oil. Jericho - situated in an arid region - is renowned for its dates, bananas and citrus fruits.^[2]

Gaza

The cuisine of Gaza Strip is influenced by both neighboring Egypt and its location on the Mediterranean coast. The staple food for the majority of the inhabitants in the area is fish. The Gaza Strip has a major fishing industry and fish is often served grilled, stewed or fried.^[6] Besides fish, as well as other types of seafood, Gazan cooking styles are affected by Egyptian culinary influences. This generally includes using green or dried red hot peppers for many of their meals.^[2]

Types of meals

Bread meals

Palestinians bake a variety of different kinds of breads: they include khubz, pita and markook and Taboon. Khubz is an everyday bread and is very similar to pita. It often takes the place of utensils; It is torn into bite size pieces and used to scoop various dips such as hummus or ful.^[2] Markook bread is a paper-thin flatbread and when unfolded it is almost transparent.^[7] Taboon receives its name from the ovens used to bake them.^[2]

There are several diverse types of sandwich and pizza-like foods eaten by the Palestinians, including manaeesh, sfiha, fatayer and shawarma. Manaeesh is a baked flat bread, usually topped with za'atar and olive oil.^[2] simbose and fatayer.^[2] They are baked or sometimes fried doughs stuffed with minced meat and cooked onions or pine nuts (snobar). Sfiha is a baked flat bread that is topped with lamb and cooked red peppers or tomatoes. Shawarma is mostly served in a long folded roll of khubz wrapped around shaved lamb or chicken accompanied by pickled turnips and cucumbers, tomatoes onions and tahina. ^[2] Shawarma could also be served as just lamb slices on a plate with tahina as a side dish.^[8] Falafel are fried peppered fava beans or sometimes hummus, parsley and onions fried together into small patties. It is usually served and eaten wrapped in khubz.^[2]

Dips and side dishes

A wide array of bread dips and side dishes such as, hummus, baba ghanoush, mutabbel and labeneh as well as the variations of each one. Hummus, or garbanzo beans, is most commonly made as hummus bi tahini. The garbanzo beans are boiled, then ground with tahini (sesame paste) and mixed with lemon juice. It often is lathered in olive oil and sometimes sprinkled with paprika or oregano. It could also be mixed boiled or cooked with ful or fava beans and it results in a completely different dish called hummus wa ful that has a distinct flavor and brownish color.^[2]

Baba ghanoush is an eggplant or aubergine salad or dip with several variants. The root of all the variants is broiled and mashed eggplant and tahini lathered with olive oil, which can then be flavored with either garlic, onions, peppers, ground cumin seeds, mint and parsley.^[9] Mutabbel is one of the spicier variants that receives its zest from green chili peppers.^[10]

In addition to dips and salads, a white table cheese known as jibneh Arabieh or jibneh baida is frequently served with the typical mezze. Labaneh is a pasty yogurt-like dip either served on a plate with olive oil and za'atar which is generally called labeneh wa za'atar or in a pita bread sandwich. It is eaten mostly as a breakfast snack with a variety of other side dishes.^[2]

Salads

Tabbouleh with lettuce and wedges of lemon

A Mediterranean-style table salad made in the Levant is tabbouleh. The salad is made from parsley pieces, bulgar, diced tomatoes, cucumbers and is sautéed with lemon juice and vinegar. In 2006, the largest bowl of tabbouleh in the world was prepared by Palestinian cooks in the West Bank city of Ramallah.^[11] Fattoush is a combination of khubz or pita bread peices and parsley with chopped cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes and scallions. It is flavored by sumac - a dark red spice common in the Middle East.^[12]

Sweets

Palestinian desserts as a whole include baklawa, halwa, kanafeh, ma'amoul and other semolina and wheat pastries. Baklawa is an array of pastries made of thin sheets of unleavened flour dough, filled with pistachios and walnuts sweetened by honey.^[2] Halwa or halawa is a block confection of sweetened sesame flour served by sliced pieces. Ma'amoul is a semolina shortbread pastry filled with ground dates or walnuts. It is sometimes a religious food for Palestinians and the Arabs of the Levant, eaten traditionally at daybreak during Ramadan and the feast of Eid al-Fitr as well as during Easter.^[13]

Kanafeh a popular dessert for and from the Palestinians, originating in the city of Nablus, in the northern West Bank. It is made of several fine shreds of pastry noodles with honey-sweetened cheese in the center. The top layer of the pastry is usually dyed orange with food coloring and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. Nablus, to the present day is famed for its kanafeh throughout the Arab World, partly due its use of a white-brined cheese that is named Nabulsi cheese after the city. Boiled sugar is used as a syrup for kanafeh.^[2]

Snack foods

It is common for Palestinian hosts to serve an array of dates, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, seeds and sometimes nougat candies known as Raha to their guests. Roasted and salted watermelon, squash and sunflower seeds as well as, pistachios and cashews are the most common. Watermelon seeds, known as bizir al-bateekh are eaten regularly during various leisurely activities; playing cards, smoking argila, conversing with friends or before and after meals.^[6]

Meal structure

Palestinian culture and life revolves around food in every aspect, whether it is an ordinary day or a special occasion such as a wedding or holiday.^[14] Meals are structured in a cyclical order by Palestinians and span into three main courses and several intermediate ones like coffee, fruits and sweets. Like in most Arab cultures, meals are a time to spend with family and could last 1-2 hours depending on the specific time of the day. Unlike other cultures, lunch is the primary course and breakfast and dinner are lighter in contents.

Iftur (lit. 'break-fast') is term for breakfast, usually consists of fried eggs, olives, labaneh, olive oil or jams. Hummus bi-tahini is also eaten primarily during the time the day.

Gheda is a term for lunch, usually in the afternoon. Lunch is the heaviest meal of the day and main ingredients could include rice, lamb, chicken and cooked vegetables. Stuffed grape, cabbage, chard leaves and zucchinis. Kibbeh bi-saniyyeh is another variation of kibbeh baked in an oven.^[2]

Fawaki wa bizir A wide variety of "Fruits and seeds" usually follow gheda.

'Asha is a term for dinner, usually eaten anytime from 8-10 pm. 'Asha is much simpler than gheda and foods consumed are fatayer, hummus bi-tahini, a variety of salads and Levantine-style omelettes called 'ijee.

'Hilew Sometimes after or just before 'asha as well as when hosting guests come various sweets. Baklawa and halawa are of the most common and are usually purchased from pastry shops. Muhallabiyeh s a homemade rice pudding with milk topped with almonds and pistachios.

Shay wa Kahwe Tea and coffee are served in throughout the day in before, after and between iftur, gheda and 'asha.

Beverages

A coffeehouse in Ottoman Palestine, 1900

Tea is usually flavored with mint or sage leaves and the coffee of choice is usually Turkish or Arabic coffee, often flavored by cardamom. Arabic coffee is unsweetened but spiced.^[2] Homemade fruit juices are also a common household drink during warm days and during Ramadan, the holy month for fasting by Muslims.

A widely consumed liquor by Palestinian Christians and many nonreligious Muslims is Arak. Arak is a clear anise flavored alcoholic drink that is mixed with water to soften it and give it a creamy white color. It is consumed during special occasions such as holidays, weddings, and gatherings or with the mezze.^[2] Beer is another widely consumed drink, especially amongst the Christian population. The Palestinian town of Taybeh in the West Bank contains the only beer brewery in the Palestinian territories. The brewery also produces non-alcoholic beer for conservative Muslims.^[15] Soft drinks are also common in Palestinian homes and the city of Ramallah contains a Coca-Cola bottling plant.^[16]

Holiday cuisine

There is a sharp difference of Palestinian courses eaten on a daily basis in comparison to those reserved for the holidays, especially during the fasting month of Ramadan. In the past, the Musaher of a town would would yell and beat his drum to wake up the town's residents for suhur (lit. 'of dawn') - usually very early in the morning, ranging from 4-6 am. The meals eaten during this time are light and labeneh, cheese, bread and fried or boiled eggs are common foods along with various liquids to drink. The muezzin's call to dawn prayers signaled the beginning of sawm or fasting.^[14]

Breaking the day's fasting traditionally begins with the brief consumption of dates and a chilled beverage. Palestinians make a variety of exquisite fruit-based beverages, including the flavors, tamar hindi or tamarind, sous or licorice, or kharroub or carob.^[2] Tamar hindi is made by soaking tamarinds in water for a many hours, then straining, sweetening and mixing it with rose water and lemon juice.^[14] Kharroub is made similarly except instead of tamarind, carob is used.^[2] Another juice is Qamar Eddine, which is made of dried apricots boiled into a liquid and chilled.^[14]

The term iftar has a different meaning in Ramadan where it is used to describe the 'breaking of fasting' unlike its common meaning of breakfast in the morning. Iftar begins with soup, either made from lentils, vegetables or freekeh. Freekeh soup is made from cracked, green wheat cooked in chicken broth. There is a wide variety of meals served during iftar, ranging from small plates or bowls vegetable-based courses or saniyyehs (large plates or trays) of a particular meat. Common small dishes on the dinner table are bamia - a name for okra in tomato paste, mloukhiyeh, which is corchorus stew or maqali, an array of fried tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes, peppers and zucchini. Rice or plain freekeh are always served alongside the dinner meat,^[14] which could be lamb leg, mutton or roasted chicken (such as musakhan). Each household prepares extra food to provide for their neighbors and the less fortunate. - who receive an equal version of the food eaten at home.

A common Palestinian dessert reserved only for Ramadan is qatayef. It is similar to a pancake except one side is cooked and topped with either sweetened goat cheese or ground walnuts and then folded. The filled pancake is baked and then served with sugar syrup or honey.^[14]

References

Vorlage:Reflist

External links

The rich flavors of Palestine Mai M. Farsakh, This Week in Palestine, Jun 21, 2006
Palestinian Cuisine IMEU, JAN 16, 2006
Hummus, a Palestinian staple by Lailie Ibrahim, Mar. 31, 2006