6 Things to Order off a Palestinian Menu

Palestine is so much more than what we’ve all been hearing about recently in the news. It is a beautiful culture with an incredibly diverse cuisine. The cultural erasure that is happening in Palestine right now can be fought in many ways, but one of them is through talking about the culture and, of course, talking about the food. With the help of my subscribers of Palestinian descent, I was able to learn more about the beauty of Palestinian culture what this vibrant cuisine is made up of.

Featuring

Asma

Qutiaba

Asma

1. Zeit W Za’atar

“It’s the essence of any Palestinian meal. You have to roll up your bread like a cigarette and dip it in lots and lots of olive oil and then dip it in za’atar and just enjoy the magic.” – Asma

2. Salata Tahina

“If you see that on a table, you know you’re in a Palestinian family home. This is just the most basic salad that we have even with our breakfast, or with our lunch, or with our dinner. It’s usually made out of the harvest of our garden. It’s super super delicious.” – Asma

3. Wara Dawali

“They’re grape leaves filled with spiced rice. Making this is very time consuming, so a lot of people make it sort of a social activity where they gather in order to make this dish together.” – Asma

4. M’sakhan

“It’s THE quintessential Palestinian dish. It mixes taboon bread with sautéed onions and sumac. Sumac is a very tangy, acidic spice. It’s very specific to Levantine and Palestinian cuisine.” – Qutiaba

“This dish is a celebration of the Palestinian cuisine because it was usually made during the harvest season. This dish is very comforting. It reflects the values of Palestinians; their dedication, their love for the land, and enjoying the final products of their hard work.” – Asma

5. Maklouba

“‘Maklouba’ translates to ‘upside down’ and it’s because of how the food is flipped at the end.” – Asma

“Maklouba is the must-have dish of Palestinian cuisine. It’s usually potatoes, aubergine, and cauliflower and then layering it in a big pot with chicken, rice, and then in the end it all gets flipped over, hence the name. If you ask many people in Palestine, they would almost always say their favorite dish is maklouba.” – Qutiaba

6. Kanafa

“This usually features a semolina-type dough which is put first into the pan, then it gets topped with cheese so only the dough sees the heat from the pan. Then it’s drenched in syrup. It’s a quintessential Palestinian sweet.” – Qutiaba

These dishes were all incredible, plus there’s so much more to explore! My subscribes also recommended trying Khyar Ma Laban (yogurt with cucumbers and mint), Salata Filistini (cucumber, tomato, and parsley salad), Fattat Jaj (rice with chicken, chickpeas, and pita), Kefta Bi Tahina (kebabs with vegetables), and Qahwa Arabia (cardamom coffee). So with this, I hope you all learned something new about Palestine besides what we see in the news and more about their beautiful cuisine. If there is a Palestinian restaurant near where you live, I highly recommend you check it out and get all of these dishes!

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