A journey into Syrian cousin

Syrian cuisine is considered one of the most ancient and authentic kitchens in the Arab world. It is characterized by its diversity, due to the different civilizations that flourished in the region – the capital, Damascus, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.
There is no doubt that the Syrian Cuisine was influenced by both global and neighboring cuisines since, in the past, Syria came under the control of the Ottoman Empire and a French Mandate.
Each region in Syria has distinct and famous dishes, from Damascus, Aleppo, Horan, and Al-Badia to the coastal cities. This variety is positively reflected in Syrian cuisine, and Syrian chefs have leverage that and improve on it with their exceptional taste and artistic touch. Over time, many more recipes were added to the menu of the Syrian Cuisine, later to be called oriental foods.

The most delicious dishes of the Syrian Cuisine:
Syrian main meals

Kibbeh

A beloved Syrian national dish, kibbeh consists of finely ground meat, bulgur wheat, and aromatic spices, often served in various forms such as fried or baked.

Maqluba

A delicious one-pot dish consisting of meat (usually chicken or lamb), rice, and vegetables, cooked together and inverted for an impressive presentation.

Yabrak (Stuffed Vine Leaves)

One thing you’ll notice about traditional Syrian foods is that they sure do love stuffing things into grape leaves. Yabraq is another one of those dishes. Similar to a dolma, but with a few changes in the cooking method. Initially, the grape leaves start as frozen, which are boiled to be ready for rolling. The stuffing consists of minced lamb meat, liyeh (sheep or lamb tail fat), salt, pepper and boiled Egyptian rice. You tightly roll the meat stuffing into the grape leaves. Then, you slow-cook it in lemon juice, garlic cloves, water, and salt for two hours on low heat.

Kibbeh Bil Sanieh

Kibbeh bil sanieh is a three layer kibbeh dish. Instead of frying, people bake this in the oven. The top and bottom layer are a blend of beef and bulgur. The middle layer consists of sautéed ground beef and pine nuts. Kibbeh is a traditional dish of the Levant region, and especially in Syria. Although, Brazil has a variation that uses cheese.

Kebab Halabi

A very popular Syrian grilled meat dish, kebab halabi are skewered and grilled kebabs. People serve it with a Syrian tomato sauce and strained yogurt. The kebabs are made of ground meat (usually beef or lamb) mixed with nuts, seven spice mix, onions, and other vegetables and salt. Then, the mix is wrapped around skewers in a long patty shape and grilled over open fire. This grilled saucy kebab is served on top of vermicelli or flavored rice.

Sheikh Al-Mahshi

The main ingredient of Sheikh Al-Mahshi is zucchini, along with ground beef or chicken and yogurt. It has a unique flavor but takes a long time to prepare; you have to scrap out the zucchini first then fill it with meat and pine nuts. While it takes time, the taste makes it worth all the effort!
It is everybody’s favorite lunch so you will always find in on the menu, especially in the holy month of Ramadan. Various types of accompaniments are served with it, particularly sour pickles and eggplant dip.

Shish Barak

This is a dish of Uzbek origin, but it has been modified according to Syrian ingredients. Shish Barak is famous in the Levant, Saudi Arabia, and the Hijaz.
It consists of dough stuffed with ground lamb and nuts and boiled with yogurt. It’s also referred to as Athan Alshaeb, which means the ear of an old man, because of its shape and color.

Al-Mujadara

Mujadara is popular in Syria, but also a popular food in neighboring Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine. It is made of brown lentils cooked with rice or bulgur wheat with roasted onions.
There is no clear story about the origin of the name Al-Mujadara, but some think that it comes from the word Mqdara, which means authentic meal. Mqdara turned into Mujadara in the Bedouin dialect!

Grilled Kibbeh

The cuisine of Aleppo is rich with all sorts of tasty recipes, and there are dozens of Aleppo kibbeh recipes, including grilled kibbeh. It is slightly difficult to make Aleppo grilled kibbeh, so some people go to restaurants or buy them pre-made, while others prefer to endure long hours of crafting this delicious meal for their family.
Grilled kibbeh is a staple dish in Syrian cuisine and is usually enjoyed with pickles and pomegranate molasses.

Raghda Sawas