A typical Syrian meal includes rice or flat bread,
meat, vegetables, beans, sweets and fruits. The national food is burghol
(bulgur), which is wheat that has been steamed, dried and ground. It is
added to many dishes, including the national dish, kibbeh, which
is made with ground lamb.
Breakfast is served early, often at 6:00 a.m. It
is light, consisting of olives, cheese, yogurt and Turkish coffee. Lunch
is usually the largest meal of the day. People eat at about 2:00 p.m. and
then rest before starting work again. Lunch may begin with appetizers called
mezze,
followed by chicken or lamb stew, salads, cooked vegetables, bread, pastries
and fruit. Dinner is usually light, except during Ramadan and on special
occasions, and is served late in the evening. Turkish coffee and tea, served
very strong and sweet, follow every meal.
Syrian dishes use lamb, chicken, dried beans and
rice. Garlic, olive oil or purified butterfat are used in many dishes.
Hummus
(a puree of chickpeas), baba ghanoush (an eggplant puree) and falafel
(fried ground chickpeas) are popular Syrian foods.
Makkadem (sheeps
feet) is a traditional dish, and is considered a delicacy. The coastal
area is known for its shangleach, spiced yogurt. |
Did
you know? |
It is
not unusual for a host to insist that a guest keep eating until everything
on the table is finished. There is an Arab saying that the quantity eaten
by a guest reflects his or her affection for the host. |
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Syrians eat with the right hand, sometimes using
flat bread to scoop up food. Muslims do not eat pork or drink alcohol.
They eat halal meat, which has been specially prepared by the butcher according
to Muslim traditions.
For a quick snack, Syrian shops sell shawarma,
thinly sliced lamb or chicken with garnishes, rolled up in a small piece
of flat bread. Depending on the season, street vendors sell unripe almonds
dipped in salt, unripe plums, corn on the cob, roasted chestnuts or ripe
prickly pears. There are also hundreds of shops where Syrians can buy fresh
fruit juice or drinks made with a combination of milk and juice. |
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Kibbeh |
Ingredients
375 ml bulgur (fine cracked
wheat)
900 g lean ground lamb or
beef
1 large onion, ground
Salt and pepper to taste
125 ml cold water
Preparation
Rinse bulgur
in water. Drain the bulgur by cupping it in your hands and squeezing out
all the moisture. Add ground meat, onion, salt and pepper. Grind all the
ingredients together twice. (If a grinder is not available, knead all ingredients
together well.) After grinding or kneading, add cold water to soften, and
knead again. In palm of hand flatten balls of the kibbeh until about 2-cm
thick, like hamburgers. Fry in hot oil until brown on both sides. |
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Did
you know? |
Arak
is a popular anise-flavoured drink, often served as an aperitif. Koravya
is a special drink made from caraway seeds. Syrians serve koravya
only at special parties that are held ten days after the birth of a child. |
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