Iraqi national cuisine hides long the history and complexity of its origin. However, like Iraq itself. It was in this country that the so-called clay books with recipes of different dishes, which are already several tens of thousands years old.
Bit of history
To understand the cuisine of a particular region, you should pay attention on his story. The origin of Iraqi cuisine dates from the sixth century to AD since the creation of a powerful empire by Cyrus the Great. Her open spaces stretched from Egypt to India. The population is so huge lands influenced the formation of national cuisine.
It continues to this day. In general, first impressions of the cuisines of the eastern region are quite ambiguous for residents European continent. Dishes like, like simple, but at the same time time, world chefs give them an assessment of the most unusual dishes in the world. Their colorfulness and intoxicating aroma will never let you guess constituent ingredients. Despite its simplicity and accessibility, Iraqi cuisine has absorbed the whole flavor of the East and pleases many tourists with their unusual combination of look, taste and aroma.
Its basis is composed of two distinctive features – the traditions of those long-standing settlements in modern Iraq in conjunction with the culinary features of the nomadic Arabs who came here much later and settled here. As in other countries West Asia and the Arab world, it is customary to start absorbing food from a snack – mezze. It is quite diverse.
Mezze is represented by kebabs from any meat and salting, eggs with greens, flour cakes and dairy products. Having been to in this country you will not find anywhere else sausages and bacon.
Perhaps this is the only thing that religion forbids from meat products. After the appetizer, soup is served with boiled rice and gravy of young ram meat. The final chord of lunch is aromatic coffee with sweets. Morning in iraq taken eat light and low-fat foods. This use is called food – gadaa. It is similar to the Arabian breakfast, but without eating cereal dishes. Ashaa – lunch is also light. The population eats tightly only during dinner.
Features of national food in Iraq
Meat and rice form the basis of Iraqi food. In connection with religion and their preferences, Muslims do not eat pork meat. Therefore, their diet is mainly ram meat, a little less beef. Most of all they eat poultry – chicken, turkeys and others. The culinary feature of this region is that that practically nothing remains of meat carcass – of all offal prepared separate striking dishes with their complicated recipe.
Most popular are meat dishes in the form of:
- Kebab from any meat except pork.
- Tikk – spit-fried small pieces of a ram.
- Kuosi – whole carcass of a ram fried over a fire, stuffed rice and seasoning.
- Kibbe – minced meat with nuts, raisins and spices.
- Kibbe – sweet potato – a delicious combination of beef stew and potatoes.
- Dolma is the most popular dish in the Middle East.
- Stuffed cabbage – instead of minced meat there is a bean wrapped in vegetables cabbage.
- Red rice with chicken.
- Kebab.
- Lahma – bi –ajin – beef stewed with fruit and vegetables.
There are many fish dishes on the table in local communities. less often than meat dishes. And only the population that resides near the Tiger River, prepare food from freshwater fish such as Masgof. This is a kind of shawarma. The fish you just caught fried on charcoal and gradually fried layers of her.
Iraq – the kingdom of first courses according to various recipes. Here you can find light broths, vegetable soups with beans, rice and lentils, soup – mashed potatoes, which impresses with its density and aroma, and also an offal soup called pasha.
To any meat and fish should be served rice either separately or im stuffing them. As a side dish, vegetables and greens in large quantities. This is a standard set of any feast. – from everyday to festive.
Among the traditional Iraqi dishes, a special place is occupied by:
- Felafel.
- Jallab.
- Khomus.
- Jamid.
- Zlata-btamata-ubatsal – onion – tomato salad.
- Alas-bil-hamod – stewed lentils with lemon juice.
- Yalanchi – tomatoes stuffed with rice.
- Lubya Khidra – beans just boiled.
- Majyara – boiled rice and lentils.
Eggplant, garlic and other vegetables. Iraqis are quite adept at combining them, that the taste is simply unearthly, and the aroma is just crazy. It is safe to say that such food will not be served at the table. in no other country.
Particular attention is paid to various kinds of spices and seasonings. Choosing the right combination is just real art, which Iraqis are fluent in. They like to cook amazing sauces like pickling mango with mustard, pepper chili and turmeric; mix salted vegetables into a homogeneous consistency; add cream to fermented milk products.
They respect bakery products. Bread is here They call Samun, and cakes – Hubz. Taken during breakfast eat bread with added butter, or honey or cheese together with yogurt and a drop of olive oil. It is believed that such food fill you with energy and set the tone for the whole day.
Separately, it is necessary to mention the sweets of the Iraqi region. Here widespread cookies with honey, nuts, sugar syrup, candied fruit. Sweet pies and puddings. Each house has a special basket with sweets.
Hospitality
In fact, the people of Iraq are very hospitable and welcoming people. And they consider their immediate task in no case do not let go of a guest with an empty stomach. Good-natured hosts always fill the bowl to the brim, that even, an ordinary person, how many at a time are not able to eat. This is the famous generosity in the east.
In this way, Iraqis show a gesture of respect for their guest and show how glad they are that he visited their house. In mandatory after a meal you will be served a cup of coffee or tea based on dried fruit with sweets. In a word, they will arrange his guest a real holiday belly. Iraqi feature of the people is that most husbands help their wives on the kitchen. And on holidays or weekends they can even pamper their seven dishes that they prepared themselves.
Features of drinks in Iraq
It is impossible to imagine eating without drinks. They can to be with or without gas, it can be just water or iced tea, or aromatic coffee and natural tea. The tradition is to serve coffee and tea only after the meal, in no case during food.
Unlike other Arab tribes, Iraqis add to coffee sugar, cream or milk. Here it is customary to boil before serving coffee nine times until frothy. Such a strong drink – traditional in Iraq and the most delicious. Tea attitude too special – I consider it a drink that can heal any disease. Therefore, mistresses can add a pinch of saffron to it, cinnamon and cardamom to enhance the taste.
In winter, they prefer to drink tea with ginger to strengthen immunity. Since the people profess the Muslim religion, they it is forbidden to drink drinks that contain alcohol, therefore, in this region you can find only anise vodka – the only one allowed in the whole East.
In a word – the national cuisine of Iraq is full of abundance all sorts of goodies prepared by good-natured people. BUT because food made with love always has a special taste and the aroma. Bon appetit to all.
