More than falafel and hummus, here's a look at the lesser-known Egyptian dishes

Egypt has a rich culinary tapestry that is not just about falafels, hummus, and baba ghanoush. Foodies the world over have been captivated by Egyptian dishes as it is rooted in centuries-old traditions. The food eaten in a country is a reflection of the region's influences, biodiversity, seasonal changes, as well as its past conflicts, political history and more.

Egypt, a country linking northeast Africa with the Middle East, and its food, has some influence from the Mediterranean to North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. The food is known for its bold use of spices, herbs, and fresh ingredients.

We explore some of the most iconic dishes from Egypt and the Middle East and celebrate its unique flavours:

Egyptian Falafel

A falafel is a much loved Middle Eastern deep-fried snack. It is made by several ethnicities. The base of the dish is chickpeas, tahini and sumac - a spice made of dried and crushed sumac berries - and is served stuffed in warm pita bread. You can serve it with an assortment of accompaniments such as lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and tahini sauce. But one of the most popular ways to eat it is by dunking it in hummus.

Ful medames

A hearty stew that originated in Egypt, it then travelled to various parts of the Middle East and Africa, including Lebanon, Iraq, Ethiopia, Sudan and Morocco. This is a meat-free dish, which includes fava beans, olive oil, and cumin, along with a garnish of lemon juice, onion, parsley, and cumin.

Lamb Doner Kebab

Finding its origin in Turkey, the doner kebab is cooked on a vertical rotisserie. The meat is seasoned and stacked in an inverted cone, similar to what Indians know as shawarma. The meat slowly turns on the rotisserie and gets cooked evenly along all sides. Alternatively, the spiced lamb kebabs can also be cooked in skewers and served with sides of labneh and flatbreads.

Pide

Similar to an Italian pizza, pide is a Turkish flatbread made from leavened wheat dough. It is topped with tomatoes, cheese, and various other ingredients. It is baked at a high temperature, traditionally in a wood-fired oven. One of the most popular and easy-to-make toppings includes mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and arugula with hints of salty, creamy feta cheese. It can also have spiced minced meat topped with cheese or a popular breakfast option includes a pide with sunny-side up eggs.

Samak Harra

The literal translation of the word ‘Samak’ means ‘Spicy’. A Samak Harra simply means spicy fish and is hails from Tripoli, Lebanon's Northern port city. This dish is made with garlic, and coriander and it has a little kick of cayenne. The fish is baked in an oven and served with raisin rice.

Pistachio Baklava

This is one of the most popular desserts in the Ottoman cuisine. It is made with classic filo puff pastry and filled with Omani honey, dates and chopped pistachio. This evergreen classic is surprisingly not too sweet and a great way to finish any Egyptian meal.

Inputs by Chef Mostafa Ali, who has a pop-up at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar