Taste the flavors of the Middle East with our collection of classic Middle Eastern recipes. From savory falafel to flavorful kebabs, we have a variety of dishes for you to try.
Nihari is a slow cooked lamb shank recipe with flavorful spices. It is a dish with a captivating history and remarkable popularity on the Indian subcontinent. Typical of a recipe whose history begins in the 16th century, there are varying opinions on its true origin. Was nihari a dish served to the wealthy Nawab rulers … Read more
Masgouf is the national dish of a country that sits upon the land known as the Cradle of Civilization. This Fertile Crescent is home to writing, astronomy, mathematics, and many more advances that seem unimaginable to have existed so many thousands of years ago. But this land, steeped in history and invention, is plagued with … Read more
Besbarmak, a heap of sliced meat served on a bed of pasta squares is Kazakhstan’s national dish, as well as a tasty legacy of the nomads that roam the country’s steppes. The name besbarmak literally means ‘five fingers’ and comes from the way the dish is eaten – on a large platter to serve several … Read more
Shakriya – a Syrian soup with yogurt, lamb, chickpeas and pine nuts, as well as a mouthwatering infusion of spices and herbs – is the kind of dish of our dreams we never imagined could exist until we accidentally ordered it one day in a restaurant in Aleppo more than 14 years ago. It came … Read more
Maqbous is a chicken and rice dish packed with a legion of spices and a sweet rosewater-raisin tang that hails from Oman in the south-eastern corner of the Arabian peninsula. It’s a close cousin of the Saudi kabsa, the Yemeni mandi, and the Indian biryani and reminds us a lot of Gambian benachin. Oman is one of the … Read more
Carrot cakes made from scratch – from real carrots – is a recipe that’s hard to find. Fortunately for us, we stumbled on this Persian sweet carrot confection called Halva Ye Havij. It’s a celebratory cake in Persia. We get really excited at Arousing Appetites, whenever we find a recipe that combines fruit and pastry … Read more
