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Middle Eastern cuisine tastes the same across the entire region.
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The Middle East is a group of countries that range from North Africa through Asia. You will find that many dishes have the same name across these Middle Eastern countries, yet they might taste entirely different based on the region. These differences are driven by the availability of native ingredients, what was traded in the region and what was offered at the marketplace in the past.
The land mass that encompasses what is known as the Middle East is vast and there are many regions. The countries generally considered Middle Eastern include Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. There has been debate over whether Armenia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan are considered to be part of the Middle East.
Olives, chickpeas, lentils, beans and vegetables are an important part of the cuisine of most Middle Eastern countries, sometimes to the exclusion of meat. When meat is eaten, it is chicken, beef and lamb often skewered and grilled as kebabs. Yogurt and cheeses, along with legumes, make up the rest of the protein content of the diet. Eggplant is the most-consumed vegetable in the Middle East. Pork and alcohol are prohibited in many of the countries because of religious dietary laws. Interestingly, McDonald's has its own version of falafel on their menu in Egypt; it is called the McFalafel. Spices and herbs figure prominently and dishes are often strongly flavored with cumin, caraway, nutmeg, turmeric, mint, parsley and others. Flatbreads and pita in one form or another are two of the most popular types of bread served in many of the countries and used variously to wrap food in or pick food up with. Strong, thick Turkish coffee and tea are the most popular beverages.
