150 Iconic Dishes Slideshow: Middle East And Africa

A semolina dish most commonly served with meat or vegetable stew on top, couscous is a staple of the Algerian diet. The traditional preparation is to form the small beads of semolina by hand, which is how the family that runs the famous Algiers restaurant Dar Lahlou makes and serves their couscous. They also use different grains like barley, rice, and whole wheat for their couscous.  

Not to be confused with the chile paste from Tunisia, Armenian harissa is a dish of a porridge-like wheat grain cooked with meat or chicken, traditionally served on Easter. It is truly a home cook's meal, though traditional restaurants, like Old Erivan, serve authentic versions for locals and visitors alike in Yerevan. 

Cachupa can be eaten for any time of day, as evidenced not only by the many forms it comes in, but also by the practice of reheating it from the night before for breakfast. It's a slow-cooked stew with corn, beans, and meat such as sausage or chicken, served hot or fried. The more informal the better, which is why the cachupa at Tipico Restaurant in Santa Maria do Sal is so delicious. 

Made of mashed fava beans with olive oil, herbs, spices, and lemon, ful medames is a popular dish to cook at home and serve with dinner, and it boasts a rich history dating back to biblical times. The upscale Abu Sid in Cairo serves a locally loved version.

Ethiopians use spongy injera bread to scoop up and eat a variety of toppings called wat (or wot). They are thick stews that can be vegetarian or meaty with chicken, beef, or lamb, and always include a handful of different spices. Sample it at its best at one of Addis Ababa's better restaurants, Dashen Traditional Restaurant.

Similar to muamba in Angola, poulet nyembwe is a chicken dish with a sauce made with nuts from African oil palm trees. It's most common and probably at its best from a home kitchen, but traditional restaurants in Gabon, like Libreville's L'Odika, are exemplary.

You may not know that in Israel, a plate of hummus with pita can be considered a full meal (not just a side dish as it often is stateside). Hummus is made with cooked and mashed chickpeas, olive oil, lemon, garlic, and, often, tahini (sesame paste). Try filling up on it at Abu Hassan (also called Ali Caravan) in Jaffa or Hummus Ashkara in Tel Aviv.

Served at every special occasion and holiday in Jordan, mansaf is an important communal dish that reminds modern Jordanians of the early Bedouins. It is made of lamb cooked in a fermented dried yogurt and served with rice, and can be sampled by locals and visitors at Tawaheen al-Hawa in Amman.

Many cuisines are on offer throughout Kuwait City, where streets are lined with luxury hotels and high-end restaurants. But it is this simple dish of long-grain rice with spices, cooked meats, and vegetables that continues to represent Kuwaiti cuisine. And one of the best plates of machboos is available at Freej Swaileh.

One of the Arab world's ubiquitous dishes, tabbouleh has slight variations in Lebanon, Greece, and Israel, but it is originally Lebanese. Made of bulgur, tomatoes, and finely chopped vegetables and herbs, it's a healthy and refreshing side dish to stews and falafels. One of Lebanon's most famous restaurants, Manuella, serves a tabbouleh that's widely accepted as one of the best.

Served alongside meats and fish, Moroccan couscous serves the same daily purpose as it does in Algeria and Tunisia. Local aficionados pay close attention to the way their couscous is made, which is why they choose Dar Moha, in Marrakesh, where they maintain a more ancient technique.

There are endless versions of biryani depending on where you are, but in Pakistan, sindhi biryani wins. It is made with chicken, basmati rice, vegetables, chiles, and yogurt. Transforming from a street stand to a brick-and-mortar chain, Student Biryani serves some of Islamabad's favorite plates of this traditional dish.

At its most basic, Saudi Arabian kabsa is a spiced rice dish with meat and vegetables. The list of spices is exhaustive (saffron, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves), as is the list of various meats and vegetables used (chicken, lamb, goat, beef, fish). Al Taboon, in Riyadh, specializes in kabsa and is a local favorite.

South Africa is filled with exemplary international cuisines, but native dishes like bobotie showcase the many culinary influences in the country, in this case Dutch. It's minced meat with an egg topping that dates back to the 17^th century. Sample the rich dish at Café de la Vie in Johannesburg. 

Basically a rice pilaf, palaw consists of stewed rice, meat, and vegetables, and is sometimes sprinkled with raisins or currants. It can be sampled at its best at Ankara restaurant in Ashgabat.

Usually a lunch dish, saltah is pretty hearty. With a base of lamb, chicken, or beef, it is more like a stew than a soup and is commonly eaten with flatbread. Eat where the locals do and head over to Houmald Salta in San'a, which is said to have the best in town.

Originally published on February 6, 2012.

See the rest of the world's 150 iconic dishes...

North America

South America

Europe and the United Kingdom

Asia and the Pacific