Local Dishes

1. حمص

   Ḥummuṣ

   Hummus (chickpea and tahini dip)

   Usage

   A starter drizzled with olive oil and scooped up with bread. حمص also means chickpea, and it is spelled the same as the Syrian city Homs.

   Grammar Note

   A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

2. بابا غنوج

   Bābā ghannūj

   Baba ghanoush (smoky eggplant dip)

   Usage

   A starter of grilled eggplant mixed with tahini, lemon and garlic. Easy for vegetarians.

   Grammar Note

   A two-word dish name.

3. فلافل

   Falāfel

   Falafel (fried chickpea balls)

   Usage

   Fried balls of mashed chickpeas, often stuffed in bread with vegetables. A staple of street stalls and snack shops.

   Grammar Note

   A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

4. فطاير

   Faṭāyer

   Fatayer (savory filled pastries)

   Usage

   Baked pastries filled with spinach, cheese or meat. Ask about the filling before choosing. This is the plural form.

   Grammar Note

   A plural noun; the singular is فطيرة.

5. فتة

   Fatte

   Fatteh (bread, chickpeas and yogurt dish)

   Usage

   A warm dish of fried bread topped with chickpeas and yogurt sauce. Also eaten for breakfast.

   Grammar Note

   A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

6. فتوش

   Fattūsh

   Fattoush (salad with crispy bread)

   Usage

   A salad of vegetables with crisp pieces of bread and the tang of sumac.

   Grammar Note

   A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

7. فريكة

   Frīke

   Freekeh (smoked green wheat)

   Usage

   A grain made from young green wheat that is roasted and smoked. Often cooked with chicken or lamb.

   Grammar Note

   A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

8. كبة

   Kibbe

   Kibbeh (bulgur and meat croquette)

   Usage

   Fried shells of bulgur and minced meat with a meat filling, a specialty of Syria and Lebanon. Aleppo is known for its many varieties.

   Grammar Note

   A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

9. كبة نيئة

   Kibbe nayye

   Kibbeh nayyeh (raw kibbeh)

   Usage

   Raw minced meat pounded with bulgur, eaten in Lebanon and Syria. It is raw meat, so avoid it if you have a sensitive stomach.

   Grammar Note

   A dish name plus the adjective "raw".

10. كفتة

    Kafta

    Kofta (spiced minced-meat grill)

    Usage

    Minced meat mixed with parsley and spices, grilled on skewers or baked.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

11. مكدوس

    Makdūs

    Makdous (stuffed baby eggplant in oil)

    Usage

    Small eggplants stuffed with walnuts and chili and preserved in olive oil. A breakfast staple.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

12. مناقيش

    Manāʾīsh

    Manakish (flatbread with za'atar or cheese)

    Usage

    A flatbread baked with za'atar herbs, cheese or minced meat, eaten at breakfast or as a snack. This is the plural; the singular is منقوشة.

    Grammar Note

    A plural noun.

13. منسف

    Mansaf

    Mansaf (Jordan's national dish)

    Usage

    A festive dish of Jordan: lamb cooked in a sauce of jameed (dried yogurt), served over rice.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

14. مقلوبة

    Maʾlūbe

    Maqluba (upside-down rice dish)

    Usage

    Meat, eggplant or cauliflower layered with rice in a pot, then flipped onto a platter. The name means turned upside down.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

15. محمرة

    Muḥammara

    Muhammara (red pepper and walnut dip)

    Usage

    A mildly spicy dip of red pepper and walnuts, famous in Aleppo. Eaten with bread.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

16. مجدرة

    Mjaddara

    Mujaddara (lentils and rice with fried onions)

    Usage

    Lentils cooked with rice or bulgur and topped with fried onions. A simple dish without meat, suitable for vegetarians.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

17. مسخن

    Musakhkhan

    Musakhan (chicken with onions and sumac)

    Usage

    A dish of Palestine and Jordan: roast chicken on flatbread with onions seasoned with sumac.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

18. صفيحة

    Ṣfīḥa

    Sfiha (open-faced meat pie)

    Usage

    A small open pie baked with minced meat and tomato on dough. The ones from Baalbek are famous.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

19. شاكرية

    Shākriyye

    Shakriyeh (lamb in warm yogurt sauce)

    Usage

    Lamb simmered in a warm yogurt sauce and poured over rice.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

20. شاورما

    Shāwarma

    Shawarma (rotisserie meat wrap)

    Usage

    Meat roasted on a rotating spit, shaved and rolled in bread, a street-corner staple. There are chicken and beef or lamb versions, so choose.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

21. شيش طاووق

    Shīsh ṭāwūʾ

    Shish tawook (grilled chicken skewers)

    Usage

    Chicken marinated in yogurt and garlic and grilled on skewers. Served with garlic sauce and bread.

    Grammar Note

    A two-word dish name of Turkish origin.

22. تبولة

    Tabbūle

    Tabbouleh (parsley and bulgur salad)

    Usage

    A salad led by chopped parsley with tomato, bulgur, lemon and olive oil. A classic Lebanese starter.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

23. كشك

    Kishk

    Kishk (fermented yogurt and wheat)

    Usage

    A dried mix of fermented yogurt and ground wheat used in soups and breakfast dishes. كشك also means kiosk or booth, so context decides.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

24. ملوخية

    Mlūkhiyye

    Mulukhiyah (jute leaf stew)

    Usage

    A stew of chopped jute leaves, eaten with chicken and rice. It has a characteristic sliminess.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

25. لبنة

    Labne

    Labneh (strained yogurt)

    Usage

    Strained yogurt, drizzled with olive oil and eaten with bread. A breakfast essential.

    Grammar Note

    A dish name (noun), for matching against menus and street-stall signs.

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