Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Palestine

Ask what Palestine eats and the answer starts with this: olive oil, sumac and taboon-baked breads define hearty Levantine home cooking; Nablus is famed for knafeh. Look for Musakhan (sumac-onion roast chicken on taboon bread soaked in olive oil), Maqluba (upside-down pot of rice, fried eggplant, cauliflower and meat) and Knafeh (nablus icon: semolina crust over melting cheese with orange syrup). Taboon bread soaked in olive oil with sumac and onions under roast chicken, made at the olive harvest to use the new oil. This atlas has 34 Palestine dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

34 dishes.

AkkoubAkkoubSpiny wild thistle stalks peeled and stewed with lamb or lemon and eggs.ArayesArayespita halves packed with spiced minced lamb and grilled until crispBurbaraBurbaraBoiled wheat berries sweetened with sugar, cinnamon, raisins, nuts and pomegranate.DaggaDaggaCrushed tomato, chilli, dill and garlic salad pounded in a clay bowl.FalafelFalafelfried chickpea balls in pita with salads, tahini and ambaFatayerFatayerfolded triangle pies of spinach, cheese or za'atarHummusHummuswarm chickpea-tahini plates wiped with pita; hummusiot debate toppingsKa’ak al-QudsKa’ak al-Qudsoblong sesame bread rings from Jerusalem carts, with falafel or za'atarKharroubKharroubDark chilled carob infusion, sweet and faintly bitter, poured in Ramadan.KhubeizehKhubeizehWild mallow leaves stewed with onion and olive oil, eaten with flatbread.KnafehKnafehsyrupy cheese pastry with crunchy topping, sold by the slabKousa mahshiKousa mahshicored courgettes stuffed with rice and lamb, simmered in tomato or yoghurtLabnehLabnehstrained yoghurt eaten with olive oil, za'atar and cucumber at breakfastMaftoulMaftoulhand-rolled couscous pearls steamed with chicken and chickpeasMakdousMakdoussmall aubergines stuffed with walnut and red pepper, preserved in olive oilMaqlubaMaqlubaflipped rice-vegetable-chicken pot, Friday family centerpieceMusabbahaMusabbahawarm whole chickpeas under loose tahini, lemon and cuminMusakhanMusakhansumac-onion roast chicken on taboon bread soaked in olive oilNabulsi cheeseNabulsi cheesebrined white cheese scented with mahlab and nigella, fried or baked into knafehNammouraNammourasemolina cake soaked in syrup, cut into diamonds with an almond on eachQatayefQatayefStuffed pancakes filled with nuts or cream, fried or served fresh in syrupQidrehQidrehHebron rice and lamb with whole garlic, baked in copper potsQizhaQizhaBlack nigella seed paste, dark and bitter, spread in festive pastries.RummaniyyaRummaniyyaGazan lentils and aubergine soured with pomegranateSahlabSahlabwarm thickened milk drink topped with cinnamon, coconut and nutsShattaShattaFiery red or green chilli paste fermented with salt, dill and garlic.Shorbat adasShorbat adasred lentil soup with cumin and lemon; Ramadan openerSumagiyyaSumagiyyaGazan stew of chard, meat and tahini soured with steeped sumacTaboon breadTaboon breaddimpled flatbread baked on hot stones in clay taboonTamr hindiTamr hindichilled tamarind sharbat, dark and tart, a Ramadan coolerTaybeh beerTaybeh beerGerman-style lager brewed in the Christian hill village of TaybehWarak dawaliWarak dawaliVine leaves rolled tight around rice and meat, cooked over lamb chops.Za’atarZa’atarwild thyme, sumac and sesame blend eaten with oil and breadZibdiyit gambariZibdiyit gambarishrimp baked with chilli, tomato and dill in a clay bowl

  • Akkoub

    Spiny wild thistle stalks peeled and stewed with lamb or lemon and eggs. Ready in 1 hour, mostly cleaning prep…

  • Arayes

    Pita halves packed with spiced minced lamb and grilled until crisp. Ready in 20 min prep and 20 min cooking.…

  • Burbara

    Boiled wheat berries sweetened with sugar, cinnamon, raisins, nuts and pomegranate. Ready in 15 min prep and 2 hr cooking.…

  • Dagga

    Crushed tomato, chilli, dill and garlic salad pounded in a clay bowl. 20 min to prepare. 4 servings. A salad…

  • Fatayer

    Folded triangle pies of spinach, cheese or za’atar. Ready in 45 min prep and 20 min cooking. 24 pies. A…

  • Ka’ak al-Quds

    Oblong sesame bread rings from Jerusalem carts, with falafel or za’atar. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 25 minutes cooking.…

  • Kharroub

    Dark chilled carob infusion, sweet and faintly bitter, poured in Ramadan. Ready in 15 minutes prep and 45 minutes cooking.…

  • Khubeizeh

    Wild mallow leaves stewed with onion and olive oil, eaten with flatbread. Ready in 40 minutes prep and 30 minutes…

  • Kousa mahshi

    Cored courgettes stuffed with rice and lamb, simmered in tomato or yoghurt. Ready in 1 hour prep and 1 hour…

  • Labneh

    Strained yoghurt eaten with olive oil, za’atar and cucumber at breakfast. 10 min to prepare. Makes about 500 g from…