THANKS FOR JOINING US!
We hope you’ve had as much fun as we did. Before we say goodbye, we wanted to leave you with this list to keep the memory of this tour with you.
STOP 1 - WARDET EL YAMAN
ARABIC COFFEE
(Please note that this stop is closed on Fridays. Turkish coffee is added to a later stop in this case.)
Tasting and looking more like a tea, and originating in the Arab Gulf region, Arabic coffee is made with a very lightly roasted bean that almost stays green, and its special ingredient is cardamom. Arabic coffee is never sweetened, although it can be enjoyed with a few dates or a dessert.
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stop 2 - FELFELA
baba ghanoug, bessarah, taamiya and fried eggplants
Baba Ghanoug is a creamy eggplant dip that packs a smokey flavor and lots of texture. It’s a fantastic side for molokhiya as well as falafel, and it’s made with tahini, spices, lemon, oil and eggplants that are roasted/smoked/fried. Fried eggplants are also a very popular side. When treated properly, eggplants lose their bitterness and are enhanced by acidic flavors that come from the tomato-da’ah (or salsa) served on top. The da’ah is made with garlic and peppers that are all crushed together with vinegar and lemon. Besara is also another testament of the important of ful in our diets, it’s a side dish made with a basic taamiya batter, but it is enhanced with more fresh greens rather than frying. It is then topped with fried onions for texture and flavor. Amati taamiya is a bite-sized version of taamiya made by mis-shaping taamiya patties by cutting them and throwing in the oil a bit too soon.
molokhiya & rice
Molokhiya gets its name from the word Molokiya (which means royalty), because in the 12th century it was banned from the public’s consumption and only members of the royal family could have it. It is made with jews mallow leaves (very similar to okra leaves, and sharing the same viscous texture), any stock, and a fragrant base of garlic and dried coriander. Molokhiya has to be cooked in a specific way and that’s what makes it a great dish to test a new bride’s cooking skills with. It is typically served with rice or bread.
want to cook some of these dishes when you’re back home?
Download our e-cookbook here. Use code MeyaMeya to download book for free!
STOP 3 - ABO TAREK
KOSHARY
Egypt’s favorite meal (and national dish), Koshary is filling, delicious and extremely cheap, it also happens to be wonderfully vegan. This dish is made with macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli, lentils, rice, whole hummus, and fried onions only to be topped off with tomato sauce and a special garlic vinegar dressing called “da’ah”.
stop 4 - EL VALERO
middle eastern desserts
Kunafa, basbousa, zalabya and balah el sham are just a few of the incredible sweets available around the Middle East. They’ve been a staple in Egyptian cuisine for hundreds of years and are increasingly popular during Ramadan and special celebrations like the feast, weddings or during family visits. Middle Eastern sweets are usually almost always drenched in sugar syrup, butter/ghee and are extremely sticky and delicious. Kunafa is made with a special type of hair like dough, where as basbousa is made with semolina flour and sometimes flavored with orange or rose water.
stop 10 - THE CARLTON ROOF GARDEN
Egyptian beers Stella and Sakara are both lagers produced by the same company, Al Ahram Beverages. Sakara has a slightly lower alcohol content which gives it a light and refreshing feel, making it perfect for the warm weather. Stella on the other hand is the older and more historical beer, it’s been around since 1897, not to be confused with Stella Artois, it is an Egyptian beer.