When somebody mentions about Egyptian recipes, the first thing that comes to our mind is their spicy and mouth-watering dishes. Most of them are a perfect blend of the Middle East and Mediterranean flavors. A typical diet in the country consists of a variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, fish, and meat. Rice and bread continue to be the main staple food even today; these are often served with other dishes. Tea is regarded as the national drink of the country. The national dish of the country is mashed fava beans or fūl mudammas, which is usually served in breakfast. In fact, fava beans (broad beans) are included in almost all the dishes. Other ingredients include leafy vegetables, peas, lettuce, cucumbers, leek, mushrooms, and yogurt. Usually, fresh vegetables are served with oil and vinegar. Popular meat includes pigeon, chicken, mutton, buffalo, and camel. In the majority of the dishes, whether vegetarian or non-vegetarian, Egyptians use onion, garlic, spices, and herbs. Let us see some of their delicious food recipes. Foul Mudammas (Ful medames) Foul Mudammas is one of their national dishes. It is usually served with Egyptian bread and fried egg. Ingredients

• Fava Beans, 3 cups (dried)
• Onion, ½ cup (chopped)
• Tomato, 1 cup (chopped)
• Garlic Cloves, 3 (minced)
• Olive Oil, ¼ cup
• Lemon Juice, 3 tsp.
• Ground Cumin Seeds, 1 tbsp.
• Red Chili Pepper, ¼ tsp.
• Parsley, ¼ cup (minced)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• First, put the fava beans in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer it for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans become tender.
• Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and salt to it. Cover it with a lid, and keep it on low flame for another 30 minutes. Drain the water and keep the cooked beans aside.
• In another large saucepan, sauté the onion and garlic for about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Now, add beans, cumin, and chili pepper, and stir properly. Cook the mixture for about 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, slightly mash the beans, and blend with lemon juice and parsley.
• Serve hot with pita bread and fried egg.

Hummus Hummus is one of the favorite dishes of Egyptians. It is made from chickpeas, and is usually used as a dip with pita bread. It is rich in protein and fiber, and free of saturated fats and cholesterol. One can use hummus as a spread for sandwiches, and toppings on broiled chicken and baked potatoes. Ingredients

• Chickpeas, 1½ cup (soaked)
• Vegetable Broth or Water, 5 cups
• Bay leaf, 1
• Garlic Cloves, 6 (roasted)
• Garlic, 1 (minced)
• Olive Oil, ¼ cup
• Lemon Juice, ¼ cup
• Ground Cumin, ½ tsp.
• Ground Coriander, ½ tsp.
• Black Pepper, ½ tsp.
• Parsley, ½ cup (minced)
• Salt to taste

Preparation

• Boil the chickpeas in vegetable broth, along with a bay leaf. One can use plain water, if vegetable broth is not available. Cook for about 2 hours until the chickpeas become soft.
• Drain the beans and reserve the cooking liquid for later use. Now, add lemon juice, half a cup of the cooking liquid, and puree in a food processor.
• Remove the mixture and stir with olive oil, minced garlic, roasted garlic, coriander, cumin, and black pepper. Add salt to taste. Mix properly for about 5 minutes.
• Finally, garnish the dish with parsley, and serve hot.

Koshary Koshary is one of the cheapest and healthiest meals of Egypt. For making this meal, you need to have rice, lentils, pasta, and a tangy-tomato sauce. Ingredients

• Rice, 2 cups (cooked)
• Pasta, 2 cups (cooked)
• Lentils, 1 cup (cooked)
• Tomatoes, 15 oz. (crushed)
• Onions, ½ cup (chopped)
• White Vinegar, 2 tbsp.
• Ground Cumin, 1 tsp.
• Garlic Powder, ½ tsp.
• Water, ½ cup
• Red Pepper, ½ tsp.
• Ground Cinnamon, ¾ tsp.
• Salt and Sugar, to taste

Preparation

• Mix rice and pasta in a shallow pan. Cover it with a lid and keep it warm.
• Combine vinegar, cumin, and garlic powder. Whisk the mixture and add the lentils.
• Now, add the mixture of rice and pasta and mix thoroughly.
• For preparing sauce, combine tomatoes, vinegar, cinnamon, and garlic powder in another saucepan, and add water. Bring it to a boil and reduce the heat to a medium flame.
• Add sugar and salt to it. Stir continuously and cook for about 10 minutes. To enrich the flavor of the sauce, one can garnish it with fried onion before serving.

Moussaka Moussaka is one of their traditional dishes, which is cooked with eggplants. It is usually cooked with vegetables and meat. However, one can cook moussaka only with vegetables. Ingredients

• Eggplants, 2.2 lbs. (peeled and cut)
• Meat, 250 gm (minced)
• Onion, ½ cup (chopped)
• Butter, 1 tbsp.
• Tomato Paste, 3 tbsp.
• Sultanas (optional)
• Water, ½ cup
• Salt, Pepper, and Sugar, to taste

Preparation

• First, fry the cut eggplant rings until it becomes reddish-brown.
• In a saucepan, put the butter, allow it to melt, and add onions. Fry till it turns reddish-brown.
• Now, add the meat and cook for about 20 minutes on medium flame.
• Add tomato paste, sugar, salt, water, sultanas, and pepper.
• Cook the mixture until it becomes a thick sauce.
• Take a tin pan, and place a layer of eggplant. Put a layer of the sauce, and place another layer of eggplant. Now, pour the remaining sauce and put it in the oven at 350°F.
• Remove the tin after 15 minutes. Serve hot moussaka with rice or bread.

Chocolate Cake One can find various ways of baking chocolate cake. However, if you want to bake a tasty one in a simple way, then you can definitely try baking Egyptian chocolate cake. Ingredients

• Flour, 2 cups
• Sugar, 2 cups
• Milk, 1 cup
• Baking Powder, 1 tsp.
• Baking Soda, 2 tsp.
• Vanilla, 2 tsp.
• Vegetable Oil, ½ cup
• Cocoa Powder, 3 tsp.
• Coffee Powder, 2 tbsp.
• Eggs, 2

Preparation

• Take all the ingredients in a big bowl and mix them together.
• Pour batter into a greased cake pan.
• Bake it at 350°F for about 35 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool down.
• Garnish it with chocolate shavings and toasted almonds before serving.

These are some of the simple and interesting Egyptian food recipes that you can really try at home. While the original dishes taste awesome, you can make simple alterations in the ingredients and cooking methods to suit your taste buds.