Is that dish Egyptian or not?

CAIRO – 19 November 2017: You probably see ‘Mahshi Warak Enab’ or ‘Koshari’ and you think these are defiantly Egyptian dishes because of how popular they are in Egypt, but you will be surprised at their real origins.

Here is a list of the most popular dishes in Egypt and the Middle East region with their origins.

Mahshi Warak Enab: also known as Dolmades or Stuffed vine Leaves. It is originally a traditional Greek dish which was made out of vine leaves stuffed with minced lamb meat and rice, according to the New York Times, However some argue that the delicious dish originated in the Turkish kitchen and from there it made it to the Middle Eastern and Egyptian cuisine in the 14th century.


1- Dolma, stuffed grape leaves, Turkish and Greek cuisine - Lesya Dolyk/Flicker

Moussaka: while some argue that Moussaka is also of Greek origin, an ancient Arabic cooking book from the 13th century called "A Baghdad Cookery Book" had the recipe in it which suggests otherwise, according to the Culture Trip’s website. The dish is mainly a backed eggplant casserole with tomato sauce and variations of it have meat and are covered in a layer of béchamel sauce, which allows the dish to be present in both humble and extravagant kitchens.


2- Moussaka - February 2, 2016 jules/Flicker

Koshari: even though labeled as the “National dish of Egypt,” it is actually said to have come from an Indian origin. Koshari is Egypt’s beloved dish; whether you eat it from a street vendor or a fancy restaurant, it will always keep its original ingredients and unique taste. It consists of rice, brown lentils, macaroni noodles, small macaroni, tomato sauce, chickpeas and crispy onion garnish with your preferred edition of hot sauce and Da’a (garlic and vinegar sauce). According to My Koshary’s website, the name Koshari comes from the Indian “khichri” which refers to a dish of rice and lentils.


3- Egyptian Koshary - Dina Said - Wikimedia commons

Ta’amia: or Falafel is defiantly Egyptian. The deep fried Fava-bean dish is said to go back to the time of Pharaohs, according to World-food history’s website. In Egypt the snack/side dish usually goes alongside another Fava-beans based dish “Foul,” creating the traditional Egyptian breakfast. Falafel spread from Egypt to the Middle East where Lebanese and Syrian people started making it with Hummus.


4- Falafel - Marco Verch - Wikimedia commons