Arab Cuisine

Arab Cuisine and the Influence on World Cuisines

Arab Cuisine

Arab Cuisine and World Influences

Middle-Eastern cooking has evolved at an alarming rate since as early as Babylonian times when the first recipes were scribed into stone tablets. Some of the earliest works have no specified amounts which accounts that only a skilled chef could know how to prepare the recipe without precise measurements. Near-East cultures of the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Mesopotamians and Persians really shaped what is known as Arab Cuisine. Mesopotamia is the oldest and first documented world cuisine.

The Arabs conquered Byzantine and Persia in the mid seventh century. Arab culture also involved a lot of trading and the Arabs welcome immigrants. Some of the cookery and traditional dishes were spread with the movement along trade routes and conquered empires. Arabs absorbed to local rich traditions of conquered empires and inherited ancient techniques. (Callon, 196)

Due to the spread of the Arab empire they gained many new and exotic ingredients as well as the fact that the Arab culture welcomed new immigrants whom brought new foods to the area with them. Omayyad Arabs came from Syria to Northern Africa near the Iberian Peninsula in the early eighth century. The Arabs stayed there for eight centuries. The Arabs conquered Sicily, an island off Southern Italy in the year 831, they remained there until 1060. The Spainards and Sicilians absorbed the Arabic arts and sciences. The Spanish language is filled with literally hundreds of words about food and preparation that are Arabic in origin.

In the eleventh and thirteenth centuries the Crusades further helped spread the traditions of Arab cuisine to new areas with the help of the Christian Missionaries. The Arabs were forced out of Spain and Sicily but later re-conquered the territory. Mongols also introduced to Northern India, their newest empire; techniques that they had previously learned in Baghdad. In Spain the Occupation of the Moors from 711AD until 1492AD helped shape the culinary traditions of modern day Spain. The Moors were known as such because they were believed to be from Morocco. The Moors were part of the Great Arab Empire. They first cultivated Oranges and Olives in Spain. They influenced dishes with cumin, saffron, cinnamon and other Arabic spices. They also brought almonds, citrus fruits, zucchini and eggplant as well as spinach. All of these ingredients helped to shape what is now modern day Spanish Cuisine.

Arabic Cuisine and Culture

The characteristics of Arab culture and customs food, Chinese food culture and the principles of food is too refined compared to the Arab diet may more broad-brush, and their cooking methods tend to be single, in addition to baking, that is fried, at most, a stew bin again, or simply eaten raw, however, the Arab diet is simple and practical just one of its distinctive features.

Food is a culture; it is to the whole nation and the country's social background, economic status and customs as the basis of different regional and country-specific diet, often a reflection of these countries and ...