The Nile River provides abundant water for drinking and agriculture in Egypt, supporting its rich food culture.
Egyptian foods have influences from Africa, Middle East and Europe, resulting in a unique traditional cuisine. Because a large proportion of Egypt's population is Muslim, Egyptian foods rarely contain pork. Many Egyptian dishes utilize relatively cheap ingredients such as vegetables, lentils and beans.
Staple Food
Ancient Egyptians used wheat and barley to make bread, a practice still common today. The Arabic word for bread, aish, also means life and Egyptians usually eat bread with most meals. They eat several types of bread, including dry wheat bread called aish baladi and pita bread. Egyptians also eat rice as an ingredient in traditional dishes such as koushari, which also contains lentils, chick peas and macaroni in tomato sauce.
Vegetables, Beans and Lentils
Many Egyptian dishes contain vegetables, beans and lentils. Ful, or creamy fava bean paste, and tahini, or sesame paste, are two of Egypt's national dishes. Ful in spicy sauce or with garlic and lemon juice often appears at the breakfast table. For lunch, Egyptians often serve salad or mezza containing olives, cheese and nuts. Another traditional dish is molokhiyya, a vegetable dish that resembles spinach.
Fish and Meats
Egyptians have enjoyed salted, dried fish, or fasieekh, since ancient times and still often use the traditional method of preparing it. They clean the fish, cover fish pieces with salt and place them under the sun to dry. Since many Egyptians are Muslims, they often eat lamb and poultry rather than pork. Some lamb dishes include kofta, which is spicy minced lamb, and kebab, or grilled lamb pieces. During Eid al-Adha, an Islamic religious holiday, Egyptians often slaughter sheep or lambs for sacrifice and cook them whole on a spit over an open fire.
Drinks
Egyptians enjoy relaxing at coffee and tea houses, where they drink strong beverages with plenty of sugar. As dessert, they also often drink sugary mint tea and eat a flaky pastry called baklava. Another traditional Egyptian drink is asiir or fresh fruit juice that usually contains banana, guava, mango, pomegranate, strawberry, sugar cane and hibiscus flowers. Only wealthy Egyptians usually drink wine because it is expensive, but beer is common because of the abundance and affordability of barley.
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