The unique techniques and delicacies of Egyptian Cuisine

The aroma of spices, herbs, cashews, and smoky flavor is just the tip of the iceberg when thinking about Egyptian Cuisine. This cuisine has its culture and techniques like cooking in clay pots, pickling with salt or jars, such as using cheesecloths, and when cooking spices, such as cardamom. The foods are also prepared in techniques unique to Egyptian cooks, like when frying a bird with a pinch of salt. 

        Traditional Egyptian cuisine is filled with interesting dishes. One such dish is Hamam Mahshi (stuffed pigeons) which is a delicacy. In Egyptian cuisine eating stuffed pigeons is something common and delicious. Egyptians have been eating pigeons since about 3000 BC, it is older than Ancient Egypt. The pigeons that are consumed are not the dirty street birds that you see on a regular day-to-day basis, in Egypt, the birds are farmed in a mud-like tower. These pigeons are also raised for shows, racing, and competition sports; however, the rest are butchered.

         Egyptian cuisine has its unique styles of cutting, cooking, frying, or even baking foods or deserts. For example, when cooking Kofta, the process is cutting the pieces to have an exact amount of all with the spices of paprika, Cumin, Salt, coriander, garlic, lamb, or beef. Jenna Ringor, a Junior at UACHS, talks about her opinion on Egyptian cuisine.  

        “The culture and techniques of Egyptian cuisine are significant, and serve a lot of authentic options when it comes to delicious foods,” said Ringor. 

         Egyptian cuisines include other spices like Cumin, aniseed, leaves, coriander, chili, Paprika, and transitions just like the dish Hamam Mahshi. As with this dish’s tradition, other foods such as Basbousa. Basbousa is a sweet, syrup-soaked semolina cake. The sweetness and the crunchiness of this cake are to die for. UACHS Sophomore, Ameenah Lawrence talks about her experience of eating Basbousa. 

          “Basbousa has a light airy taste with a sweet elegant flare similar to that of American cake and has a lemon flavoring,” said Lawrence. “It is so sweet to the point I couldn’t get enough of it.” 

           Egyptian cuisine has unique techniques and flavoring that make it delicious. If you ever think about trying ethnic foods try thinking of their history and taste profile and not what seems to be on the outside. In each bite, you get to experience a part of their unique culture.