What is Palestinian food ?
Palestinian cuisine has been shaped by a rich history of cultural influences, including the indigenous Palestinian culture, Arab and Islamic traditions, Ottoman cuisine, and the culinary customs of neighboring Mediterranean and Levantine countries.
The region that is now Palestine has been inhabited by various civilizations over the centuries, including the Canaanites, Philistines, Israelites, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Ottomans, and British. Each of these groups has contributed to the development of Palestinian cuisine.
One of the most important crops in ancient Palestine was wheat, which was used to make bread and other baked goods. Other staple crops included barley, lentils, and chickpeas, which were used to make dishes like hummus and falafel.
The region was also known for its olives, which were used to produce olive oil, a staple ingredient in Palestinian cooking. Grapes were another important crop, which were used to make wine and vinegar, as well as raisins and other dried fruits.
Spices were also an important part of ancient Palestinian cuisine, and the region was known for its production and trade of spices like cinnamon, coriander, cumin, and cardamom. These spices were used to flavor dishes like rice, meat, and fish, as well as sweets and desserts.
Palestinian food is a delicious and diverse cuisine that reflects the culinary traditions of the Palestinian people, who have inhabited the region for thousands of years. Palestinian food is characterized by the use of fresh, local ingredients, and a variety of spices and herbs that give the dishes their distinct flavor and aroma.
Some of the most popular ingredients in Palestinian cuisine include olive oil, chickpeas, lentils, eggplants, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and a variety of herbs and spices such as mint, parsley, cumin, coriander, and sumac. These ingredients are used to create a variety of dishes, including salads, dips, soups, stews, and grilled meats.
Palestinian cuisine also reflects the agricultural diversity of the region, which includes fertile farmland, lush valleys, and abundant seafronts. Popular dishes include stuffed vegetables (such as grape leaves or zucchini), roasted meats (such as lamb or chicken), grilled vegetables, dips and spreads (such as hummus or baba ghanoush), and various breads (such as pita or laffa).
Rice and variations of kibbee are common in the Galilee. The West Bank engages primarily in heavier meals involving the use of taboon bread, rice and meat, and coastal plain inhabitants frequent fish, other seafood, and lentils. The Gaza cuisine is a variation of the Levant cuisine, but is more diverse in seafood and spices. Gaza's inhabitants heavily consume chili peppers too. Meals are usually eaten in the household but dining out has become prominent particularly during parties where light meals like salads, bread dips and skewered meats are served.
The area is also home to many desserts, ranging from those made regularly and those that are commonly reserved for the holidays. Most Palestinian sweets are pastries filled with either sweetened cheeses, dates or various nuts such as almonds, walnuts or pistachios. Beverages could also depend on holidays such as during Ramadan, where carob, tamarind and apricot juices are consumed at sunset. Coffee is consumed throughout the day and liquor is not very prevalent among the population, however, some alcoholic beverages such as arak or beer are consumed by Christians.
After Palestine was conquered by the Muslims in the 7th century CE, it became part of a Bilad al-Sham under the name Jund Filastin (The soldiers of Palestine). Therefore, many aspects of Palestinian cuisine are similar to the cuisine of Syria—especially in the Galilee. Modern Syrian-Palestinian dishes have been generally influenced by the rule of three major Islamic groups: the Arabs, the Persian-influenced Arabs (Iraqis) and the Turks.
In the 10th century, the Palestinian Jerusalemite geographer al-Muqaddasi said this of Palestine's foods
From Palestine comes olives, dried figs, raisins, the carob fruit... from Jerusalem comes cheeses and the celebrated raisins of the species known as Ainuni and Duri, excellent apples... also pine nuts of the kind called 'Kuraish-bite', and their equal is not found elsewhere... from Sughar and Baysan come dates, the treacle called Dibs 1
Until around the 1950s–60s, the main ingredients for rural Palestinian cuisine were vegetables, Zait o Zaatar (olive oil and thyme), oregano and bread baked in a simple oven called a taboon.
Author G. Robinson Lees, writing in 1905, observed that "The oven is not in the house, it has a building of its own, the joint property of several families whose duty is to keep it always hot." 2
The Zionist movement has always worked hard to justify why it was more deserving of Palestine than the natives living there. At the beginning, this took the form of appealing to Europe’s colonial expansionism, arguing that the Zionist movement could bring this backward land into the modern era. They also argued that this new Zionist state would serve as a bulwark for Europe against the barbaric east. This logic animated much of their early endeavors, such as founding a colonial trust and establishing a colonization department.
With time, and especially after the two world wars, the idea of colonialism began to fall out of the realm of the acceptable. Even traditionally colonial powers such as France and Britain sought to camouflage their endeavors under different designations such as “mandates” and “protectorates”. This, too, caught up to Israel and the Zionist movement, which had until then relied on projecting an image of European civilization in a deeply uncivilized area. As Yitzhak Gruenbaum, a member of the World Zionist Organization executive once argued:
“We, the Jews, are twentieth-century people of Europe, whereas the Arab population is still at the developmental level of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.” and, as “people of Europe, we wish to create a European economy here. We believe that the Mandate government must conduct its affairs based on the point of view that Palestine is a European country like England or its dominions.” 3
To combat this negative perception, Israel would begin to coopt some aspects of the natives as their own, especially regarding cuisine and some symbolic markers. Suddenly, Falafel and Hummus become “Israeli” staples, when most of the Zionist settlers had never even heard of them before arriving in Palestine. This would later develop to include other cultural markers, such as Palestinian Dabkeh, and producing an Israeli version of a Palestinian Kuffiyeh and claiming it has historical significance.
- Palestinian dishes:
Kebab halabi: Kebab served with a spicy tomato sauce and Aleppo pepper.
Kibbeh: A family of dishes based on spiced ground meat, onions, and grain.
Kibbee bi-siniyyeh: Finely ground lean beef (or lamb) combined with fine bulgur and spices is sandwiched in between a layer of sautéed seven-spiced course ground beef with onions and pine nuts.
Kibbeh nayyeh: A raw dish made from a mixture of bulgur, very finely minced lamb or beef similar to steak tartare, and Middle Eastern spices.
Mansaf: Made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice.
Maqluba: A layered dish of rice, vegetables, and meat, typically served upside down.
Musakhan: Large taboon bread topped with sumac, chicken, and onions.
Shish taouk: Marinated Chicken pieces on skewers.
Fasoulya beyda: White beans cooked in tomato sauce and served with rice.
Fasoulya khadra: Green beans cooked in tomato sauce and served with rice.
Kafta b'thine: Kafta balls cooked with tahini sauce and served with rice.
Kafta harra—kafta cooked in tomato sauce with potatoes, eaten alone or in pita bread.
Mahshi lift—a specialty of Hebron, turnips stuffed with rice, minced lamb meat and spices, cooked in tamarind sauce.
Mandi or Ruz ma lahma—in the West Bank, made by cooking meat, rice and vegetables in a taboon, as in other Arab States.
Zarb: Cooked under high pressure in an airtight oven underground.
Shurabet 'adas: Lentil soup flavored with red peppers, dill, garlic and cumin.
Qidra: Rice and meat pieces cooked with cloves, garlic and cardamom.
Rummaniyya: A mix of eggplant, pomegranate seeds, tahina, red peppers and garlic.
Sumaghiyyeh: Beef and chickpea stew flavored with sumac, tahina and red peppers.
Zibdieh—a clay-pot dish of shrimp baked in a stew of olive oil, garlic, hot peppers, and peeled tomatoes.
Bamia: Okra cooked with tomato sauce and onions.
Fatta: Pieces of fresh, toasted, grilled, or stale flatbread covered with other ingredients that vary according to region.
Kousa mahshi: Rice and minced meat stuffed in zucchini.
Maftul—large couscous-like balls, garbanzo beans and chicken pieces cooked in chicken broth.
Malfuf: Rice and minced meat rolled in cabbage leaves.
Mloukiyyeh: Corchorus stew.
Mujaddara: Cooked lentils together with groats, generally rice, and garnished with sautéed onions.
Shurbat freekeh: Green wheat soup, usually with chicken.
Waraq al-'anib: Rice and minced meats rolled in grape leaves.
- Bread meals:
Khubz: Everyday bread and is very similar to pita. It often takes the place of utensils; It is torn into bite size pieces and used to scoop various dips such as hummus.
Shrak/Markook: a paper-thin unleavened bread and when unfolded it is almost transparent.
Taboon: Receives its name from old Palestinian ovens used to bake them.
Ka’ek Al-Quds – Jerusalem bread: Palestinian bread baked in Jerusalem. Typically, this is a yeasted, crusty bread which is shaped into an oblong ring and covered in sesame seeds.
Manakish: Dough topped with thyme, cheese, or ground meat. Similar to a pizza, it can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch.
Safiha: Ground meat filling, usually lamb or beef, mixed with onions, tomatoes (or tahini), herbs, and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and cumin.
Samboseh: Baked or sometimes fried doughs stuffed with minced meat and cooked onions or snobar (pine nuts).
Fatayer: Folded into rectangular shapes and unlike samboseh, it could be filled with spinach or za'atar.
Falafel: A vegetarian dish made of ground chickpeas, herbs, and spices that are formed into balls and deep-fried. They're usually served and eaten wrapped in khubz.
Shawarma: A dish consisting of meat cut into thin slices, stacked in a cone-like shape, and roasted on a slowly-turning vertical rotisserie. Usually served wrapped in bread.
- Dips and side dishes:
Zeit O Zaatar: Made from a blend of dried thyme, sumac, sesame seeds, and salt, mixed with olive oil to create a paste. "Zeit" means "oil ( olive oil in this case) " in Arabic, and "zaatar" refers to the blend of herbs used in the seasoning.
Hummus: A dip, spread, or savory dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic.
Baba Ghanoush: finely chopped roasted eggplant, olive oil, lemon juice, various seasonings, and tahini.
Labneh: a simple cheese made from yogurt.
Ful: Stew of cooked fava beans served with olive oil, cumin, and optionally with chopped parsley, garlic, onion, lemon juice, chili pepper, and other vegetable, herb, and spice ingredients.
Jibneh Arabiyeh or jibneh baida is a white table cheese served with any of the above dishes. Ackawi cheese is a common variation of jibneh baida. Ackawi cheese has a smoother texture and a mild salty taste. It originated in the Palestinian city of Akka (Acre) - hence the name Ackawi - in the Galilee.
- Salads:
Tabbouleh: Chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, bulgur (soaked, not cooked), and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sweet pepper.
In 2006, the largest bowl of tabbouleh in the world was prepared by Palestinian cooks in the Palestinian city of Ramallah.
Fattoush: A combination of khubz pieces and parsley with chopped cucumbers, radishes, tomatoes and scallions and flavored by sumac.
Dagga: A Gazan salad usually made in a clay bowl and is a mix of crushed tomatoes, garlic cloves, red hot peppers, chopped dill and olive oil. Its seasoned with lemon juice immediately before being served.
- Sweets:
Kanafeh: Originated in the Palestinian city of Nablus. It is made of several fine shreds of pastry noodles with honey-sweetened cheese in the center. The top layer of the pastry is usually dyed orange with food coloring and sprinkled with crushed pistachios. Nablus, to the present day is famed for its kanafeh, partly due to its use of a white-brined cheese called Nabulsi after the city. Boiled sugar is used as a syrup for kanafeh.
Harissa: A delicious easy dessert made with semolina flour, then covered with simple syrup once baked. The Arabic name harissa means mashed or crushed and refers to how the ingredients are mixed.
Baklawa: A pastry made of thin sheets of unleavened flour dough, filled with pistachios and walnuts sweetened by honey.
Qatayef: A pastry that is filled with either unsalted goat cheese or ground walnuts and cinnamon. It is then baked and served with a hot sugar-water syrup or sometimes honey. Mainly served in the holy month of Ramadan.
Ka'ak bi 'awja: A semolina shortbread pastry filled with ground dates called 'ajwa or walnuts. The dessert is a traditional meal for Christians during Easter, and is also prepared towards the end of Ramadan, to be eaten during Eid al-Fitr - a Muslim festival immediately following Ramadan, as well as during Eid al-Adha.
Halawa: A block confection of sweetened sesame flour served in sliced pieces.
Muhalabiyeh: A rice pudding made with milk and topped with pistachios or almonds.
- Snack foods:
It is common for Palestinian hosts to serve fresh and dried fruits, nuts, seeds and dates to their guests. Roasted and salted watermelon, squash and sunflower seeds as well as, pistachios and cashews are common legumes. Watermelon seeds, known as bizir al-bateekh are eaten regularly during various leisurely activities: playing cards, smoking Shisha/Argila, conversing with friends or before and after meals. 4
Hawaij or Makhtoum: A Gazan delicacy of soft date paste, olive oil, molasses, cashews, and sesame seeds. This unique serving is based on traditional ingredients and is used as an healthy high energy snack
- Beverages:
Arabic coffee: The brewed coffee of Coffea arabica beans.
Palestinian women grinding coffee, 1905.
Shai w Nana: Tea with mint.
Shai wmiramiya: Tea with Sage.
Sahlab: A warm drink made from sweetened milk with salep garnished with walnuts, coconut flakes and cinnamon, is known as sahlab and is primarily served during the winter season.
Palestinians make a variety of fruit-based beverages that are especially consumed in the holy month of Ramadan, including the flavors, tamar hindi, sous or licorice, kharroub and Qamar Eddine.
Arak: A clear anise flavored alcoholic drink that is mixed with water to soften it and give it a creamy white color. It is consumed during special occasions such as holidays, weddings, and gatherings or with the mezze.
Beer: One of the most well-known Palestinian breweries is Taybeh Brewery, which was founded in 1994 in the town of Taybeh in the West Bank. Other Palestinian breweries include Shepherds Beer, which is based in Birzeit in the West Bank and produces a range of beers including a blonde ale and a smoked porter, and Gaza's first microbrewery, Wise Men's Beer, which was established in 2018 and produces a variety of beers including a pilsner and a red ale.
- Footnotes:
- le Strange, Guy (1890), Palestine Under the Moslems: A Description of Syria and the Holy Land from A.D. 650 to 1500, Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund, pp. 18–19.
- G. Robinson Lees (1905): Village Life in Palestine, Longmans, Green, and Co., p. 95.
- The Arab Jews: A Postcolonial Reading of Nationalism, Religion, and Ethnicity by Yehouda Shenhav.
- The rich flavors of Palestine Archived 2009-04-16 at the Wayback Machine Farsakh, Mai M. Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU).
- Links and references:
1- Here’s why Palestinians object to the term ‘Israeli food’: It erases us from history by Reem Kassis.
2- Israel’s obsession with hummus is about more than stealing Palestine’s food.
3- Food of Palestine
4-10 Middle Eastern dishes Israel claims to have invented,Food theft too? By Nourhan Nassar
5- Food, art and literature: How Israel is stealing Arab culture by Nada Elia
6- Israel-Palestine: How food became a target of colonial conquest by Joseph Massad.
7- The Palestinian Table: Don't deny the names of our favourite dishes by Tanushka Marah.
8- Palestinian food blogger Heifa Odeh on her culinary roots and cultural 'resilience' by Nadda Osman.