By Claude Mills, Staff Reporter
Above: A meal of kabab, french fries, pickles and coleslaw. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
AS U.S. tanks roll into Baghdad, citizens of the ancient city have been televised dancing in the streets at the apparent demise of President Saddam Hussein.
For the last three weeks all eyes have been riveted on Iraq and the Middle East. While our eyes and ears have been assaulted with the raw images of war and tales of troop movements, heroic deeds and desperate acts, this week Food has decided to serve up another side of the Middle East - the culinary delights and food traditions.
The Middle East has always had the stuff of great theatre and delicious contrast - deserts and Edens, desperate poverty and mind-numbing affluence, precious oil and useless sand, warriors and prophets. Where so many differences lie in politics and religion, it is remarkable to note how much their interests converge on the dinner table.
The cooking habits of Iraqis are strongly influenced by neighbouring Turkey and Iran. "Iraq joins Israel as one of the only Middle-Eastern nations to lack a unique cuisine," says Daniel Rogov, a senior writer for 'Wine and Gourmet Magazine', on the web site http://grapeevents.com. "Like the Turks, Iraqis love to stuff vegetables and eat a great deal of rice, lamb and yoghurt. Like Iranians, they enjoy cooking fruits together with beef and poultry," notes Rogov.
"The foods have basically the same names but the flavours of the foods vary from region to region," says Rogov.
"The foods of the Middle East are fairly healthy, there are vegetables in everything," says George Makhoul, manager of Kabab House on Trafalgar Road in Kingston.
While there may not be a distinct style to Iraqi cookery, there are several dishes that have their roots there: Masgoof is an outdoor barbecue of skewered whole river fish; Pacha is a slowly cooked combination of sheep's head, stomach, feet and a variety of other meats in broth; and turshi, a mixture of pickled vegetables, is a popular side-dish.
Lamb is the most widely eaten meat. Religion has
also funnelled eating habits with pork being eaten only by Christians and not by Muslims or Jews. Shish kebab, skewers of grilled lamb or chicken coupled with chunk tomatoes and other vegetables, is a favourite entree, as are lamb stews.
Grilling, frying, grinding, and stewing are the most common ways of preparing meats. A whole, roasted lamb, or leg of lamb is a special dish prepared for festive gatherings.
MIDDLE EASTERN DIET
Middle Easterners are big on legumes. There are a wide variety to choose from, with legumes such as black beans, chick peas (garbanzo beans), lentils, navy beans, fava beans and red beans being used in many dishes.
Breads are a part of every meal, underlining the important social and religious concept of 'breaking bread'. Pita bread and even whole wheat bread, and unleavened bread are common, and are a 'staple' of the Middle Eastern dinner table. Filo dough, which is used to make baklava, is also used in many dishes.
"Most dairy products are eaten in fermented forms, the milk is homemade, and we use it to make yoghurt and cheese. Feta cheese is the most commonly consumed cheese. We use the yoghurt in other products," notes Lina Hadid, owner of Kabab House.
Fruits tend to be eaten as dessert or as snacks. Fresh fruit is preferred, and are sometimes made into jams, and served in desserts. Lemon juice is commonly used for flavouring. Olive oil is preferred in food preparation.
"Eggplant is the most commonly consumed vegetable. Fruit and vegetables are preferred raw or mixed in a salad like in the Fattoush. Fava beans, green and black olives are present in many dishes, and olive oil is most frequently used in food preparation," Mr. Makhoul said.
"The Lebanese are proud of our chickpea dishes, hommus and the veggie meat in our falafel. Raw, pickled and cooked vegetables are consumed in abundance. The olive oil is very healthy, and is said to cut down on cholesterol," Mr. Makhoul said.
Spices and seasonings are essential in the preparation of Middle Eastern dishes. Common spices and herbs include dill, garlic, mint, cinnamon, oregano, parsley, and pepper.
THE GOOD AND THE NOT-SO-GOOD
But as healthy as its cuisine is deemed to be, the Middle East also has its vices: alcohol and tobacco.
"Lebanon has a drink called 'The Arak', an alcholic drink made from green grapes, but it takes a lot of time to make, as it comes in drops which we use to fill bottles over time. It takes time to make so the family will sit down together and do it," explains Rita Atie, the Lebanese-born sister-in-law of the proprietor of Kabab House.
After dinners at the Kabab House, patrons can also be seen puffing away on the fruit-flavoured tobacco of the Arjeleh (also known as sheesha or nargile in some regions). The device resembles a large lamp with a pipe attached to it.
"It is a pipe with a long, looping flexible tube attached to a container of water. The other end of the tube contains a mouthpiece from which smoke is drawn. You put water inside it first and then you put the fruit-flavoured tobacco on top and then put a hot coal on top of the tobacco. Then it's ready," explains Lina Atie.
Be careful though, it has been known to make some smokers dizzy after smoking.
THE KABAB HOUSE
Nestled between the headquarters of Pulse Entertainment Ltd. and the Women's Centre of Jamaica Foundation, Kabab House is a comfortable and cozy restaurant serving genuine Middle Eastern food.
Selections include the smooth and delectable hommus -- simmered chick peas pureed with tahini, lemon juice and sprinkled with olive oil. Chef Elias Issa can also whip up a creamy baba ghanouge that will delight your taste buds. Flavours are robust and clear, unfettered by complicated sauces and heavy dollops of cream and butter.
FOOD AT THE KABAB HOUSE
The Kebab's premier item is the chicken or beef shawerma, also known as a gyro (Greek), which is filled with juicy meat, crisp lettuce, tomato, cucumber. For dessert, baklava, or maamol (made of semolina and stuffed with dates). Other authentic items include falafels, Lebanese salads, and chicken and beef kababs.
Portions are large, and every dish is so full of flavour, you'll never need to reach for the salt.
While it's not the most elegant restaurant in town, its clean and tidy environment provides what is needed to enjoy the tasty and filling meals. The items on the menu are fairly priced, ranging from $200 to $1,200.
For dinner, the Kabab House is pretty quiet, you can't even hear the rumble of traffic on Trafalgar Road, with adequate service and an informal atmosphere. While Middle Eastern artistes like Najwa Karam and Wadeh Al Safie croon electronica-influenced English-Arabic tunes, the atmosphere created makes the Kabab House a great place to get to know someone over a casual meal.
