Best food in Egypt
When we think of Egypt we think of: The Pyramids, sphinx, pharaohs, hieroglyphics, mummies, and ancient temples, to name a few. But when we think of Egyptian dishes, they are not so well known. However, we’re here to enlighten you about the delicious foods that are readily available in Egypt and extremely tasty, to say the least! Like in other countries, food is a large part of Egyptian culture.
You can find different varieties of the same food all over Egypt, north to south, with each region adding its unique flavour or twist to the recipe, from classics like kebab and falafel to traditional favourites like hawawshi and kushari.
1. Ful wa Ta’meya (Vegetarian Dishes)
Ta’meya and ful mudammas, which are essentially fava beans and falafel are the original Egyptian fast foods. They’re a staple of the Egyptian diet, mainly because they’re filling and use ingredients that are easily accessible in the country. The ful is made of fava beans that are cooked for hours in a pot called a qedra. The ta-meya, which is an Egyptian falafel, is made out of crushed fava beans that is later made into a paste, then fried. Nowadays you can find falafels all over the Middle East however, Egypt is the actual origin of those delightful fried treats. A perfect dish for all you vegos!
2. Kushari (Vegetarian Dishes)
Carb overload coming right at you! Come lunch time in Cairo you’ll see a stack of locals lined up at every kushari shop around, waiting for a hearty portion of one of Egypt’s favourite street foods. This filling meal is made up of rice, macaroni and lentils, topped with tomato sauce, garlic vinegar and garnished with chickpeas and fried onions. It’s a perfect meal that is substantial, nutrient-packed and cheap. Exactly what the Egyptians were after!
3. Om Ali
It’s not some Indian Dessert a lot of people misinterpret it especially Indians. The translation of this dish is “mother of Ali, which definitely signals over some amazing story but let’s just skip it and see what kind of deliciousness is mixed together to make this spectacular food of Cairo. This splendid food comprises filo dough or puff pastry, nuts, and milk yielding an Egyptian bread pudding which is much lighter and milkier than the European or American version.
4. Fiteer Baladi
This is one of the Egyptian dishes that is very much like pizza. It is super buttery and full of calories, but oh so worth it! Fiteer is made of plenty of filo pastry layers that are cooked in a brick oven. The original is served plain however, it can be ordered savoury with meats, cheese and vegetables or sweet with syrup, honey or sugar. You can’t say no to pizza!
5. Shawarma
Although shawarma is not native to Egypt originally, it has become so since Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire. Shawarma is layers of meat which could be lamb, chicken, or beef that are placed on a spit and grilled, all day long. The outer layers are then shaved off and chucked into a tasty hunk of bread or roll.
6. Kofta and Kebab
Meat lovers, rejoice! Kofta is minced beef or lamb with plenty of spices thrown in, which is then rolled and grilled. You could call it an Egyptian-style sausage. Kebab is prepped with pieces of meat such as lamb or veal that are grilled over a coal fire on a skewer. These meat dishes are always accompanied by sides of dips, rice, bread, and veggies. This will most definitely put you in a happy food coma.
7. Fish and seafood
If you’re traveling along the coast or staying in Alexandria, you’ll have great access to fresh fish and seafood. You might order a simple but delicious dish of grilled or fried fish with a side of rice.
8. Feteer meshaltet,
This is a famous Egyptian pizza which is extra buttery and full of juicy goodness. Usually, they serve it without any toppings just as plain bread which you can dip or make a sandwich. The preparation of this top food in Cairo comprises multiple layers of filo dough cooked in a giant brick oven. Later on, your preferences, they garnish it with honey, syrup or powdered sugar for sweet as well as for savory a thick coat of meat, vegetables, and cheese toppings are sprinkled.
9. Baklava
This is a famous Turkish dessert also available here in Cairo with some alternations of course. This is one of the best foods to try in Cairo which consists of crushed nuts baked between layers of filo dough and topped with sharbat or a sweet syrup. It so juicy and sweet that you might get a hangover or sugar rush so be aware that you don’t consume a lot.
10. Basbousa
Finally, we make our way to Cairo’s very own light and crumbly cake baked and topped with sharbat. This is a crowd favourite, especially amongst those having a sweet tooth for enduring the extra sugar and extra creaminess coming from the core ingredients of this food of Cairo which is semolina. People usually consumed it with some mint tea or Turkish coffee.
11. Kunafa
This is basically a thin and fluffy filo dough which is prepared just like Baklava but is crispier due to its thing layers which are usually topped with a lot of grounded pistachios that the food looks green after the topping, or you can adopt the Cairo style of food by topping it with sharbat. This is available at any local bakery in Cairo.
