10 Most Popular Foods in Yemen

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Are you fond of Middle Eastern cuisines? If you are, you will love the Yemeni cuisine for its mouth-watering delicacies and a nice blend of tastes. Though the country shows some regional variation in food culture, Yemen is mostly dependent on dessert, egg dishes, meat soup, stew, and so on. Let’s have a look at the top dishes Yemen has to offer.

1. Mashwi

The Yemeni dish of Mashwi is actually a grilled fish that is quite popular in Egypt as well. To make this lip-smacking recipe, you need either red snapper or sea bass. Try to buy whole fish from the fish market for this delicious dish of Mashwi. Other ingredients needed for Mashwi are lime juice, garlic, cumin, rosemary, semolina flour, white wine, black pepper, and so on.

Recipe for Mashwi

2. Shakshouka

A spicy combination of tomato sauce and poached eggs, the Shakshouka is a simple recipe ordered by tourists in Yemen. The star of the dish is definitely fresh eggs. Apart from these, the chefs will also need tomato, onion, bell pepper, paprika, cumin, and so on. For flavor, the chefs add a special Yemeni sausage named Merguez sausage to the dish. Recipe for Shakshouka

3. Masoub

Masoub is actually a Yemeni dessert. Mashed banana and bread are the stars of the recipe. Here, the locals use other ingredients like butter, fresh cream, honey, milk, nuts, etc. Among spices, one can use cinnamon powder, cloves, etc. You can serve this delicious Yemeni Masoub at your breakfast as well. This communal meal is generally served on large plates with some garnishing on the sides.

Recipe for Masoub

4. Aseeda

The chefs make the delicious dish of Aseeda with flour, yogurt, water, salt, chicken broth, shredded chicken, garlic, cumin, onions, pepper, etc. The dish looks pretty moist, and it is made of pastry dough. This traditional Aseeda dish is served in a large bowl. You should eat the mouth-watering Aseeda before there is any lump in the dish.

Recipe for Aseeda

5. Maraq

Aromatic Maraq is prepared with chicken or lamb broth. This delicious Maraq is prepared for starters before the main course. The ingredients required to prepare the Maraq are garlic, onion, coriander, cinnamon, pepper, carrot, turmeric, and so on. The Maraq is more of a stew declared as the Yemeni national dish.

Recipe for Maraq

6. Madfoon

This Arabian delicacy of Madfoon is quite popular in Yemen. The dish is made with either lamb or chicken meat. Below the meat, there remains finely cooked basmati rice. The recipe of Madfoon is cooked on an open fire on top of hot charcoal. That is why a smoky flavor comes from the dish of Madfoon. Clearly, Madfoon is the main course recipe, and you can savor it with some delicious sauces.

Recipe for madfoon

7. Mandi

This rice and meat recipe originated in Yemen. Made with either lamb or chicken, the dish is similar to Madfoon to some extent. Here, the meats are cooked in tandoori style. This savory Yemeni recipe is prepared in a clay pot by the locals.

Recipe for Mandi

8. Fahsa

Fahsa is a fairly spicy stew considered as street food in Yemen. The recipe features chunks of lamb cutlets. If you are preparing the Fahsa at your home, you must serve the dish in a hot condition to your guests. The common ingredients for cooking Fahsa are chopped onions, lamb cubes, coriander leaves, hulba paste, minced garlic, and so on.

Recipe for Fahsa

9. Matfaiya

Healthy and tasty Matfaiya is made with soft and tender kingfish. The dish is also made with rice. Tomato sauce, vegetable chunks, and various spices are added to the dish of Matfaiya. You can cook the Matfaiya in a large saucepan and serve the dish in a large bowl.

Recipe for Matfaiya

10. Zurbian

Zurbian is more like the Indian delicacy of Hyderabadi Biryani. This tasty Yemeni delicacy is made with soft lamb pieces. You can serve this lamb rice with some sauce and a side dish. To make an authentic Zurbian you need long grain rice, browned butter, cinnamon, coriander, lamb shoulder, orange blossom water, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, yogurt, and so on. The dish of Zurbian is cooked in vegetable oil.

Recipe for Zurbian

Sources:

Wikipedia

Trip 101

Taste Atlas