A FOOD TRADITION

Levantine cuisine

Levantine cuisine covers interconnected food traditions associated with Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, all represented culturally in Qatar. Its everyday repertoire combines flatbreads, bulgur, rice, chickpeas, lentils, eggplant, tomatoes, olive oil, tahini, herbs, lamb and poultry. Characteristic techniques include charcoal grilling, baking, stuffing vegetables, braising and combining raw or cooked ingredients into composed mezze. Examples include kibbeh, maqluba and fattoush. Regional and family variations are substantial, and the label should not imply that the dishes belong exclusively to one modern state. It provides a useful cultural category for a well-established Arab tradition not captured by the specifically Qatari entry.

Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.