TRAVEL/ FOOD SPECIAL............... SUBTLY SPICY!

   SUBTLY SPICY! 

It may sound like an oxymoron but Egyptian food, much like its culture, is a combination of mild flavours that come alive with tangy accompaniments
   
    Countries are very much like people; they have varying moods and characteristics. Egypt, with its melange of personalities, has characteristics which have lured all kinds of travellers.
    The country’s rich ancient history, ruins of once-magnificent civilisations, mesmerising landscapes and increasing importance in world politics, have taken it to the top of the bucket list for avid travellers. And then there is the street food. Just stroll around the cobbled streets of Misr (the Romanised Arabic name for Egypt) with your eyes open, and you’ll discover plenty of food carts and hole-in-the-wall establishments that will get your taste buds tingling. Here are five specialities that one must try. 

VEGETARIAN’S DELIGHT
Koshary: The most popular food in Egypt is not lamb, beef or even chicken. The vegetarian koshary — a mixture of rice, macaroni, spaghetti, lentils and chickpeas, covered with a spicy tomato sauce and caramelised onions — is by far a favourite with the locals. The idea of mixing four sources of carbohydrates might put off health freaks, but after your first bite, this tangyflavoured dish is sure to cast a spell on you. The fact that it’s easy on the pocket doesn’t hurt either.
    Some say this dish is more than just food; it is symbolic of the harmonious intermingling of various food cultures in this strategically-located country – the pasta belies the Italian influence, the tomatoes are from Latin America and the rice, you guessed it, is from Asia. Sprinkle the complimentary vinegar and spicy red pepper sauce to add a new dimension to Koshary.
YOU ‘FUUL’
Fuul: Food tastes even better when you have a story to go with it. The first time I heard of fuul was on my first trip to Cairo. I asked the air hostess to list the local delights, and was bewildered when she looked at me with a straight face and said, “fool”! I got over the initial shock as she explained that ‘fuul’ is traditionally a breakfast dish made of fava beans, cooked and mashed with lots of spices.
    This dish will fill your stomach and give you a protein-rich start. Fuul is generally served with many elements such as butter, tomato sauce, tahini (sesame sauce), fried or boiled eggs and pastrami. The most popular way to eat fuul is with an Egyptian bread bun or even pita bread.
FOOD ON THE GO
Egyptian-style shawarma: The jury is still out on the origins of this dish, but the word on the street is that shawarma is the reason why burger chains in Egypt, and the whole of the Arab world, are often considered secondhand fast food.
    Layers of seasoned meat and fat are roasted slowly before the cooked outer layer is shaved off and thrown into a biladi (local) bread or pita bread to make a sandwich. The secret of a lip-smacking shawarma lies in the marination. Egypt’s street vendors have mastered this skill. Shawarma here comes with a variety of vegetables, which includes cucumber, onion, tomato, lettuce, eggplant, parsley, pickled turnips, pickled gherkins and cabbage. The warm, roasted meat is covered in tahini and makes for a brilliant on-the-go meal. 

THE AROMA OF A MEDITERRANEAN STEW
Bamya: Many food historians believe that the people of ancient Egypt were very familiar with okra and used it in their cooking. Bamya, a stew made from either lamb or beef, has a very distinct taste and texture, thanks to its okra base. It is available at various souks (markets) in Cairo.
    The best way to have Bamya is with steaming hot rice and some sugarcane juice, known locally as ‘aseer assab’. The sweetness of the juice offsets the spice of the tender meat and baby okra. On a hot day, the sugarcane juice is the perfect, natural picker-upper to get your energy back. In fact, one of the interesting things about Egypt is that there are a lot of fruits available here, because of its location on the Mediterranean and the crossroads between Africa and Asia.
    Another very popular drink in Egypt is karkadey, a juice made of dried hibiscus flowers. This tart, cranberry-like flavoured juice, which is packed with vitamin C, can be had cold or hot; however, the one you’re most likely to find at juice vendors would be the cold variety. 

VERY FISHY
Seafood: If you are heading to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast or the various resort towns, like Sharm el-Sheikh, dotting the Red Sea, don’t forget to try out the local seafood, which comprises sea bass, red and grey mullet, sole squid, prawns, calamari, crayfish and many more. Select your pick of fish from the iced-down display, retire to your table and enjoy the view.
    Those with a spirit of adventure should try out the traditional, fermented, salted and dried grey mullet – the fessekh. But beware, only a seasoned cook can prepare the feseekh. It can be poisonous if prepared incorrectly. Unfortunately, this dish with Pharaonic origins is only prepared during the Sham-El-Nessim festival, a spring celebration.
   
LOCAL CHAI
Tea is the national drink in Egypt and comes in two varieties, Koshary and Saiidi. Koshary, light in colour and flavour, is prepared by steeping black tea in boiled water and letting it sit for a few minutes. It’s sweetened with cane sugar and flavoured with fresh mint leaves. Adding milk is an option but people mostly like it black. Saiidi tea — made by boiling black tea with water for 5 minutes over high flame — is extremely strong and dark. It’s sweetened with copious amounts of cane sugar. 

Did you know? Priests in Egypt were not allowed to have onions, as they were considered the most potent aphrodisiac!

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