In Egyptian cuisine it is common to cook legumes (beans, lentils, peas and peanuts) and vegetable dishes. Koshary is the national dish of Egypt. It is made of rice, chickpeas, macaroni, and lentils. Pita bread called eish balad is also a staple. Nuts and honey are commonly added to desserts. One popular dish, Qatayef (also called Arabic pancakes), is a pancake stuffed with nuts and honey added on top. A lot of spices are used in Egyptian cooking, and the most popular spice is Cumin.
Health benefits of Cumin:
- Cumin helps with digestion.
- Cumin has a lot of Iron—1 tsp of cumin seed provides 17.5% of the recommended amount of iron for adults for the day.
- Cumin acts as an antioxidant, which fights inflammation.
Health Benefits of Honey
- Honey is also rich in antioxidants.
- Honey is anti-bacterial.
- Honey can help ease minor coughs.
Note: Do not give honey to children under 12 months old. It can cause an illness called infant botulism and is a choking hazard.
Cumin & Carrot Salad
In Egyptian cuisine, cumin and carrot salad is a tasty and healthy dish. It mixes the flavorful cumin spice with sweet carrots, making it a great side dish for many Egyptian meals.
Ingredients:
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp cumin seed
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 shallots, thinly sliced
- 5 carrots, grated
- Small bunch of coriander, chopped
- ½ a small bunch of chopped mint
How to make:
Combine all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl and serve.
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