ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Arab cuisine

Arab cuisine is the food that people from Arab countries like to eat. These countries are located in the Middle East and North Africa. Just like how different people in different countries have different dishes and ingredients that they use, Arab cuisine has its own unique flavors and cooking styles.

One of the most important things about Arab cuisine is that it uses a lot of spices and herbs to add flavor to the food. Some of the most common spices used in Arab cooking include cumin, cardamom, and cinnamon. Herbs like mint and parsley are also used often.

Another important ingredient in Arab cuisine is bread. People in Arab countries make a special kind of bread called pita bread. It is round and flat and can be used to make sandwiches or to scoop up other foods like hummus or baba ghanoush, which are popular appetizers in Arab cuisine.

Arab cuisine also includes many dishes that are made with meat, especially lamb and chicken. Sometimes these meats are cooked on a skewer over a fire, which is called kebab. Other dishes might be stews or soups that have meat, vegetables, and spices in them.

Vegetables and grains are also important parts of Arab cuisine. Some popular dishes include mujadara, which is made with lentils and rice, and stuffed grape leaves, which are filled with rice, vegetables, and sometimes meat.

Finally, desserts are an important part of Arab cuisine as well. One popular dessert is called baklava, which is made with layers of crispy pastry and nuts, and then covered in a sweet syrup. Another dessert is mahalabiya, which is a creamy pudding that is often flavored with rose water or orange blossom water.

So in summary, Arab cuisine is a delicious and flavorful way of cooking that uses lots of spices and herbs, bread, meats, vegetables, grains, and desserts that are unique to the Middle East and North Africa.