Middle Eastern Food

Are you making kebabs soon? Need to know what the best cut of beef to use? Look no further! Like most things, all cuts of beef are created equal. Just ask a guy who just bought two pounds of filet mignon! Best Cuts of Meat for Kebabs

What is your favorite way to make kebabs? Do you like lamb, fish, shrimp, or even fruit kebabs? Share your kebab ideas in the 'Comments' section below!

Kebabs have become an American staple -- you'll find them cooking alongside burgers and hotdogs on grills during the summer. First, they are delicious, require few ingredients, and look really nice served on a plate of rice or a salad. It's a great meal to make, especially when you have guests!

When I am a guest at someone's home and they are grilling kebabs, I often notice a few areas that could use some improvement. Foremost, the meat is often overcooked or tough. Once, my jaw was sore from eating a neighbor's grilled beef kebabs. He even used a premium cut of beef and somehow made it chewy like leather.

Are you a victim of chewy, tough kebabs? Help is on the way! Check out how you can make more tender kebabs that cut like butter!

If you haven't guessed yet, it was a kebab weekend at the Fayed house. My five year old daughter asked why we eat things off of a stick (verbatim) as she chowed down on a shish kebab. I have to admit that I didn't have an immediate answer for my oh-so-inquisitive offspring. I eventually told her that it is an traditional form of cooking and it allowed different flavors to mesh together, while cooking at the same time. Okay, so that was a little over my little one's head, so I had to go a different route.

We made fruit kebabs together, alternating fresh fruits like bananas and strawberries. We let them sit for a half hour, and BAM - meshed fruit flavors. She completely got it.

So, if your child ever asks why you choose to eat meat off of a stick, feel free to use my weak, but effective example! Happy kebabing!

Middle Eastern Kebab Recipes

• Beef Shish Kebab
• Spicy Lamb Kebab
• Shrimp Kebab
• Samak Kebab
• Chicken Kebab

Arak is a distilled alcoholic drink favored in the Middle East. Commonly used in social settings, the drink is famous for its potency, and the milky-white color it turns when water is added to it. Arak has a high alcohol content, so water and ice is almost always added, producing the drink nick-named, "the milk of lions," in the Middle East. Read more about arak...

This dry rub features spices that are commonly used in Moroccan cooking. Cinnamon and cloves are mixed with cumin, ginger, and garlic to create a flavorful rub that is delicious on chicken or beef. Perfect to use on meat used for shish kebabs. Feel free to experiment on the amounts of each spice used to create the flavor you like best.

_{Photo (c) Jaha-Pekka Kervinen}

If you're familiar with Middle Eastern food recipes, at one time or another you're sure to have seen bulghur wheat listed as an ingredient. Most often you'll see it in tabbouleh, and kibbeh, but you may also find it in pilafs, soups, and breads. Still, you may be wondering, what exactly bulghur wheat is.

Bulghur wheat is a blend of different species of wheat, or made solely from durum wheat, which form a cereal like food. Because of it's flavor and consistency, you'll find its versatility in several Middle Eastern dishes. Want to  know more? Be sure to read Bulghur Wheat 101 where you'll find out everything you want to know about bulghur, from how it's processed to where you can buy it to how to properly store it. Bulghur really is worth trying, not only for it's flavor, but for its nutrional value and unique texture.

Harissa is a North Africa condiment that is commonly used in rubs, marinades, and sauces. It is extremely spicy and should be used with caution. Word to the wise: start with a little and work your way up. Harissa is simple to make or can be bought at Middle Eastern food stores and gourmet grocers.

Follow About Middle Eastern Food on Twitter

Tahini is a staple in Middle Eastern food recipes. It adds texture and flavor to hummus and several other dips and is one o the base ingredients in many sauces! If you're not familiar with tahini, you should know that its a paste made from sesame seeds. It has a rich flavor and is delicious!

The bad thing about tahini is that it is often expensive to buy. I have seen it retail for as much as $12 at specialty food stores! The good news is that it is super easy and much less expensive to make at home. Nothing beats the taste of homemade tahini. Tahini Recipe

Forget the potato salad and baked beans! While they are staples for any cookout, they can be predictable and boring. Spice things up and make it a little interesting with international dishes! Middle eastern food offers a variety of side dishes that will go well with anything from kid fare to grilled chicken breasts -- even grilled mushrooms! Try these side dishes for your next cookout!

Speaking of grilled mushrooms, I have a wonderful recipe for grilled portobello mushrooms. When grilled right, they are absolutely delicious and can rival a steak -- not kidding! Check out my recipe for grilled portobello mushrooms. I like to add a little swiss or provolone and serve these topped with grilled onions. You really cannot go wrong with grilled mushrooms!

Tired of burgers and dogs? Try this 5 star grilled chicken recipe. It will knock your socks off!

With summer in full swing now is the prime opportunity to get those grills a blazin'!  It's no secret kebabs are one of my favorite foods to cook on the grill. The possibilities of assembling kebabs are practically endless, and I love that no kebab has to taste the same way each time. With that in mind, have you ever made a kebab that looked so delicious and mouth-watering that you actually took a photo? If so, we'd love to see it!

Show off your skills by uploading a photo or two of your most perfect kebab. Share what ingredients you used and any tips you may have that made your kebabs a success.  If it was worthy of a photo, we want to see it!