5 Secrets of Middle Eastern Cooking

1. Marinate and Season Everything

Marinate and season everything, from meats to vegetables. Many people make the mistake of not marinating long enough or not putting enough seasoning on their foods and it results in bland tastes. When marinating, be sure all of the food you are marinating is covered with the marinade. Always marinate in the refrigerator, especially with meats. Try to marinate meats and vegetables for at least three hours, but twenty-four to forty-eight hours is ideal to achieve maximum flavor. [br][br]When using seasons like salt, pepper, and other spices, be generous. Do not be afraid to use more than one spice at a time. Cooking with spices is a trial and error process - you may put too of one spice for one recipe, but you know next time how much you like.