With some of the most beautiful beach side resorts in the world and incredible sites built by the Ancient Egyptians, Egypt has long been a coveted tourist escape. However, the food is another attractive pull for this Middle Eastern nation with a number of delicious dishes you'll hardly find outside its borders. These dishes are worth the trip to this fascinating country alone.
Ta’meya
Most have heard of and tried falafel around the world, fast becoming one of world's favorite vegetarian street snacks. However the Egyptian version of this Middle Eastern staple known as ta’meya, is special. In fact it's believed this was the first version of falafel, originating in Egypt over a thousand years ago. Here they use fava beans instead of chickpeas, but otherwise it's pretty much the same as the popular deep fried snack. Slightly healthier and lighter compared to the standard falafel, while it might not be quite as popular, most who try it claim ta’meya is the superior version.
Kushari
A delicious mix of comforting carbs, kushari combines rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas brought together with a spicy tomato sauce and topped with crispy fried onions. Originally created in the 19th century as a way of using up leftover staples, it's now seen as one of the country's national dishes, often sold in street carts all over the nation.
Hawawshi
A minced meat stuffed flatbread flavored with spices and baked in the oven, Hawawshi is a popular snack found all over the country. Crispy on the outside from baking, with an explosion of flavors in the middle, it's one of the country's best comfort foods and makes for the perfect meal between meals.
Sayadeya
With the country straddling the Mediterranean Sea to the North and the Red Sea to the east along with the iconic River Nile running down the middle, it's not surprising that Egypt also has some delicious dishes with fish. Sayadeya features a white fish, such as sea bass, that's accompanied with yellow rice, spices, tomato sauce and topped with fried onion. You'll find it in coastal cities all over the Red Sea, along with over on the Saudi side too.
Shakshuka
Although the exact origins of this North African dish are constantly disputed, it's delicious almost everywhere you try it and Egypt is no exception. Seeing popularity around the world as a breakfast or brunch dish, shakshuka is made with eggs poached in a rich, spiced tomato and red pepper sauce. It's flavorful, comforting and perfect for mopping up with some flatbread.
Ful Medammes
Like many a Middle Eastern dish, ful medammes is found all over the region, but first originated in Egypt. There's almost a hundred variations of this classic Egyptian dish as every family creates their own recipe, but the heart of it is the fava bean. After the beans are cooked, they're mixed with various ingredients, often including oil, cumin, parsley and onions but also other vegetables, herbs or even boiled eggs are added.
Molokhia
While it can be a bit of an acquired taste to some people, molokhia . Using the leaves of the dish's namesake, often translated to jute in English, the leaves are boiled in chicken stock until it reaches a thick soup consistency. It can then be eaten as is similar to a soup, with bread or rice, or as a sauce for meats. The leaves can have quite a bitter taste, but boiling them takes most of the unpleasantness out of it.
Conclusion
Rarely ever seen as a destination for food lover's, mainly being out-shadowed by its resort towns and ancient pyramids, Egypt offers an incredible experience for anyone wanting to take a culinary journey through the country. Stay away from mediocre resort centered food and eat with the locals, for some of the most delicious dishes on earth.