Fatteh - Origin Gaza, Palestine
Fatteh is a celebratory dish for Eid al-Adha, originating in Gaza, Palestine. This dish is composed of lamb, rice, bread, yogurt and nuts.
Though it is a labour-intensive meal to make, it serves as a celebration of not only Eid but also Palestinian traditional food. As time goes on, these long and complicated dishes are enjoyed by more and more generations.
Older generations within families eat Fatteh the traditional way, using their hands. While it is easy for younger generations within the diaspora to be accustomed to the conventional customs and meals offered around the world. It is essential to recognize that while various cultures have a multitude of various customs. when eating, traditional meals allow us to recognize and embrace our native culture.
-Process:
To begin the cooking process, you must prepare each ingredient. Every item needs to be carefully prepared, and like other traditional arab dishes, it is composed of various flavors, ingredients, and preparations. It is a dish compromised of many different processes and ingrediants,
Cook the rice, rip the bread into pieces, cook the lamb, roast the nuts. In a large dish each component is built on one another. First goes the bread, which is coated in the yogurt, next goes the rice lamb and nuts, finally the yogurt is poured over the entire dish, granting the dish deep, multilayered, flavors. And is typically enjoyed with sides of garlic and chili as gaza is a city which always manages to include heat and spices in our dishes.
Dish#2 Sumaghiyyeh
This Palestinian Dish is most commonly made in Gaza during holidays or special occasions. Its name is derived from the spice sumac. While this dish is mainly prepared in Gaza and appears unassuming, the rich flavours shine through and make it one of my favorite dishes. The ingredients for the dish are lamb, chickpeas, and sumaq (from which the name of the dish is derived)
Dish#3 Maqlubah
Maqlubah, which translates to "upside down," is a traditional Palestinian and Middle Eastern dish. The ingredients typically consist of rice and eggplant. cauliflower, chicken, potatoes, and tomatoes, and can be paired with a side of Greek yogurt or salad. This dish does not rely solely on presentation; instead, it is based on the understanding that not all traditions must be rigid, there is fluidity and mistakes, and at the end, there is still a delicious meal to share with family.
While many Middle Eastern cuisines emphasize meat, many traditional Palestinian foods tend to be vegetarian. While dishes such as maqlubeh typically include meat, many dishes could exclude meat, and it would not impact the taste.