Rise Of The Middle Eastern Cuisine

Over the past decade, middle eastern cuisine has gained tremendous popularity among the people of Sydney. As a result, you'll see several middle-eastern themed restaurants popping up all over the city. Some of the best middle eastern themed speciality restaurants can be found in the suburbs of Lane Cove and Hunters Hill.

This cuisine has had a deep-rooted traditional and ethnic development that has added to its rich and authentic flavour group. Other cuisines that are often enveloped under the middle eastern include Morocco, Israel and Lebanon.

These are not just incredibly scrumptious and delightfully aromatic but also one of the acknowledged healthiest cuisines worldwide. These dishes are composed using ingredients filled with lean proteins, healthy fats, fresh vegetables, fruits and spices. Middle eastern cuisine has finally started to receive the credit it was long overdue. Listed below is a list of some of the healthiest dishes that make up this cuisine can be found in specialty restaurants in Lane Cove and Hunters Hill, Sydney.

Healthiest Middle Eastern Dishes:

1. Shawarma: 

This is bound to be the most famous of all middle eastern dishes. It is a rich dish that requires a particular technique during preparation. Here, a large chunk of meat is staked on a vertical rod and roasted on a slow-turning rotisserie or spit. Shawarma was prepared with lamb or mutton at its roots, but other meat substitutes like beef, chicken, or turkey are also being used recently. While it's being cooked, the chef or attendant in charge will slice the meat with a sharp knife to serve the customer as a snack or dinner along with condiments or side dishes like hummus, falafel, fries, or flatbread. A chicken shawarma is a good source of vitamin A, C and protein. It also gives your body vital calcium, iron, sodium and magnesium.

Natives of the land will have you claiming that you'll have to go to the lands where it originated if you want to have authentic shawarma. Well, that might be true, but we hope you'll find the next best thing at middle eastern themed restaurants in Lane Cove and Hunters Hill.

2. Falafel: 

It is made of dried and ground chickpeas or fava beans seasoned with onions, garlic, parsley, coriander and cumin. These are made into balls or patties and deep-fried to be served with flatbread or pita wraps along with hummus, tahini or tzatziki. These are also high in protein content and a high source of soluble fibre that aids in reducing bad cholesterol.

3. Hummus: 

Again, this is one of the most well known and forever trending foods seen in middle eastern cuisine. Essentially a dip, it can be consumed along with bread, falafels or vegetables. It is also used as a dressing or a spread in salads or sandwiches. Hummus topped with olive oil served with Pita bread is a typical and well-enjoyed snack.

Hummus is essentially a smooth blend of sesame seed paste, i.e. tahini, garlic, cooked chickpeas, olive oil, and lemon juice. This is simple to make even at home using a blender. In terms of health, chickpeas, the primary ingredient used to prepare hummus, is a rich source of protein, fibre, and iron. Further, olive oil is made of monounsaturated fats that are good for your heart. Other health benefits include helping fight inflammation, improving blood sugar control, better digestive health, lower heart disease risk and weight loss. Hummus would be readily available at Middle Eastern speciality and mainstream restaurants in Hunters Hill suburbs alike.

4. Labneh: 

This dish seems to have originated from Lebanon and is a typical dish that adorns a mezze platter. Labneh is a kind of yogurt cheese made out of cow's milk. It's one of the most healthy Lebanese dishes. It can be an excellent and nutritious breakfast or lunch dish if coupled with fresh pita bread. It is also a probiotic food with good bacteria to boost one's immune system.

5. Tabouleh: 

This is one dish for vegetarians. It is made of tomato, bulgur, spring onion, parsley, and mint, topped with lemon juice and olive oil. This authentic middle eastern dish is high in dietary fibre and low in saturated fats. It is also brimming with vitamins and minerals that aids in maintaining one's immune system and minimising cardiovascular disease risk.

These are some of the healthiest yet most popular dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine. Try authentic middle eastern restaurants in the suburbs of Lane Cove and Hunters Hill.