The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Yemeni Foods. If you manage to be in an Yemeni restaurant or you are visiting Yemen, I recommend the following
1. Zurbian (lamb and rice)
Zurbian is considered a special occasion rice and is usually served at weddings, Eid al-Fitr or when important guests arrive. It is basically a dish with lamb, rice and saffron.
2. Zhoug
It is a spicy sauce that originated in Yemen and has become popular in some areas of the Middle East. This sauce is made with chilies, garlic, coriander, spices and oil. Other spices can be added, to taste, such as cardamom, caraway, or coriander seed. Some even add a little sugar to balance the flavors. It is used as an accompaniment to lamb, chicken, and fish dishes. It can also be used as a marinade.
3. Masoub
This is a dish made from overripe bananas, crumbled bread and cream or milk. Masoub is very similar to banana bread. On top of it are usually added nuts (the most popular are almonds), honey and raisins.
4. Martabak
It is prepared with an elastic pastry similar to roti and reminds of a fried and stuffed pancake. Its name means “folded” in Arabic and means the way the dough is folded over the filling, which can be meat, garlic, eggs, curry, pepper, ghee, onions, mint and coriander. Although its origin is not clear, it is said that this dish was invented in Yemen and Saudi Arabia at the same time. It can be found at food stalls throughout the country.
5. Maraq
It is a mixture of chili, tomato, garlic and ground herbs that is usually the ideal accompaniment to El saltah. It is served with fresh lemon or lime slices that are squeezed for extra flavor.
6. Mandi
A popular dish of Yemeni cuisine that has poultry (or any other meat), a mixture of Yemen spices called “ahwaij” and rice. It is a simple dish but not so simple because it has a secret: a particular cooking method. The meat of this dish is cooked inside a tandoor or clay oven, sometimes buried underground, which gives it a smoky flavor.
7. Madfoon
Madfoon is an Arabic dish made of meat and rice. The signature dish is characterized by a cooking technique in which the marinated meat is cooked in subway pits, placed on sand and surrounded by charcoal. The smoke and heat slowly cook the meat, leaving it soft and tender, with a smoky flavor and aroma.
8. Kubaneh
It is made from a slightly richer dough that becomes very rich when laminated with butter after the first roll. The result is a feathery bread with a thin coating that is perfect for tearing and dipping. According to tradition, the bread is baked on Saturday morning and served with hard boiled eggs, fresh grated tomatoes and hot sauce.
9. Aseeda
It is an Arab dessert very similar to porridge, and besides being delicious, it is very nutritious. It is always present on special occasions such as the arrival of a newborn or the birthday of the prophet.
10. Saltah
Each region has its own recipe for this dish, usually made with broth, beef cubes and a mixture of peppers, tomatoes and onions called sahawiq. Ground fenugreek seeds are added for texture, and scrambled eggs, potatoes and sometimes rice are added for variety. Saltah is usually eaten for lunch with flatbread.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional African Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.