Greek vs Egyptian food & cuisine

Greece

SEASONINGS

For Greece, it’s quite tempting to list lemon, olive oil, garlic, and oregano and stop there – this fresh combination is so iconic and Greek. Herbs are the soul of Greek cooking, used generously to elevate the dishes. Greeks often use minimal seasoning even for grilled meats. Yet if we talk stews, soups and hearty dishes, then cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg add warmth, depth, and sweetness but don’t overpower – the purity of ingredient remains.

It’s fascinating how Greek cuisine shows the meeting of Western and Eastern cultures through its two most important condiments – olive oil and yogurt. Olive oil comes from the Mediterranean tradition that Greece shares with Italy, Spain and southern France. Meanwhile, yogurt connects Greece to the east – to Turkey, the Levant, and other Middle Eastern food cultures. The same pattern appears in Greek architecture, music, and other cultural expressions as well.

Though not exclusive to Greek cuisine, mahlab, and mastic contribute to distinctive flavors: mahlab, a spice made from the ground seeds of the St. Lucie cherry or black cherry tree, has a unique and slightly sweet taste with hints of almond and cherry. It is used in desserts, such as tsoureki (a sweet bread), and in some savory dishes. Mastic, a resin obtained from the mastic tree, is used as a flavoring and thickening agent in desserts. Mastic has a piney, slightly resinous flavor and a unique chewy texture when ground into a powder.

SAUCES

TZADZIKI – a rich, creamy, bright, and fresh, indeed the most famous sauce, made from strained yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, garlic, and olive oil, eaten with bread, grilled meats, as a part of a meze platter, as a salad dressing,

AVGOLEMONO is another Greek signature. It is used as both a sauce and a soup, made from egg yolks and lemon juice whisked together until they develop a thick consistency.

LADOLEMONO is a classic lemon and olive oil dressing whisked together to perfection, used as a marinade, or drizzled over grilled fish, seafood, and vegetables.

SKORDALIA – a pungent garlic sauce paired with fried cod (bakaliaros), boiled beets, or vegetables. Made of garlic, potatoes or bread, olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, almonds/walnuts.

Egypt

SEASONINGS

Salt, cumin and coriander have been the main Egyptian seasonings since ancient times. The oldest recorded use of cumin dates back 5000 years when cumin was used in the embalming process due to its antibacterial properties (source). Warm and floral coriander belongs to the same family as cumin and goes hand in hand, supplementing each other in Egyptian dishes to create warmth and depth. Heat-wise, food is not overly spicy, unlike their Western or Southern neighbors, the focus is more on the aromatic side.

The ancient Egyptians are known to have used a lot of garlic and onions in their everyday dishes, and this tradition continues. Fresh and fried garlic, mashed with herbs, is very prominent, and onions, fried and sprinkled on top, are a frequent garnish. A unique Egyptian flavoring ingredient is black honey, also known as sugar cane molasses, a liquid black sweetener used in desserts and marinades.

A famous Egyptian nut and spice mix DUKKAH, meaning ‘pound’ in Arabic, it illustrates how it is made – pounded finely or coarsely. It’s a versatile mix – used to crust meat, fish, sprinkled on bread, or over eggs. The composition varies from family to family, still, the common ingredients are nuts,  sesame, coriander, cumin, salt, and black pepper. Dukkah is gaining popularity in countries outside of Egypt, largely due to its exposure through TV shows.

Other spice mixes used widely in Egypt are shared with other cultures:

Levantine ZA’ATAR – dried oregano, thyme or marjoram, sumac, sesame seeds, salt.

Arabic BAHARAT – black pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, paprika.

North African RAS EL HANOUT can have 30 or more ingredients. Some blends can have up to 80 spices! Here are some common ones: cardamom, clove, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, peppercorn, turmeric, paprika, fenugreek, anise, ginger, chili pepper, allspice, mace, dried rose petals.

SAUCES

Some are local, some have come from elsewhere. These sauces are used with dishes in Egypt:

TA’ALEYA is a garlic sauce made by frying garlic with ghee and then adding coriander and chili. It is used to flavor bamia or koshary.

TEHINA is a sesame paste, garlic, salt, cumin, and lemon juice mix that goes with almost everything.

TOMAYA is a garlic sauce made from mashed garlic, lemon juice, and salt, often served as a condiment with grilled meats, chicken, or seafood. It’s similar to a Mediterranean garlic dip called toum.

BISSARA is a split fava bean sauce or dip, also featuring onions, garlic, lemon juice, hot peppers, parsley, dill, mint.

MOLOKHIA is eaten with bread as a soup or dip, but can be categorized as a sauce.

SHATTA – a hot chili sauce made from crushed red chilies, garlic, lemon, and vinegar. It’s a spicy condiment served with koshary, ful medames, and falafel.