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Libyan cuisine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Libyan asida served with rub and molten sheep ghee; the traditional way to eat Libyan asida is to do so using the index and middle fingers of the right hand.
Location of Libya

The cuisine of Libya is a mix of Berber, Arab and Mediterranean cuisines One of the most popular Libyan dishes is bazin, an unleavened bread prepared with barley, water and salt.[1] Bazin is prepared by boiling barley flour in water and then beating it to create a dough using a magraf, which is a unique stick designed for this purpose.[2]

In Tripoli, Libya's capital, the cuisine is particularly influenced by Italian cuisine.[3] Pasta is common, and many seafood dishes are available.[3] Southern Libyan cuisine is more traditionally Arab, and Berber. Common fruits and vegetables include figs, dates, oranges, apricots and olives.[3]

Pork consumption is forbidden to Muslims in Libya, in accordance with Sharia, the Islamic law. The consumption of alcoholic drinks is also forbidden to Libyan Muslims.

Dishes

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Bazin (center) served with a stew and whole hard-boiled eggs
Egg shakshouka
Mbakbaka
Usban

Libyan cuisine reflects both Mediterranean and desert influences, shaped by the country’s geography and history. In coastal areas, the diet includes a wide range of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains, often cooked with olive oil and local herbs.[4] Inland and in the southern regions, traditional foods rely more on dates, barley, milk products, and preserved meats. Mutton is the most commonly consumed meat across the country, while camel meat is more typical in the south. Seafood, particularly along the coast, plays a significant role in everyday meals. Tuna is especially popular and widely consumed, often canned and used in sandwiches. It is a common school lunch item, making it one of the most familiar and accessible sources of protein in the country. Pasta is widely eaten in Libya, especially in dishes like imbakbaka, due to the lasting influence of Italian colonization.[5]

Common Dishes

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Bazin is a common Libyan food made with barley flour and a little plain flour, which is boiled in salted water to make a hard dough, and then formed into a rounded, smooth dome placed in the middle of the dish. The sauce around the dough is made by frying chopped onions with lamb meat, turmeric, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, fenugreek, sweet paprika, and tomato paste. Potatoes can also be added. Finally, boiled eggs are arranged around the dome. The dish is then served with lemon and fresh or pickled chili peppers, known as amsyar. Batata mubattana (filled potato) is another popular dish that consists of fried potato pieces filled with spiced minced meat and covered with egg and breadcrumbs.

Appetizers, Light Dishes, and Side Plates

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  • Sharmoula is a spicy, garlicky condiment made with tomatoes, vinegar, oil, and sometimes olives or tuna. It’s used as a dip or spread.
  • Harissa is hot chili sauce commonly eaten in Eastern Maghreb. Main ingredients include chili peppers, such as the typical and local Baklouti pepper imported from Al-Andalus, or bird's eye chili and serrano peppers, and spices such as garlic paste, coriander, red chili powder, caraway and olive oil.[6]
  • Amsyar is a quick-pickled vegetable relish that accompanies a wide variety of main dishes. It’s especially essential when served alongside Imabwakh.
  • Bureek, turnovers
  • Kifta,
  • Mtabal is a traditional Levantine aubergine dish popular throughout the Arab world. Unlike Baba Ghanoush, which involves roasting, peeling, and blending the aubergine into a smooth paste with tahini and lemon juice, Mtabal is prepared by roasting the aubergine until smoky, then dicing it and serving it with tahini and olive oil drizzled on top, giving it a coarser, chunkier texture.
  • Salata Arabiya is a traditional chopped salad consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, dressed simply with lemon juice and olive oil.
  • Salata Mashwiya, which translates to "roasted salad," serves both as a salad and a flavorful hot sauce commonly enjoyed alongside barbecued dishes. Traditionally, the vegetables are grilled over an open fire while the meat marinates, imparting a distinctive smoky flavor, though it can also be prepared using a home grill.
  • Abrak is made by wrapping vine leaves or cabbage leaves around a traditional Mahshi filling of rice, meat, and herbs. In Libya, abrak is typically spicier than its Eastern Arab counterpart, where it is known as Mahshi Waraq Enab and often features a vegetarian filling.
  • Ejja is a traditional Libyan egg dish resembling an omelet or frittata, featuring chopped potatoes, tomatoes, chilies, and fresh herbs like coriander or parsley. While it is typically baked in the oven, it can also be prepared in a frying pan. Ejja is commonly served at the iftar table alongside Libyan soup or wrapped in ftat, a type of stove-top flatbread.
  • Khubza bil ‘Ashab is a traditional Libyan savory bread made from sfinz dough, known for its soft and spongy texture. It is commonly served during evening gatherings where tea, often infused with flavors such as mint, sage, almonds, or rose petals, is enjoyed alongside an assortment of savory finger foods.
  • Khbeiza are stuffed breads that come in various shapes, including mini-loaves, small buns, ping-pong-sized balls, or crescents. Common fillings include white cheese with dried mint or cheese and olives. However, tuna mixed with harissa remains the most popular filling for these breads in Libya.
  • Al-Kayka Al-Harra is a well-known savory dish in Libyan cuisine, prepared by baking a rich batter made from eggs, milk, oil, flour, and baking powder, enhanced with lemon juice and spices. The batter is mixed with sautéed onions, garlic, parsley, and coriander, then layered with a filling of fried potatoes, tomatoes, harissa, olives, and cheese cubes. Once baked to a golden finish, it serves as a flavorful and filling dish enjoyed across Libya.
  • Usban, a traditional Libyan food made of guts stuffed with organs and herbs.

Main Dishes

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  • Bazin
  • Rishta.
  • Imgata (also known as Rishta Bourma) is a Libyan dish made with fresh homemade pasta cooked in a tomato-based sauce, often prepared with gideed.
  • Imbakbaka or Mbakbaka, a type of stew with pasta and meat, influenced by Italian minestrone[7]
  • Shakshouka is prepared using aged mutton or lamb jerky as the meat base of the meal, and is considered a traditional breakfast dish.[citation needed]
  • Rishta Cescas

Additional common foods and dishes include:

  • Asida is a dish made of a cooked wheat flour lump of dough, sometimes with added butter, honey or rub.
  • Breads,[3] including flatbreads
  • Couscous, a North African dish of semolina
  • Filfel chuma or maseer, spicy pickled peppers, lemon, hot peppers and crushed garlic.
  • Ghreyba, butter cookies[8]
  • Hassaa, type of gravy[8]
  • Magrood, date-filled cookies[8]
  • Mhalbiya, type of rice pudding[8]
  • Mutton, meat of an adult sheep[3]
  • Rub is a thick dark brown, very sweet syrup extracted from dates or carob that is widely used in Libya, usually with asida.
  • Shorba, lamb and vegetable soup with mint and tomato paste[3]
  • Gideed is an ancient Libyan method of preserving and dry-aging meat using fats and olive oil.
  • Usban Zeer
  • Boourdeem, Meat cooked underground using primitive methods

Desserts and beverages

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All alcoholic drinks have been banned in Libya since 1969,[3] in accordance with Sharia, the religious laws of Islam. However, illegally imported alcohol is available on the black market, alongside a homemade spirit called Bokha. Bokha is often consumed with soft drinks as mixers.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Rozario, P. (2004). Libya. Countries of the world. Gareth Stevens Pub. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-8368-3111-5.
  2. ^ Davidson, A.; Jaine, T.; Davidson, J.; Saberi, H. (2006). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford Companions. OUP Oxford. p. 1356. ISBN 978-0-19-101825-1.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Libya." Foodspring.com. Accessed June 2011.
  4. ^ "International Cooking: Food from Libya". 19 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Libyan Cuisine".
  6. ^ Maloufshomt, Greg (2008). Artichoke to Za'atar: Modern Middle Eastern Food. U of California P. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-520-25413-8.
  7. ^ "Libyan Imbakbaka". 16 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d "Libyan Food." Archived 2019-09-06 at the Wayback Machine Libyana.org Archived 2019-07-10 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed June 2011.
  9. ^ Olivesi, Marine. "Libyans risk poisoning for a sip of illegal hooch in their dry nation". Public Radio International. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
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