Christmas is a time to forget about your waistline and enjoy your food. Eating is, and always has been, central to celebrations. Tampering with a Christmas menu is dangerous – some aspects of life are sacrosanct. But you can always add to it or make modifications to suit the needs of changing tastes in a changing world. There are innumerable recipes you could try, but have you thought about Middle Eastern food? Sure, it's all the rage these days and everyone has a dish they always order. But the range of this cuisine means that there is always going to be something new and exciting to put on the table. And new and exciting additions to the Christmas dinner are going to ensure that people do not just come to the table but really eat their fill (and perhaps more – after all, it's Christmas).

Christmas Dishes of the Middle East

The Middle East has a large Christian population and each country in the region has its own traditional Christmas dishes, many of which date from thousands of years ago. You can find recipes to suit all tastes online; altering them to suit the palates of the family members is not a problem. Unlike many other cuisines, that of the Middle East is not all about following a recipe to the letter. It is about creating food that people love, so recipe modifications are the norm. 

• Egypt: Fattah is a dish made of rice, bread, lamb or beef and topped with a vinegar and garlic dressing. Molokhiyah is a leafy green soup and zalabiyeh is the traditional deep-fried dough dessert, topped with sugar syrup or powdered sugar.
• Jordan: Mansaf is a rice and meat dish made with special Jordanian cheese (other cheeses will also work). Stuffed vine leaves, called wara' dawali are also part of the traditional feast.
• Lebanon: Besides the usual turkey (served with spiced rice and topped with nuts), kibbeh bil sayniyyeh, a bulgar and meat pie is part of the Christmas meal. Other dishes include batata harra (fried potato cubes with garlic), makanek (spiced sausages) and sambousek(dough filled with minced meat).
• Iraq: Turkey or stuffed chicken is often part of a Christmas meal and is accompanied by spiced kebabs and salads.
• Syria: Among the traditional Syrian Christmas dishes are kibbeh (minced meat with bulgar and spices), mahashi (stuffed eggplant) and riz aa djej (rice and chicken) served with spiced yogurt.

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Also Read: Must Try Middle Eastern Dishes in San Mateo 

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Recipes for these dishes and much more can be found online.

These dishes are presented only to give you an idea of what Middle Eastern Christmas food can be. Mix, match and combine to create a feast that is special to your family. You can easily find the recipes you need online. Just search for Middle Eastern Christmas recipes. The ingredients you need will be available at a specialty Middle Eastern grocery storelike Aladdin Gourmet in San Mateo. Not only does it have all you need to create a memorable feast, but there is also a deli from which you can pick up even more great food to supplement what you plan to make. Too busy preparing for the feast to go shopping? No problem, you can order online.

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