Arab cuisine of the Persian Gulf

Arabic cuisine of the Persian Gulf includes cuisines that are shared by most Arab populations in the Persian Gulf area.

History

Originally, the Arabs of the Arabian plateau relied heavily on a diet of dates, wheat, barley, rice and meat, with little variety, and with a heavy emphasis on yogurt products, such as "leben" (لبن) (yogurt without butterfat). Due to the nomadic nature of the original Arab tribes, their food preferences changed as they moved to new terrains coming into contact with cuisine of new cultures. Globalization and contact with ancient civilizations such as the Romans, Persians, and later on with the Ottomans brought the Arabs in close contact with dishes of several other cultures, as well as introducing several new ingredients in their diet.

As with most Asian cultures, the culinary heritage can find its root in either Persian, Indian, or Chinese cuisine. In fact the food structure of Persian-Arabian civilization began with cooking techniques innovated in ancient Persia and carried forward by Persians during the Sassanid Dynasty. With subsequent development and growth of the Ottomans (Turkish empire), Arab culture came in contact with the Ottoman empire; Turkish contributions to the Arabian culture included "kebabs", which were originally part of the cuisine of the early Persians, but were heavily favored by...
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