How about Yemeni food? What’s it like?
(To read about it, read below. To see some photos of food: CLICK HERE! )
Well there are all kinds of things available and they’re cheap: 50cents - $5. There is a fair amount of standard Middle Eastern fare available…lamb stew, grilled lamb, lamb shwarma, grilled chicken, hummus, kufta etc...
and then there's the signature Yemeni dishes:
Saltah: a stew made of ground beef or goat/lamb meat, potatoes, okra, assorted veggies and spices. One noticeable spice is this fenugreek, which is fenugreeky. That is to say it’s a bit freaky and you gotta get used to it. I’m not a big fan, but on the other hand, I’m not ready to ban the substance. Nevertheless, there is something to be said about a bubbling hot pot of saltah laid before you. Let it cool a bit or you’ll scorch your digits.
Marrak: a lamb &/or veggie broth/soup that is served at lunch with meals.
Zoorbiyan: Stewed lamb and potatoes laid on a bed of biryani rice. Simple, classic and nourishing. The rice may have an occasional clove or cardamom or cinnamon, so bewares. If you can get some Kobsah ( a spicy pickled lime sauce) it’s pretty good.
Sahowek: This is a nonchallenging version of salsa, that Yemenis adore. I don’t mind it, but it tastes like they forgot to put chiles in it. Kind of refreshing complement to the main hot dishes. Sometimes they blend in a dryish salty cheese and that's good too.
Fool: That's right fool! Refried Beans Beans Beans, the musical fruit! (though these may not be pintos…sometimes they are white or mauve or taupe or Vandyke brown, but rare to find something pinto-esque)
Fasoolia: The musical fruit mixed with hot peppahs, onions, spices etc. You can ask for eggs to be mixed in to this or fool. Both to be sopped up with a giant tortilla (hobz)
Hobz: Giant oven baked tortilla. NICE.
Broast: Yemeni Fried Chicken. It does the job. Served with a white garlic lime sauce.
Chips: aka Fries. Don’t you just love fried things? They serve em with hot sauce - not ketchup or mayo.
Beverages: Aseer Leem (lemonade) : they like to grind up the rind seed and all in the blender with lotsa sugar. Its good.
Aseer Manga: Mango nectar
Chai: By far the most popular…tea- comes in red (akhmarr) or milk (haleeb). Either brewed or sprinkled with a mix of cardamom and other special secret ingredients. Nice.
Qawha: Yemeni-version coffee. Made with the husk of the bean and maybe some other seeds added giving it a oatmealish quality. Not bad. Not great, but not bad.
Global soft drinks: Canada Dry, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Red Bull. Non-alcoholic beers are somewhat popular too: Becks and Moussy (Apple flavor!).
Those are the standard everydays here in Aden…but occasionally you’ll find something different out there. I like this one place that invented a sandwich called “Megnoona” (which means crazy lady). Basically a panini with tomato, boiled egg and “Vache que rit (Laughing Cow)” cheese.
Of course, since this is the economic capital of Yemen, we do have some international fare available. Lulu Hypermarket offers Indian and Chinese foods to go. There are a couple of Chinese restaurants: Ching Sing in Malla and The Pink Pearl at the Sheraton. There are a couple of Indian restaurants too: The Himalaya (Maala) and Reemi (Crater).
Maala also boasts a Lebanese Bakery: Le Chateau. I like their chocolate croissants and baklava.
Then there’s also Pizza Hut! And a burger facsimile in the mall. :P isn’t life wunderbar!
Okay, I’m not mentioning everything of course, but more or less you get the picture…and if you click on the Picasa link, you’ll get the pictures. I made an album devoted to food here in Yemen. Bon Appetit for your eyes!
(To read about it, read below. To see some photos of food: CLICK HERE! )
Well there are all kinds of things available and they’re cheap: 50cents - $5. There is a fair amount of standard Middle Eastern fare available…lamb stew, grilled lamb, lamb shwarma, grilled chicken, hummus, kufta etc...
and then there's the signature Yemeni dishes:
Saltah: a stew made of ground beef or goat/lamb meat, potatoes, okra, assorted veggies and spices. One noticeable spice is this fenugreek, which is fenugreeky. That is to say it’s a bit freaky and you gotta get used to it. I’m not a big fan, but on the other hand, I’m not ready to ban the substance. Nevertheless, there is something to be said about a bubbling hot pot of saltah laid before you. Let it cool a bit or you’ll scorch your digits.
Marrak: a lamb &/or veggie broth/soup that is served at lunch with meals.
Zoorbiyan: Stewed lamb and potatoes laid on a bed of biryani rice. Simple, classic and nourishing. The rice may have an occasional clove or cardamom or cinnamon, so bewares. If you can get some Kobsah ( a spicy pickled lime sauce) it’s pretty good.
Sahowek: This is a nonchallenging version of salsa, that Yemenis adore. I don’t mind it, but it tastes like they forgot to put chiles in it. Kind of refreshing complement to the main hot dishes. Sometimes they blend in a dryish salty cheese and that's good too.
Fool: That's right fool! Refried Beans Beans Beans, the musical fruit! (though these may not be pintos…sometimes they are white or mauve or taupe or Vandyke brown, but rare to find something pinto-esque)
Fasoolia: The musical fruit mixed with hot peppahs, onions, spices etc. You can ask for eggs to be mixed in to this or fool. Both to be sopped up with a giant tortilla (hobz)
Hobz: Giant oven baked tortilla. NICE.
Broast: Yemeni Fried Chicken. It does the job. Served with a white garlic lime sauce.
Chips: aka Fries. Don’t you just love fried things? They serve em with hot sauce - not ketchup or mayo.
Beverages: Aseer Leem (lemonade) : they like to grind up the rind seed and all in the blender with lotsa sugar. Its good.
Aseer Manga: Mango nectar
Chai: By far the most popular…tea- comes in red (akhmarr) or milk (haleeb). Either brewed or sprinkled with a mix of cardamom and other special secret ingredients. Nice.
Qawha: Yemeni-version coffee. Made with the husk of the bean and maybe some other seeds added giving it a oatmealish quality. Not bad. Not great, but not bad.
Global soft drinks: Canada Dry, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Red Bull. Non-alcoholic beers are somewhat popular too: Becks and Moussy (Apple flavor!).
Those are the standard everydays here in Aden…but occasionally you’ll find something different out there. I like this one place that invented a sandwich called “Megnoona” (which means crazy lady). Basically a panini with tomato, boiled egg and “Vache que rit (Laughing Cow)” cheese.
Of course, since this is the economic capital of Yemen, we do have some international fare available. Lulu Hypermarket offers Indian and Chinese foods to go. There are a couple of Chinese restaurants: Ching Sing in Malla and The Pink Pearl at the Sheraton. There are a couple of Indian restaurants too: The Himalaya (Maala) and Reemi (Crater).
Maala also boasts a Lebanese Bakery: Le Chateau. I like their chocolate croissants and baklava.
Then there’s also Pizza Hut! And a burger facsimile in the mall. :P isn’t life wunderbar!
Okay, I’m not mentioning everything of course, but more or less you get the picture…and if you click on the Picasa link, you’ll get the pictures. I made an album devoted to food here in Yemen. Bon Appetit for your eyes!
