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Omar Mohsen

The Grand Hyatt’s Revolving Restaurant

October 2005
Food Lingo
Your guide to Ramadan food terminology
By Karim Ezzeldin and Noha Mohammed

Basboussa: A semolina-based dessert drenched in syrup

Hamam Mahshy: Stuffed pigeons

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Hawawshy: Traditional spicy grilled minced beef sandwiches with onions
Karkade: hibiscus petals, usually boiled and served either cooled at iftar or as a tea
Kebab: Tender pieces of meat grilled on a skewer
Khoshaf: Dried fruit punch garnished with nuts and served either to break iftar or as a dessert at the end of the meal
Kofta: Minced meat grilled on a skewer
Kunafa: Angel-hair-like strands of pastry buttered and rolled into a tin with nuts or cream filling, which is baked and drizzled with syrup
Mahshy: rice-stuffed vegetables, notably vine leaves, baby eggplant, and green peppers. Usually made with lots of ghee
Mashwy: Grilled
Mahalabiya: a milk pudding often sprinkled with raisins, nuts and grated coconut
Mekassarat: Mixed nuts
Mekhalil: (also referred to as torshy) mixed pickles
Qamar el-din: dried apricot paste used to prepare the drink of the same name as well as a nut-topped custard-like dessert
Qatayef: Mini pancakes stuffed with nuts or cream, deep-fried and dipped in syrup. Can also be served as a savory condiment filled with cheese and olives and either baked or fried
Roqaq: Oven-browned minced- meat-filled pastry sheets drizzled with ghee and broth
Samna: ghee, or clarified butter
Shorba: Soup
Tagen: Casserole
Tamr hindi: Tamarind, boiled and drunk as a juice, often mixed with karkade
Yameesh: a mixture of dried fruits including apricots, prunes and figs and nuts et