Top 10 Middle Eastern Foods - A treat to the taste buds

A rice dish, similar to a biriyani, kabsa which is also known as machboos is an extremely popular dish. You will find Kabsa accompanied by almost every type of meat that you can wish for, and the aromatic dish is so mouth-watering that you won't get enough of it.

This isn't a dish in itself but a dip or an accompaniment popular in the Middle East, and taking the rest of the world by storm. The dish is based on chickpeas, which are mashed and mixed with various other ingredients. Hummus is not just delicious, but is healthy as well. Take lessons in this cuisine at a place like Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara and master the creation of this delights.

This is the dish most likely to get you salivating, and a real highlight of Middle Eastern food. Meat is cooked on a rotisserie, and as it spins, thin slices will be shaved off for you. While mutton or lamb shawarmas were the original hit, today you can find various other meats cooked and served this way.

Trying new cheeses is something all foodies enjoy, and Halloumi grilled cheese is bound to be a hit. The cheese has a rubbery texture and doesn't melt easily, thus maintaining its texture when grilled, making a great snack. The cheese is made up of sheep and goat milk, and some people add cow's milk into the mix as well.

Another food based on chickpeas, or sometimes even Fava Beans, this is a street food favourite both in the Middle East, and the rest of the world. The flavourful snacks are fried so that they are crisp on the outside while still being soft on the inside. Today you can find many reinventions of the dish, including baked falafels.

This is in some ways similar to a hummus, it too is a dip or an accompaniment great to eat with a flatbread. This however is based on mashed eggplant, which is mixed with tahini and various other seasonings. These exotic flavours are what makes dining at a Middle Eastern or Abu Dhabi restaurant such a fantastic experience.

Want to dine healthy on a salad? Middle Eastern cuisine will have you covered here as well. This dish combines vegetables chopped quite largely with a variety of greens, as well as pieces of flatbread, which make it different to other salads you may try.

If you are a foodie who likes to experience a burst of flavours take place in your mouth, koftas are not to be missed. These meatballs are mixed with delicious spices, and served either dry or with a gravy, based on where you enjoy it.

One must not forget the sweet tooth's when listing the best dishes in the Middle East, and if you want a sugar rush, Baklava is the choice for you. This sweet filo pastry dessert is served combined with nuts and syrup and is a decadent treat.

This is the Middle Eastern version of a pizza, a dough based dish with a topping consisting of cheese, ground meat or thyme in various combinations. This delicious dish may not always look appetizing, but it definitely will not disappoint.