Saudi Arabia

The Bedouin people of the desert once based their diets on dates and yoghurt with the occasional camel or goat to provide meat. Over the centuries, the nomadic tribes fused spices, meats, and vegetables from other cultures into their cuisine. Today's Arabian cuisine is a mingling of influences from India, Lebanon, and nations further west. Lamb is the meat most often used in cooking, prepared in a number of ways including shish kebab, spit-roasted, or stewed. The cuisine relies heavily on mint, turmeric, saffron, garlic, and sesame. Rice and kasha are the most frequently consumed grains, and the spicing is fresh and astringent.