Marinated and spit-roasted, shawarma is a delicious Middle Eastern meat treat whose origins can be traced back to the Ottoman Empire era, while its name stems from the Arabic pronunciation of the Turkish word çevirme (lit. to turn; turning), and refers to the rotating skewer on which the meat is cooked.

Shawarmas are made with either lamb, turkey, chicken, beef, or a mix of different meats which are slow-cooked for hours and basted in their own juices and fat, gaining an incomparable succulence, but the real secret to a perfect shawarma is in the marinade. 

This internationally known, decadent, and sugar-packed dessert is usually made with a mixture of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt, which is deep-fried and then bathed in syrup or honey. The origin of lokma fritters is ancient but often debated. It is presumed that they first appeared in Greece or Turkey, though some suggest Arabic origin.

The dish is considered to be one of the oldest recorded desserts in Greek history. It is said that the pastries were even given to winning Olympians as a treat and were called honey tokens. Loukoumades, or loukmades in Cyprus, can be found throughout the streets of Greece, in shops selling nothing else but this caloric dessert. 

Kabsa is a rice dish that is enjoyed throughout the Gulf States of the Arabian Peninsula. Heavily influenced by Persian and Indian biryanis, kabsa makes use of the water that was used for cooking fish or meat and re-using it to cook the spiced, long-grain rice in it, perfectly blending all the flavors and spices.

The dish can be made with chicken, lamb, camel meat, fish, or even shrimps, truffles, or duck meat. The meat or fish is usually placed on top of the rice, and the whole dish is served on a large platter, meant to be shared and eaten by hands. Although it originated in Yemen, this traditional combination of rice and meat is incredibly popular in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where it is considered a national dish. 

Ma'amoul is an ancient cookie filled with fruits and nuts such as dates, walnuts, and pistachios. The cookies are traditionally prepared for Easter, festivals, and celebrations, and they are typically shaped into balls or domes. In order to differentiate the cookies, the walnut version is usually shaped into a dome with a round top, the date ma'amoul is shaped into a dome with a flat top, while the pistachio ma'amoul has an elongated, oval shape.

It is not uncommon for the cookies to be topped with powdered sugar for extra sweetness, and they are often served with coffee or tea during the day in many Middle Eastern households.

Warak enab is a traditional Middle Eastern dish consisting of stuffed grape leaves that are simmered in a lemon-flavored broth. The ingredients include grape leaves, ground beef, rice, allspice, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, oil, and lamb chops or ribs for the broth.

Once cooked, these stuffed rolls are usually garnished with a few lemon slices on top or, alternatively, olives and tomato slices.

A staple during the month of Ramadan in numerous Middle Eastern countries is a plate of jareesh, a satisfying meal which combines coarse wheat and meat. This centuries-old dish probably originated in Saudi Arabia, but has since spread throughout the entire Middle East and India.

Numerous countries in the area have created their unique varieties, employing authentic ingredients and giving the dish local names. In Middle Eastern countries, harees is usually prepared with coarse ground wheat which is mixed with water, butter, and meat, then left to soak overnight. 

Ageeli is a Qatari ring-shaped cake that can be made as one large cake or as several single-serving cakes. It is made with eggs, flour, sugar, cardamom, saffron, and rosewater and covered with tahini and sesame seeds. However, variations do exist, and some recipes will also include milk and/or yogurt.

It is a light, crunchy cake, usually paired with coffee and tea. It is also traditionally eaten for breakfast with hot milk on Bayram morning.

Madrouba is a spicy and comforting Omani and Qatari porridge made with chicken, overcooked rice, and a plethora of flavorings such as turmeric, cumin, cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, garlic, and black pepper. Variations do exist, though, as there is no fixed recipe.

One of the more common is madrouba made with wheat and not rice. It is recommended to serve madrouba while it is still piping hot, preferably garnished with fresh lime zest.

Quzi is an Iraqi and Qatari dish that is prepared with rice and a whole roasted lamb. The lamb is occasionally stuffed with nuts, raisins, and various spices before it is roasted or cooked in underground ovens. The dish is seasoned with cinnamon, cardamom, and baharat—an aromatic blend of spices—and it is served on a bed of rice.

Similar varieties of the dish are enjoyed throughout the Levant, but the variations are especially popular in Arab countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait where they are better known as khuzi, ghuzi, or qouzi.