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10 Weird and Shocking Levantine Arabic Food Names that Will Stop You in Your Tracks 😳
- LearningArabicWithAngela
- Jul 3
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 1
In this article find out more about ten of the strangest and most shocking Lebanese and Levantine Arabic food names that will stop you in your tracks! 😳
1) Baaba Ghannouj بابا غنّوج
Literal meaning: Spoiled baba
(Smoky eggplant dip with tahini) 🥄🍆😎🍼
He’s creamy, dramatic, and still lives with his Lebanese mama.
2) Znoud el-sit زنود السِّت 💪
Literal meaning: Ladies upper arms
(Crispy cream-filled rolls soaked in syrup)They are Sweet, soft, and chubby.
4) Shlikkiyyaat شلِكيّات
Literal meaning sounds something like notorious women or provocative women 🙈
(Mini qatayef-style sweets) Possibly means fish-shaped. Possibly Syriac. No one really knows. Sweet, flaky, and clearly up to no good. 😄
5) Sheikh el-miḥshi شيخ المِحشي
Literal meaning: The sheikh of stuffed veg(Zucchini stuffed with rice & meat, simmered in yogurt)He rules all stuffed veg from inside a zucchini 🥒
6) Ḥarraaʼ uṣba‘o حَرّاق أصبَعُه
Literal meaning: He burned his finger
(Lentils, pasta, fried bread, tamarind, garlic and coriander)Probably burned his fingers 👆 frying the bread. Worth it though.
7) Laban immo لَبَن إمُّه
Literal meaning: His mama’s yogurt 👩👦
(meat cooked in a creamy yogurt sauce)Even yogurt in this part of the world comes with attachment issues. Ladies beware!
8) Kibbit el-raahib كبِّة الراهِب
Literal meaning: The Monk’s Kibbeh 🧔♂️
(Meatless kibbeh)No meat. Holy moly. Still hits like a blessing.
9) Jazz mazz جظ مظ
Turkish origin name
(Scrambled eggs with tomatoes) 🍳 Hot, messy, and clingy. Basically your toxic ex in a frying pan.
10) Shaakriyyeh شاكرِيِّة
Literal meaning: thankfulness 🙏
(Beef in warm garlicky yogurt sauce)Eat it and you will be grateful.
10) Shankleesh شَنْكليش
Most likely named after the Shankleh tribe near the Syrian-Turkish border.
(Fermented cheese balls rolled in thyme) 🧀🧄🍅
Smells aggressive, tastes shockingly good. Lives up to its wild name.
I wonder which one shocked you most? 😅
What do you think? More to come! Make sure to subscribe!
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