Ful Medames

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb dried ful or fava beans
2-4 cloves garlic

Preparation:
1. Soak beans for 12 hours
2. Boil the beans
3. Simmer until tender
4. Season and serve

Ancient Egypt, what do you think of when you hear it? Common answers would include Pharaohs  pyramids, and sphinx. A person's first thought is rarely the food that they ate. Their food did not include bizarre ingredients or recipes that are extinct today, but rather foods that we still enjoy today. There are also many more foods than you would expect to grow in a desert. The raw materials that made up the Ancient Egyptian diet included:
-dates, grapes, pomegranates, peaches, and watermelon
-Pork in some regions
-Cattle beef, sheep, goat by the rich
-Geese, ducks, other fowl by the poor
-Gazelles and antelopes
The Ancient Egyptians did not eat many types of seafood because of religious practices. They also enjoyed beer at meals, that was made from barley and stored in specially made beer jars.

Ancient Egypt

Dried Fruit Compote

Softening dried fruits made them easier to chew.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dried figs, quartered
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
3/4 cup dried apricots, sliced
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
2 tbsp date syrup
Water to cover fruit
Preparation
1. Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and boil
2. Simmer until tender (10 mins)
3. Remove fruit with slotted spoon and set aside
4. Continue cooking the liquid until a syrup  consistency
5. Combine with the fruit

Palace Cake

The original records indicated that this recipe included measurements that translated into just over 3 cups each. It has been reduced to 1/3 of the original recipe to make it more manageable.
Ingredients
3 cups dates, finely chopped
1/3 cup raisins
2 teaspoons ground fennel or aniseed
1/3 cup cottage cheese
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted and at room temperature
2 eggs, beaten together, at room temperature
2/3 cup milk, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Combine the dates, raisins, and spice and scatter in a 10-inch cake pan.
2. Press the cottage cheese through a strainer to break up the curds. Combine the cheese with the melted butter, eggs, and milk and slowly stir into the flour, moistening thoroughly. Pour the batter over the dried fruits and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.

Sasqu (Porridge with dates)

Sasqu is a cream porridge. It could be made from emmer or barley, and it is cooked to a soupy consistency. The liquid in it can be either water or milk.
Ingredients
2 cups water or milk
3/4 cups barley flour
Salt and date syrup to taste
3/4 cup chop nuts
Preparation
1. Place barley flour in a sauce pan
2. Slowly whisk in milk
3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly
4. Season with salt and date syrup
5. Serve with dates ontop

Mesopotamia is the region in which modern day Iraq is located. It is the oldest civilization known to man. The raw materials easily accessible to the people of Mesopotamia included:
-Barley, wheat, and millet
-Chickpeas, lentils, and beans
-Onions, garlic, and leeks
-Cucumbers, cress, mustard, and fresh green lettuce
-Truffles
Although these were the most accessible, their diet was not limited to them. The river that ran through the region allowed for over 50 types of fish, and they enjoyed the well known truffle. Meat was enjoyed much more often in the city as opposed to sparsely populated country side. This was not due to common misperception of those with less money living in the country side, but due to the warmer temperatures and the swift spoiling of meat. However, beef and veal were popular everywhere where they could be afforded. Beef was generally tender as they were not slaughtered until the end of their working life. A typical meal that they would enjoy would consist of barley cake or barley paste, along with onions or beans and barley ale to drink.