20 top Middle Eastern foods -- which is the best?

15. Quwarmah Al Dajaj

Curry veterans, this may be a new one for you.

Known to most as Kuwaiti curried chicken, the zesty dish is made with a blend of Middle Eastern flavors and spices -- lime, ginger, turmeric, baharat, cumin, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, paprika -- that combine to give it a distinctive pop.

Where to try it: Mais Alghanim, Gulf Road, Kuwait. Tel: +965 2 225 1155

16. Mansaf

Mansaf is practically the national dish of Jordan.

The small version of this Jordanian and Palestinian dish looks like a pizza covered with a lamb carcass, while a larger banquet variety can cover a whole table.

Despite the intimidating appearance, the tender mutton, covered in yogurt sauce and sprinkled with almond and pine nuts, makes for a culinary masterwork.

Where to try it: Jabri Restaurant, Wasfi Al-Tal Street, Amman, Jordan. Tel: +962 6 5681700

17. Kebab karaz

Otherwise known as cherry kebab or desert candy, this Syrian dish offers a new slant on the famed meat stick. Kebab karaz adds sour cherries and pomegranate pips, rendering the meaty mix blood red, sweet and sour.

Where to try it: Al-Mayas, Al-Bedea, Kuwait City, Kuwait. Tel: +965 5 738 089

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