Unpacking Yemen’s food culture: a rich heritage trapped beneath the rubble

Published: 25 June 2023

Civil war is still raging in Yemen. This desert country is currently facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis with over two-thirds of the population living below the poverty line.

Hunger, disease and attacks on civilians have become a daily occurrence for the people there. And yet, like any other country, Yemen is also home to an extremely rich and unique cultural heritage that is deeply beloved by its people.

Yemen’s ongoing armed conflict involves the Houthi (a political and military movement backed by Iran that originated in Northern Yemen) and the internationally recognized government led by Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi (which is backed by a Saudi-led military coalition).

Since 2017, a third party known as the Southern Transitional Council (STC) has also been involved in the power struggle at the heart of Yemen’s political turmoil. These separatists continue to seek independence for South Yemen, which unified with northern Yemen back in 1990.

According to Khalidi L. (2017), “prior to the conflict, Yemen was already 90-percent dependent on imported food and had been battling a severe water deficit.” The researcher also emphasizes that “the systemic destruction of the country’s cultural heritage is in effect a targeting of its people and a gradual erasure of their cultural identity—once a point of unity amongst Yemenis.”

Every country has a story to tell. And so much can be learned about a culture’s identity and values through their relationship with food.

So what sort of realities lie deep within Yemeni cuisine? Let’s explore some of the fragrant stories of the heart of Ancient Arabia.

Did you know? By the 1800s, Yemen was divided into two nations. North Yemen was being claimed by the Ottoman Empire while South Yemen became the only British colony in the Arab world.

An Overview of The Republic of Yemen

With a population estimated at over 34 million, “the land of milk and honey” is surrounded by the Gulf of Aden to the South and the Red Sea to the West, making it a strategic location for trade and shipping.

Sana’a, capital of Yemen, contains a wealth of architectural gems, including one of the oldest mosques in the world which was built during the time of Prophet Muhammad in the early seventh century. The oil-producing country also holds a number of natural resources including minerals like gold, copper, coal and rock salt.

Once known as “Arabia Felix”, Yemen remains one of the oldest centers of civilization in the Near East. As beautifully put by the authors of the 2018 book “Yemen”:

“The land – beautiful, arid, and agriculturally limited – remains. The Yemeni people remain, with their ancient cultures and their tribal traditions. The Yemeni cities remain, with their gingerbread-frosted houses decorated with white calligraphy citing scripture. Yemeni music and poetry remain, as do food and weddings, parties, and women drinking tea in the upper stories of tower houses. There are still tribesmen in white tunics, with culturally mandatory daggers tucked into the sashes bound over their stomachs. The Bedouin still travel the old trade routes, their camels swaying along old, old trails. The oud is still played. The standards of hospitality and generosity are still upheld. Yemen remains…and Yemen is a nation worth knowing.”

The Essence of Yemeni cuisine

Yemen’s food culture remains fairly unknown in most parts of the world, and yet it has so much to offer. According to Amjaad Al-Hussain, author of the Yemeni cookbook “Sifratna”, “if you like Indian food and Iranian food, you will likely enjoy Yemeni food.”

“The cuisine is extraordinarily varied in Yemen,” write authors Anna Hestler and Jo-Ann Spilling. “Each region has traditional specialities, and every tribe has a distinctive cuisine. Many dishes are made from local ingredients and flavored with numerous spices. Some of the spices were introduced by the ancient caravan trade and came all the way from Indonesia and India.”

Yemeni cuisine is very nourishing and focuses on locally-grown grains such as millet, corn and sorghum. Traditional dishes are packed with flavor and embrace cooking methods such as slow braising and roasting, with staple meats including chicken, lamb and goat. As for pork, this meat is completely avoided due to the country’s overwhelmingly Muslim population. A diverse choice of fish dishes is also available, especially in coastal cities. In fact, it is not uncommon for fried fish to be sold at the entrance of fish markets.

Yemenis are known for their hospitality and are very generous when it comes to sharing food with guests. Lunch in Yemen is usually the main (and biggest) meal of the day. As a result, dinner remains simple and light, often consisting of leftovers,“perhaps chicken or eggs with tomatoes, bread, and water.“

Yemeni culture is also a culture of dipping. Communal dishes are very common and most of the meals are enjoyed while sitting on the floor. In accordance with islamic practices, Yemenis eat using their right hand and will also use a variety of different breads to scoop stews and sauces.

Speaking of bread, there are so many different kinds of breads to discover in Yemeni culture! Here are just a few:

Did you know? Traditionally, kitchens in Yemen are equipped with a cylindrical clay oven known as tannur, which is usually fired with wood or charcoal. These clay ovens are used to grill a variety of foods, with the inner walls used to bake breads.

Breakfast in Yemen

A traditional Yemeni breakfast can be fairly rich in proteins and include a variety of side dishes such as eggs, fava beans, pureed eggplant and hummus. Bakhamri, a special fried bread, is also a regular food item in traditional breakfast spreads.

During the month of Ramadan, Fattah bil Laban is particularly popular among Yemeni Muslims, especially during suhoor. This speciality combines pieces of “khobz al tawa” with hot milk, cardamom and sugar. For New York-based chef Akram Said, this sweet dish is oddly comparable to sugary breakfast cereals such as Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

Another popular sweet option for breakfast is Yemeni banana bread, called Masoub. The latter is also a popular dessert in Saudi Arabia and in the UAE. Made with mashed banana and shredded flatbread, masoub is usually sweetened with honey and/or dates. Nuts can also be added for texture and the dessert is often spiced with cardamom and cinnamon.

Similarly, Mafhoosa combines pieces of bread with honey, ghee and slices of banana. Mafhoosa is particularly nostalgic for Yemenis and is also enjoyed during Ramadan.

Shabbat mornings also feature Jachnun, a pastry bread that is usually served with roasted eggs, grated tomatoes and a spicy coriander-based sauce called zhug.

Savoury Yemeni Dishes

Meals usually begin with a meaty broth called Maraq, which grows in flavour the longer it is simmered. Also popular in Somalia and Iraq, Maraq is usually prepared with lamb or chicken and spices such as cumin, coriander, garlic and cinnamon. Maraq is often topped with fresh lime or lemon juice and served alongside hulbah.

Also spelled Hilbeh, Hulbah is a condiment made from ground fenugreek seeds that is eaten all over Yemen. It is served alongside numerous Yemeni dishes and is a must when it comes to bread dipping.

“My mom would do coriander, cumin, salt, pepper, some dried chili, dried garlic,” explains author Al-Hussain. “Some people will even dry green onions and then blend it all together. Some people use a really spicy variation. Some will have it non-spicy. That’s almost like an all-purpose spice that you can throw into any meat dish, veggie dish.”

That being said, many refer to Saltah as Yemen’s national dish. This hearty stew can be prepared with lamb or legumes such as lentils. Cooked with vegetables such as tomatoes, onions and peppers, Saltah is usually topped with Hulbah.

Lamb is also found in Haneeth (a slow-roasted lamb dish spiced with aromatic cumin, coriander, cardamom and cloves) and Fahsa (a lamb or beef stew flavoured with fenugreek, cumin and paprika, and traditionally served in a hot stone pot with Bisbas, a spicy coriander sauce).

Another hearty (yet meatless) dish is Tabeekh. Essentially stewed vegetables, tabeekh can be topped with hulbah or bisbas.

Summers in Yemen can get extremely hot, with temperatures reaching up to 40°C (104°F) in some places and humidity climbing above 70 percent. For such occasions, dishes such as Shafut (also spelled Shafout) are favoured for their cooling effect. This popular starter dish is prepared with yogurt, onions, garlic, cucumbers and/or tomatoes, spices, herbs and pieces of lachuch bread.

Another soupy speciality is Shuraba Baydah, which usually gets its white hue from the oatmeal or milk that it contains. Other variations of Shuraba incorporate meat broth and even pureed vegetables.

Inexpensive and convenient street snacks are also an essential part of the food culture in Yemen.

Another staple of Yemeni cuisine is Chicken Zurbiyan. Traditionally from the city of Aden, this meat dish is a medley of spiced chicken, rice and potatoes. According to New York-based chef Akram Said, “there are so many steps to it, the marinade, the searing. You have to cook it low for more than eight hours, and then you cook the rice in the broth with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves.”

Said emphasizes that the key to perfect rice is the two-stage cooking process: first on the stove top three-quarters of the way and then in the oven with the rest of the ingredients. For an added smoky flavour, Said places a hot piece of charcoal with oil in a small ramekin in the centre of the dish before popping it in the oven. Once cooked to perfection, the dish can be topped with fried onions and fried nuts for added texture.

Yemeni cuisine also embraces fish. The most simple preparation for both meat and fish is Mashwi, which requires a marinade before the grilling process.

Another popular Yemeni fish dish is Mutafaya, which is basically seared Kingfish marinated in Bisbas Adeni (or red chilly sauce) and topped with a rich and spiced tomato sauce. This dish can be eaten with bread and hulbah or white rice.

“Aseed is an absolutely true Yemeni dish,” writes blogger Al-Guneid. “A dish that you could find in the table of rich or poor equally sharing it with pride with their guests without the awkwardness of thinking of giving you an extra plate or spoon to yourself. You simply dig in with your fingers, communally sharing it with the rest. This act is enough to break the ice with people you don’t know in the table, so if you find yourself eating it with others don’t be shy and go for it, or you will find yourself leaving the place hungry. “

Popular Yemeni Sweets

Sidr honey is harvested from bees that feed solely on the nectar of flowers of the Lote tree (or Sidr tree). This highly valued honey is known to preserve its color and distinct taste for several years without crystallizing. However, the once-profitable honey production business is currently being threatened by the ongoing war and climate change.

Honey is also used in Areekah, a dense dessert made with crumbled bread, dates, spices and cream. Some Areekah recipes even include shredded cheese!

Oh, and did I mention harissa? Not the red chili pepper paste! In Yemen, Harissa is a traditional sweet made from fresh peanuts and spiced with cloves and cardamom.

Drinks & Khat

Shahi Haleeb, also called shai adeni or Yemeni milk tea, is one of the most popular drinks in the country. This hot beverage is prepared using brewed black tea and can be sweetened with condensed milk. Shai adeni is often flavoured with warming spices like cardamom, clove or cinnamon.

Coffee is also an important part of Yemen’s food heritage. In fact, “at the beginning of the 15th century, Yemenis were supposedly among the first people to popularize coffee as a beverage.”

According to Hestler and Spilling (2010), “the world-famous Yemeni coffee from the port of Mocha is not as commonly drunk as tea, because it is expensive. People also drink a flavorful brew known as Qishr (KU-shir). The drink is made from ground coffee husks and ginger. For those who prefer a stronger coffee, there is Bunn (BUN), a traditional coffee made straight from the beans.”

Like most Arab countries, Yemen embraces the tradition of tea drinking. Sweetened teas, including mint and cardamom, are generally served at the end of a meal alongside khat.