Online Palestinian Cooking Lessons is a central part of Palestinian culture, signifying family, togetherness, community, and celebration. Coming together over a good meal is an integral part of everyday life and helps to make people feel connected to one another.
So what is Palestinian food? It is similar to some other countries in the Middle East region, but with a few significant differences. You’ll still find hummus, falafel, and shawarma, but there are many other delicious local dishes to try!
A favourite of volunteers to Learn Arabic in Palestine (and a great dish during winter) is Maqlooba – consisting of chicken, vegetables like cauliflower and eggplant, and rice. Once it’s finished cooking, the pot is flipped upside down onto a large serving dish, ready for everyone to dig in and enjoy! Sweets made with semolina, dates, and sugar syrup are also incredibly popular, especially during Ramadan.
Since the pandemic, interest in online cooking classes has steadily grown. Why follow a recipe from a page by yourself, or wade through a long story online to get to the instructions, when you can watch along and learn from an expert in different cuisines!
As food is such an essential part of the culture in Palestine, taking an online cooking class is an excellent opportunity for Palestinian people to share a part of their lives that is a source of joy and community with the wider world, and help shift the negative idea of Palestinians that is usually portrayed in the media.
Table of Contents
What Are Online Palestinian Cooking Lessons?
Led by experienced teachers (and great cooks) from Learn Arabic in Palestine, your cooking classes will be done via live video. You can either watch the cooking process or buy your own ingredients to follow along and cook together with your teacher.
What kinds of food will you make? There are so many to choose from! Depending on how many hours of cooking classes you buy, you can either learn to make one dish or all of them!
- Falafel: Arguably the most famous food from the Middle East region, it is surprisingly quick and easy to make. Impress your friends with this crowd-favorite.
- Hummus: Another famous dish from the region, home-made hummus is 100 times better than anything you could buy at the store. This is another quick and easy dish that you’ll learn to make from scratch, along with how to create different variations.
- Shakshuka: famous around the world, shakshuka is a breakfast staple made with tomatoes and eggs. Simple and delicious!
- Palestinian Breakfast: Volunteers at Learn Arabic in Palestine rave about the daily breakfast spread that we all share. Learn how to make an authentic Palestinian breakfast, along with tea and Arabic-style coffee. This one’s definitely best for sharing.
- Kunefe: This decadent dessert is made with soft cheese and semolina and served warm with syrup. It’s so addictive that you won’t want to share!
- Waraq Aynab: Similar to stuffed vine leaves from the Mediterranean, waraq aynab are grape leaves stuffed with a delicious, savoury filling.
- Maqlooba: A favourite of guests at Learn Arabic in Palestine, maqlooba is a healthy and warming dish that’s perfect for feeding a crowd or for cold winter nights.
- Mansaf: This delicious dish consists of spiced rice and chicken made with a local twist!
- Daoud Basha (kofta with rice): Another crowd favourite, this dish combines vegetables, meat, and rice to create a lovely, savoury meal.
Speak with our friendly staff at the Center to learn more about which dishes you might want to learn!
Why Learn Palestinian Cooking Online?
Learning Palestinian cooking online is a great way to expand your culinary knowledge from anywhere in the world, create cultural connections with people from different places, and support Palestinian communities.
Learning from anywhere in the world: Overseas travel is not accessible to everyone. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have a meaningful international experience right at home! Now that video is becoming more prevalent in the way that we work and communicate, it is also becoming more prevalent in the way that we learn.
Cooking is about more than food; it’s also about connection to people and places. This is especially true when learning to cook food from another culture. Part of this cultural connection encompasses the history, stories, and traditions of various places, and Palestine boasts a long and rich past with much to offer.
Learning to cook Palestinian food online is also a great way to support the Palestinian people and their cause. On a practical level, income from online cooking classes provides much-needed support to local families and communities, particularly women and children, by offering them some extra income. On a less practical but no less important level, online cooking classes help Palestinian people share their culture with the wider world.
What You’ll Need to Get Started
Palestinian food is generally delicious and straightforward – you don’t need to be a pro chef or even have a lot of cooking experience to be able to follow along. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of the things you might want to source or
Equipment
These recipes only require what most people will have in their kitchens already – knives, cutting boards, pots, and pans. If a particular dish requires any specific ingredients, your teacher will make sure to let you know beforehand.
Make sure you have a reliable device for video connection, as well as a reliable internet connection. It’s also good to make sure you are able to focus and be free of distractions for the duration of your class.
Ingredients
Similar to the equipment, the ingredients are typically found in your local supermarket. Rice, chicken, vegetables, spices, legumes – these lay the foundations of Palestinian cooking. We can work with you to adjust the ingredients to suit any dietary requirements.
Can I Source Authentic Palestinian Ingredients?
After the Nakba (or ‘catastrophe’) of 1948, many Palestinians were forced to flee their land after the state of Israel was established. As a result, the Palestinian diaspora is quite large and widespread. In many towns and cities, you can find small shops or supermarkets that sell international food products and may even stock authentic Palestinian ingredients, perfect for trying out new recipes. There are also options where you can shop online and have the necessary ingredients delivered to your door.
But don’t let sourcing Palestinian ingredients be a barrier to cooking Palestinian food! There are plenty of replacements and alternatives that can make your food taste just as delicious. Any olive oil or kind of rice can do in a pinch, and most spices can be found in some form everywhere!
If you’re really stuck, feel free to send our friendly team a message for advice!
Tips
Get some of your people together! Palestinian dishes are made to be shared. So, while you can definitely cook for yourself, it’s in the spirit of Palestinian cuisine to share with family, friends, and neighbours too!
How to Sign Up
It’s quick and easy to sign up for our online Palestinian cooking classes!
Simply send an email to the team of Learn Arabic in Palestine, info@ecpalestine.org. Be sure to mention your timezone and the dishes you’re interested in making, and feel free to ask any questions about the process!
Palestinian Cuisine – Online Cooking Lessons – Conclusion
Learning to cook Palestinian food online is an excellent opportunity to connect with a rich culture, hear stories from Palestinian people, and support local communities.
Whether you’re looking to expand your cooking skills, share a meaningful experience with loved ones, or enjoy delicious homemade meals, these classes offer an accessible and engaging way to do so.
By joining an online Palestinian cooking class, you’re helping to preserve and share the traditions that make Palestinian cuisine so special. This is the best way to experience Palestinian culture short of travelling to Palestine. So gather your ingredients, invite some friends, and get ready to cook, learn, and connect!
Find Us Online
Do you have questions for us regarding the Online Cooking Lessons That Bring Tradition to Your Kitchen or about one of our programs? Contact us via:
Email: info@ecpalestine.org
WhatsApp:+972 599 479 880
Website: https://volunteerinpalestine.org/
EC Website: https://excellencenter.org/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excellence.center
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter
Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron
Watch us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg
Visit and Explore Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePalestine
