Breads 'n' dips

This is crisp bread, usually consumed by dipping in sauces like hummus or tahini, because the bread is bland but the sauces have a strong flavour.

It is also used for the shawarma sandwich. You also have the pita bread pocket which looks a lot like our chapatti. It has two layers like our phulka roti.

Except in a pita pocket one of the layers is cut open, and a filling of your choice maybe put but in it. Pita pockets are normally used for making falafel.

Bread-sauce dip combinations usually work as starters or snacks.

Manaquish is a type of flavoured bread or what we would call a masala pita bread (top image).

Hummus

A paste that is used as a dip with pita bread (lower image), it is made of chickpeas (chole chana), lots of garlic and fresh lemon.

This dip has a stronger flavour than tahini and is very filling because of the chickpeas.

Hummus is also used as a filling in some dishes like the falafel roll.

Tahini

A popular dish, this is like a paste made mainly of sesame seeds and mildly sour to taste.

Apart from the main ingredients, other ingredients like garlic may be added according to personal choice or taste.

Tahini is used as a dip along with dishes like pita bread and falafel nuggets (explained in next slide)

Falafel nuggets, made a little smaller than the regular size, are served with tahini as a starter at a number of restaurants or even at wedding banquets.

I dipped the masala pita in the tahini and it gave the bread a mild garlic flavour.