All the Middle Eastern dishes you need to celebrate Aladdin’s premiere
By Louis Skye
![](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/baf07eca2d90d9b2ce12461097814d45b901f81ccd120557285415b3c2261e77.jpg)
Marwan Kenzari is the powerful sorcerer Jafar in Disney’s live-aciton ALADDIN.
Choices for Vegetarians
The great thing about Middle Eastern cuisine is that it has plenty to offer vegetarians. The delicious, and extremely popular, falafel is 100% vegetarian, as is ful medamas, a dish made of fava beans. The manakeesh, a flatbread usually topped with cheese and zaatar, is another great snack.
Mujaddara is a hearty meal made of rice and roasted onions that has been known to fill many a stomach. And, of course, there are the aforementioned dolmas, fattoush, and tabbouleh.
Fruit is an extremely important part of Middle Eastern cuisine. Most good Middle Eastern restaurants will have a good assortment of fruit juices on offer, and some even give recommendations depending on the type of meal you will be enjoying.
Similarly, having a fruit platter is almost customary when enjoying a Middle Eastern meal—as you are likely to do with Aladdin still playing on your mind. These fruit platters are usually elaborate and beautiful with myriad fruits to choose from.
There are grapes, watermelon, melons, slices of orange, pineapples, kiwis, and apples. The colors are astounding, and the taste is enough to slay even Jafar. After a heavy meal of meats or vegetables, the fruit platter is just what the doctor ordered!