Saltah

Saltah

Saltah (Arabic: سلتة) is considered the national dish, and widely eaten in Yemen. It is mainly served for lunch. The base is a brown meat stew of Turkish origin called maraq, a dollop of fenugreek froth, and sahawiq or sahowqa (a mixture of chillies, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs ground into a salsa). Rice, potatoes, scrambled eggs, and vegetables are common additions to saltah. It is eaten traditionally with Yemeni flat bread, which serves as a utensil to scoop up the food.

It is believed saltah originated in Sana'a and its history dates back 1,000 years introduced by the Ottoman Turks occupying Yemen at the time. However, it was the Yemeni additions that made saltah what it is today.

Sources

• Saltah, Very Special Yemeni Dish Yemen Times
• "Al-Saltah" the Yemeni National Dish Yemen Times