Learn the Meaning of Moussaka (2024)

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Learn the Meaning of Moussaka? ›

moussaka. noun. mous·​sa·​ka ˌmü-sə-ˈkä : a Middle Eastern dish of ground meat (as lamb or beef) and sliced eggplant often topped with a seasoned sauce.

Moussaka cuisine takes its name from the Arabic word musaqqa'ah. The word means cold or dipped in liquid. Greek and Turkish foodies adopted the name when the Arabs introduced it to the Mediterranean. Turks and Greeks may have agreed on this Arabic name because moussaka is best served warm or cold.

The English name for moussaka was borrowed from Greek mousakás (μουσακάς) and from other Balkan languages, all borrowed from Ottoman Turkish, which in turn borrοwed it from Arabic muṣaqqa'a (مصقعة, lit. 'pounded' or 'cold').

While Turkey and Greece have made Moussaka globally famous, they are the not the nations who introduced this dish. According to the Greeks, this dish was introduced by the Arabs when they brought the aubergine. However, Arabs and people from Lebanon believe Moussaka to be a Greek dish.

noun. , Greek Cooking. a baked dish consisting of layers of sautéed slices of eggplant and ground lamb usually flavored with tomatoes, onions, and cinnamon, and covered with a custard sauce sprinkled with grated cheese.

Greek Moussaka is a recent invention that goes back to the 1920s when a Greek chef Nikolaos Tselementes took the Middle Eastern dish and fused it with Lasagna. However, it became so popular and tasty that it well surpassed the original Middle Eastern version. Greek Moussaka, on the other hand, comes from Lasagna.

Names for this casserole abound across languages, such as “musakka", “mussaqa'a”, “mousakas”, “moussaka” and others still. No matter how it's now written or pronounced, it is common in both Turkey and Greece. Here's the interesting history and origin of this delectable eggplant dish.

Many wonder what the difference is between moussaka and lasagna, and it's quite simple! Lasagna is made with layers of pasta, while moussaka is made with layers of vegetables. There are variations of eggplant moussaka, some use potatoes or even zucchini squash.

It's this topping that now sets a Greek moussaka apart from its many cousins around the region — as Conistis concedes on Ouzo Talk: “In history, it starts off as a Turkish dish, but it's definitely Greek, with a lot of thanks to the French for the bechamel”.

The most significant flavor in the Moussaka is definitely umaminess that comes from the Tomato sauce, and that's because it dehydrates and concentrates it's flavors as the moussaka bakes. The sauce itself contains a significant amount of garlic and tomatoes, which is then spiced up using fresh green chillies.

Who eats moussaka? ›

Traditional: This Moussaka dish is a traditional Greek meal that most Greeks grew up eating. It's authentic and so good. Versatile: Every Greek family probably has their spin on a Moussaka, and this is mine. You can also totally make vegetarian or vegan versions too.

Sweating the eggplant is very important when baking it in a casserole because it holds a lot of water, which can ultimately ruin the moussaka. To prevent the moussaka from being watery, make sure to lay the eggplant on a paper towel, sprinkle lightly with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes.

On March 25th each year Greeks celebrate Independence Day with parades and abundant feasts of bakaliaros skordalia, delicately battered cod with garlic dip. And yet it is moussaka—sloppy squares of richly flavoured mince, potatoes, aubergines and indulgent béchamel sauce—that many consider Greece's national dish.

Allow the moussaka to settle for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. Serve the moussaka with a chunky tomato, cucumber, parsley and mint salad and crusty bread.

In any case, the primitive Sicilian parmigiana must have been a dish very similar to the Turkish moussaka, made of eggplants fried in oil and sprinkled with pecorino cheese and other seasonings.

Names for this casserole abound across languages, such as “musakka", “mussaqa'a”, “mousakas”, “moussaka” and others still. No matter how it's now written or pronounced, it is common in both Turkey and Greece. Here's the interesting history and origin of this delectable eggplant dish.

It turns out that Moussaka is actually an Arabic word referring to a common Middle Eastern vegetable stew, often served cold. The better-known Greek dish Moussaka is made with spiced ground lamb, eggplant, tomato and crust topped with a creamy Bechamel sauce.