A Chinese man carrying an Arabic-style silver hookah with a cat and a dog next to him was very strange, but Zhang Zian's attention was focused on finding food, and he didn't have time to pay attention to the strange looks of other pedestrians.
There were so many wild dogs in Egypt, and of course, there would be no dog breeding regulations. Famous could walk through the streets without a leash.
Zhang Zian looked back as he walked, worried that the Egyptian men would put the cooling ointment where it shouldn't be and seek revenge. Not to mention that it was not cooling ointment at all. It was a mysterious substance called "cooling ointment." Only God knew what effect it would have.
Richard laughed at him for being as timid as a mouse and promised that the men would never chase after him.
Speaking of which, along the way, they saw several people selling Egyptian bread. The price was incredibly low, because the flour, oil, and sugar used to make the bread were all free aid from the rich Arab countries. Since the cost was zero, of course, they sold it cheaply under the competition. Every penny earned was a penny earned.
In order to stabilize the situation in Egypt, the Egyptians, who earned a few hundred pounds per month, would not starve and cause riots. As the most populous country in the Middle East and an important member of the Arab world, if there were riots in Egypt, it would cause a humanitarian disaster.
The official name of the Egyptian bread was "Yesu," not Jesus. It didn't look good, looking like leavened bread. It didn't arouse Zhang Zian's appetite. The elfins were even more uninterested in this kind of starchy food.
Yesu was the main food that the local poor relied on to survive. This thing could help with hunger. The poor often bought a few pieces of bread and dipped it in a sesame sauce mixed with lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper. It could be eaten for breakfast or even dinner every day.
When Zhang Zian and the others passed by, they saw a few poor people tear apart the yesu and put it in their mouths with a glass of juice. Egyptian fruit was also incredibly cheap. Most of the fruit was less than one yuan per kilogram.
In addition to yesu, there was another smaller cake called "pita."
Pita was much more delicious than yesu. It looked like a hollow sesame cake with a thin skin. It could be stuffed with barbecue, lettuce, and tomatoes according to personal taste, and then covered with sauce. It tasted like a mix of roujiamo and hamburger.
Zhang Zian remembered that he had eaten Turkish barbecue on the streets of Berlin. Egypt also had Turkish barbecue, but it was not the authentic Turkish barbecue. Instead, it was modified according to the tastes of the Egyptians. Its official name was "shawarma," and it could also be called an Egyptian burger.
The elfins had a good impression of Berlin's Turkish barbecue, so Zhang Zian stopped to order a few servings when he saw that they were selling Shawarma.
The local stall owner skillfully sliced off slices of fragrant roasted meat from the rotating grill, mixed them with pickled cabbage, lettuce, and mashed beans. Then, he put on the crispy skin that was soft on the inside, and drizzled it with bright red chili sauce. Then, the shawarma was ready.
With one bite, the sweetness, spiciness, and sourness that whetted one's appetite was indeed worthy of being Egypt's signature snack.
Of course, when it came to Egypt's real signature food, it had to be coshiri.
Coshiri was a mixture of rice, macaroni, peas, and lentils, then added with vinegar and chili sauce. Sausages and olives could also be added according to personal taste. It looked a bit like fried rice, but it didn't seem to be fried.
Coshiri was also very popular with the local poor, because the portions were large and cheap. It could satisfy both the needs of starch and vegetables. It was of a higher grade than yesu, but it was also a little more expensive.
Zhang Zian wanted to try coshiri, but he heard that although the coshiri sold at roadside stalls was authentic, it was not very hygienic and often gave people stomachaches. So, he gave up on the idea. He would eat it at a restaurant when he had the chance in the future.
Famous had just swallowed a portion of shawarma and licked its lips, wanting more. Suddenly, it smelled an irresistible aroma floating in front of it.
It took a deep breath. The aroma was unfamiliar. It should have come from some kind of meat, but it seemed to be the first time it had smelled it.
Zhang Zian was tall. His gaze passed through the crowd and noticed the stall in front of him. He shrugged Richard's shoulder and said, "Richard, do you see that? Your kind has already become roast ducks. Why don't you hurry up and join them?"
"Quack?"
Richard had just secretly eaten a piece of lettuce from the shawarma in Zhang Zian's hand. When it heard Zhang Zian's words, it was so shocked that it opened its beak. The lettuce, stained with chili sauce, fell out of its mouth and almost dirtied his shirt.
"What kind of barbaric country is this? How dare they eat parrots?"
It exclaimed in disbelief.
Old Time Tea laughed. "Zian, don't scare it. In my opinion, it's neither a parrot nor a duck. It's a pigeon."
The stall in front of them was selling another famous Egyptian snack — roast pigeon.
The way Egypt roasted pigeons was to remove the head, buttocks, and internal organs of the pigeon. The pigeon's body was then filled with wheat, rice, spices, and chopped foie gras. It was then roasted over a charcoal fire and eaten together with the skin and bones.
Fina and Famous also saw it. The fragrant smell of roasted pigeons wafted in the wind, immediately making them salivate. They couldn't even move their feet.
On the red charcoal fire, the skin of the pigeons was roasted into a dark brown caramel-like color. The rich oil seeped out of the skin and gathered together. Under the influence of gravity, it dripped onto the charcoal fire, causing the flames of the charcoal fire to suddenly grow higher. A few clusters of sparks soared into the air, almost licking the pigeons.
These pigeons were quite fat, and the fire was roasted just right. It was a bit like roast ducks, but it had a unique and exotic flavor.
The key was that this kind of roasted food was relatively clean and hygienic.
Not to mention these carnivorous cats and dogs, even Zhang Zian swallowed hard. He immediately took out money to buy a few roasted pigeons. In addition to the elfins present, he also wanted to bring two for Snowy Lionet.
The Khan el-Khalili market was only the tip of the iceberg, but they were all so hungry that they temporarily left the market and found a secluded place to eat.
Fina couldn't wait any longer. Without waiting for Zhang Zian to remind it that it was hot, it bit down on the roasted pigeon. It was immediately scalded and stuck out its tongue. It glared at him angrily, blaming him for not reminding it earlier.
Zhang Zian had no choice but to tear the roasted pigeons apart to let the internal heat dissipate as soon as possible so that they could eat first.
After waiting for a while, the elfins were finally able to eat.
Zhang Zian didn't care about his image anymore. He ate with both hands, his mouth full of oil.
The pigeon skin was fragrant and crispy. The pigeon meat was fat and lean, and there were bursts of wheat fragrance and foie gras. He and the elfins ate one after another, unable to stop.
After eating, he couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so delicious!"
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