Appetizers

Appetizers are usually served with beer and arak alcoholic drinks. In Iraq, the liquor stores are usually owned by Christians, since drinking alcohol is forbidden in the Muslim society. But the majority of the public occasionally drink alcohol discretely. Alcoholic drinks are served in clubs and cafes.
Appetizer menu consists of the following:
Boiled chickpeas
Boiled fava beans
Arabic salad or sliced tomatoes and cucumbers
Pickles
Boiled eggs
Basturma
Tikka-Lamb kabob chunks on skewers
Kabab-Ground lamb kakab
Pistachios and mixed nuts
Some heavy appetizers are also served like the potato chap and kibit halab as in the following recipes.