 Garlic is essential in Middle Eastern and Arabic cooking, with its presence in many food items.In Levantine countries such as Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon, garlic is traditionally crushed together with olive oil, and occasionally salt, to create a Middle Eastern garlic sauce called Toum (تُوم; meaning "garlic" in Arabic).While not exclusively served with meats, toum is commonly paired with chicken or other meat dishes such as shawarma.