Shahiya.com launches iPhone app

The 'Wasfat tabekh' iPhone app Beirut - Arabstoday Shahiya.com has announced the launch of “Wasfat tabekh”, a free iPhone application in Arabic which has topped download charts across the Arab world just days after its release. The leading Arabic cooking website is reputed across the Middle East and North Africa as a user-generated forum that makes recipes written by anybody from world-class chefs to beginner cooks readily accessible online. With over 55,000 downloads to date, the app is Number 1 in the "Lifestyle" category in the iTunes stores of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman and Egypt. “Wasfat tabekh” -- which mean cooking recipes in Arabic -- aims at becoming "the privileged companion of every Arab woman in the kitchen", according to a statement from the company. Boasting over 5,000 recipes, it is the first Arabic cooking application that includes the entire content of a website which is updated daily. The app's relatively modern design makes browsing a pleasant experience, while submissions are moderated by an editing team. Users can also view and submit reviews and nutritional facts, along with searching for a recipe by course, cuisine or main ingredient. It enables users to add a recipe to their list of favourites for an easy access, or to access recipes browsed within one week using the history feature. Specialised diet recipes are supervised by US registered dietitian, Carole Makhoul Hani. Shahiya's venture into the smartphone market is wise - more than 30 percent of Shahiya’s traffic comes from mobile phones. The move was highly encouraged by the success of its two previous apps, “Cook Lebanese – 101 recipes” and “Recipes for Adha”, that reached over 350,000 downloads