The word “moona” or “mouneh” in slang comes from the Arabic word mana or ma'oona, meaning "storing." In other words, it’s the English equivalent of "the pantry". In the past, especially in remote villages in the Arab World, the moona was prepared during the bountiful harvest for consumption during winter's harsh days, providing fundamental nourishment for the daily meal, having transformed perishable produce into food with a long shelf life: foods such as olives, pickles, preserved lemons, cheese, spices, herbs, jams, etc.
