[Sca-cooks] food question

['bella]

Last night at work.. while eating my tabouli and salad...
(yeah they actually let me take a 10 minute supper break)
something kept niggling at me until I deciced to ask outright..

It all started with a visit to this tiny food market..  converted
7-11/gas station
that was bought a couple of years ago by two Jordanian
brothers...
we talk about the food in the middle east.  Great teachers.. they
taste stuff
I make.   sometimes they like it, sometimes they don't... same
for me...
man they eat some strange stuff.. and at times I am afraid to
ask... (grins)

the salad.. tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions, red, yellow and
green peppers..
made me wonder if there was, somewhere a list of what are
considered
'new world foods' I know tomatoes are.. but are green pepers or
cucumbers?

While watching Food Channel, there was this show about Morroco
and Tajines.. and then one about India..   This chef cooked a
'traditional' meal.. It looked like a giant paella to me.. but he
had
Tomatoes in it.  That got me to wondering how long a dish has to
be cooked
before It is called ''traditional' any ideas?
'bella