[Sca-cooks] Arabic word

[galefridus at optimum.net]

I've been studying the Taqwim al-Sihha, which is a table of foods, spices, and other items, analyzing their humoural properties and uses. The edition that I have has both the original Arabic and a French translation. Yesterday, I came across an Arabic word that had been translated as "woodpeckers" (pics, in French) but actually means "Sudanese [things]," at least in modern standard Arabic. The word was "al-sudaniyat." I'm wondering whether any of the other Middle Eastern foodies on this list may have seen a similar usage.

BTW, many of you might be familiar with the Tacuinum Sanitatis, an illustrated Latin translation of  the Taqwim al-Sihha that became quite popular in Europe in 14th and 15th centuries.

-- Galefridus