Moussaka at room temperature. In the Arab countries it is usually eaten cold or hot depending on the country. The English name for moussaka has Arabic origin "musaqqa‘a" (), literally 'that which is fed liquid'. It was reborrowed from Greek "" () and from other Balkan languages, all of which borrowed the word from Ottoman. The word is first attested in English in 1862, written "mùzàkkà". Most versions are based primarily on sautéed aubergine (eggplant) and tomato, usually with minced meat, mostly lamb. However, the Greek version includes layers of meat and eggplant topped with a Béchamel ("white") sauce, and baked.
Meat exposed to oxygen, reddish oxymyoglobin develops, making myoglobin-rich meat appear red. The redness of meat depends on species, animal age, and fibre type: Red meat contains more narrow muscle fibres that tend to operate over long periods without rest, while white meat contains more broad fibres that tend to work in short fast bursts. Generally, the meat of adult mammals such as cows, sheep, and horses is considered red, while chicken and turkey breast meat is considered white. All muscle tissue is very high in protein, containing all of the essential amino acids, and in most cases is a good