food
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Introduction:
Emirati food combines simplicity and health. The UAE boasts a number
of traditional dishes. Emirati cuisine relies heavily on the use of fish, meat
and rice. The key to Emirati cuisine is a spice mixture of cardamom, ginger,
black pepper, saffron, Carmon seeds, cinnamon, rose water, and loomy
(dried lemon). The modern diet of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is
cosmopolitan, featuring dishes from around the world. A lot of people
confuse Levantine food as being Emirati, but shawarma, hummous,
tabbouleh, and mixed grill are all recent additions and do not do justice to
the sense of identity that makes up the Emirati menu.
Traditional food in Dubai has a unique taste because it has lots of spices
and these give it a very rich taste. Most of the spices come from India.
That’s why the food in India is quite similar to the food we eat in Dubai.
Most dishes contain things like rice, fish and meat. This is because we live
near the sea which makes it easier for us to get fresh fish from the sea. The
meat is usually mutton from either sheep or goats as these are the animals
that the Bedouin kept. On special occasions such as weddings and Eids
camel may be eaten. Camel’s milk is very good for children as it’s high in
fat and contains calcium.
The modern diet of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is cosmopolitan,
featuring dishes from around the world. A lot of people confuse Levantine
food as being Emirati, but shawarma, hummous, tabbouleh, and mixed grill
are all recent additions and do not do justice to the "soul food" that makes
up the Emirati menu.
Due to harsh desert conditions, the traditional food of the United Arab
Emirates uses a lot of meat, cereals and dairy. Vegetables are difficult to
grow and are not strongly featured in the diet. Traditional dishes include
Ma'louba, Margooga, Harees, Machbous, Arsee'ah, Fireed, Jisheid and
Mishwy. Meats traditionally used were chicken or small fowl, such as
Houbara bustards, and goats. As camels are highly prized for their milk and
transporting ability, the eating of camel meat is normally reserved for
special occasions.
The dishes are usually like stews, as everything is often cooked in a single
pot. Saffron, cardamom, turmeric and thyme are the core flavors used in
Emirati cookery. The introduction of rice to the diet came when the traders
moved to the region. Leaves from indigenous tress, such as the Ghaff were
also used to stuff small birds, releasing their flavor during the cooking
process.
Breakfast in the UAE usually features breads like ragag, khameer and
chebab, served with cheese, date syrup, or eggs. These were made over a
curved hot plate, resembling a stone, which would have been used by the
Bedouins. Balaleat is another dish, but its advent again with the traders,
who introduced pasta.
Sweet options include luqeymat, a deep fried ball of pancake batter that is
rolled in sesame seed and then drizzled with date syrup. Other desserts
include khabeesa, which is flour bread crumbs blended with sugar,
cardamom and saffron or bethitha, a semolina blended with crushed dates,
cardamom and clarified butter.
At the close of the meal it is usual to be served with a red tea infused with
mint, which aids the digestion. Other traditions to the meal include a
welcome with dates and gahwah (Arabic coffee), which are offered on
arrival and are kept available through the guests visit.
Dishes forming part of the Emarati cuisine:
Kabsa:
Kabsa (Arabic: كبسة) is a
family of rice dishes that are
served mostly in Saudi Arabia
— where it is commonly
regarded as a national dish
— and the other Arab states
of the Persian Gulf. Kabsa,
though, is believed to be
indigenous to Yemen. In
places like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Kuwait the dish is
popularly known as majbūs (Arabic: مجبوس) or machbūs (Arabic: مكبوس),
but is served mostly in the same way.
These dishes are mainly made from a mixture of spices, rice (usually long-
grain basmati), meat and vegetables. There are many kinds of kabsa and
each kind has a uniqueness about it. Pre-mixed kabsa spices are now
available under several brand names. These reduce preparation time but
may have a flavour distinct from traditional kabsa. The spices used in
kabsa are largely responsible for its taste; these are generally black
pepper, cloves, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves and
nutmeg. The main ingredient that accompanies the spices is the meat,
such as chicken, goat, lamb, camel, or sometimes beef, fish, and shrimp. In
chicken machbūs, a whole chicken is used. The spices, rice and meat may
be augmented with almonds, pine nuts, onions and raisins. The dish can be
garnished with ḥashū (Arabic: حشو) and served hot with daqqūs (Arabic:
.home-made tomato sauce — (دقوس
Meat for kabsa can be cooked in various ways. A popular way of preparing
meat is called mandi. This is an ancient technique, whereby meat is
barbecued in a deep hole in the ground that is covered while the meat
cooks. Another way of preparing and serving meat for kabsa is mathbi,
where seasoned meat is grilled on flat stones that are placed on top of
burning embers. A third technique, madghūt, involves cooking the meat in a
Pressure cooker.
Al Machboos
Al Machboos is a very popular
dish cooked in a large pot. It
consists of rice, onions and
meat, seasoned with spices,
salt and dried lemon called
Loomy. This dish is prepared
by cooking meat, spices, dried
lemon, and seasonings in
boiling water until they are very
tender. The meat is taken out and the rice is added to the rest of the
ingredients and cooked together. Then the meat is returned again to the
pot where it is cooked for another one to two hours.
Al Machboos is well known and is a favorite throughout the Gulf area. has
red meat as its main ingredient (which can be replaced by shrimp or
chicken) and rice. The meat is placed in boiling water and a blend of spices
and dried lime are added. Fried chopped onion is added to the cooked
meat, followed by a vegetable medley usually consisting of potatoes,
tomatoes and green peppers. The mixture is left to cook on low heat for a
short period. Cooked rice and saffron are added to the meat mixture in
layers. Finally, Al Machboos is left to cook on a low fire or in an oven for
about 10 minutes. This dish is very tasty and a meal in itself.
Al Harees
Al Harees, which is a traditional UAE dish consisting of wheat, meat
(chicken) and salt, is a popular treat during
special occasions such as Ramadan, Eid and
weddings. It is made by cooking ground wheat
in a pot with a pinch of salt, to which the meat is
added. The mixture is then left for many hours
until it is fully cooked and the meat is
completely dissolved into the wheat. The
mixture is poured into a clay pot and placed in a clay oven or in a specially
prepared hole in the ground that is filled with burning coal. After several
hours, the thick mixture is removed and stirred with a special piece of wood
called 'midrib'. The final product is topped with local ghee and placed onto
flat plates. Harees is a rich meal and is filling. Although quite similar to the
Armenian harissa, harees is more of a gelatinous dumpling than a porridge.
Even though harees was once a traditional dish made at Arab homes,
nowadays one can find it on the menu in some Arabic restaurants in Abu
Dhabi, Dubai and Middle East countries.
Al Salona
A tasty dish of meat boiled with
onions, and a variety of vegetables
such as courgettes, eggplant,
onions, pepper, and okra. Spices
and tomato paste are also added
and the mixture is left to simmer for
10 minutes until ready. This dish is like meat soup.
Al Madrooba
Madrooba consists of salt-cured fish (known
locally as ‘Maleh’ or salty) and flour cooked in a
pot and seasoned with spices. The fish is
cleaned thoroughly in running water and then
cooked in a pot along with spices. While
cooking, flour is added to the fish until the sauce thickens. When this dish is
served, it is topped with ghee – clarified butter.
Al Balaleet
Al Balaleet is a kind of fine pasta made from
eggs, onions, cinnamon, sugar and oil. It is
usually eaten for breakfast. This is an
unusually delicious salty and sweet breakfast
dish that is enjoyed on a regular basis. This is
also traditionally served on the Eid holidays
along with boiled garbanzo beans and boiled
black-eye peas. Along with the salty-sweet taste your taste buds will be
tickled with the cardamom spice. It is very interesting to eat this for the first
time because you think it will not be delicious but it will soon become a
favorite of yours too.
Lukaimat
LuKaimat is a well known dessert in the Middle
East. The way is completely different between
them, but they all look the same. In UAE Luqaimat,
is usually made in the month of Ramdan and
enjoined after Iftar. Also, it is served at special
occasions. They are crunchy on the outside and
soft on inside.
Conclusion:
The culinary traditions of the United Arab Emirates are influenced by
geography and resources, and now with worldly cities like Abu Dhabi and
Dubai, cuisine is also informed by styles from all parts of the world.Meats
and dairy products feature prominently in UAE cuisine. Vegetables don’t
thrive in the arid UAE climate, and so are used sparingly. Spices like
thyme, turmeric, saffron and cardamom are used often in Emirati cooking,
and the spicy dishes are often accompanied by cooling side dishes or
garnishes of yogurt, cucumber, or mint. In many homes, meals are cooked
together in one pot as a stew. Due to harsh desert conditions, the
traditional food of the United Arab Emirates uses a lot of meat, grain, and
dairy. Vegetables are easy to grow in some areas, and are strongly
featured in the diet. Traditional dishes include Ma'louba, Margooga,
Harees, Machbous, Frsee'ah, Fireed, Jisheid, and Mishwy. Meats
traditionally used were chicken or small fowl, such as Houbara bustards,
and goats. As camels are highly prized for their milk and transporting
ability, the eating of camel meat is normally reserved for special occasions.
The dishes are usually like stews, as everything is often cooked in a single
pot. Saffron, cardamom, turmeric, and thyme are the core flavors used in
Emirati cookery. The introduction of rice to the diet came when the traders
moved to the region. Leaves from indigenous trees, such as the Ghaff,
were also used to stuff small birds, releasing their flavor during the cooking
process.
References:
UAEinteract.com. "UAE Travel& Tourism: Food & Drink". UAEinteract.
Retrieved 2009-07-15.
"Welcome to Abu Dhabi - Emirati Cuisine". Visitabudhabi.ae. 2009-07-01.
Retrieved 2009-07-15.
"Dubai Food Festival". Dubai Food Festival. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
East, Ben (February 2014). "Taste of culture: Dubai Food Festival".
Vision.ae. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
UAE Culture. Uae.gov.ae. 2000-06-01. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
Dubai, the City As Corporation. Ahmed Kanna. 2011. p. 144.
Welcome to Abu Dhabi – Literature and Poetry. Visitabudhabi.ae. 2009-07-
01. Retrieved 2009-07-15.