Post on 02-Mar-2015
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Cuisine of UAE
Today’s cuisine of UAE is a blend of many Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. But the modern diet of the UAE is cosmopolitan in nature. It features dishes from across the world. Generally, lots of people confuse Levantine food as being Emirati. Dishes like Shawarma, Hummous, Tabbouleh and mixed grill are all recent ad-ditions and do not do justice to the “soul food” that makes up the Emirati menu.
History of UAE CuisineThe Middle East has always been served as crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa; hence traditionally it has been a hub of food and recipe exchange for ages. During the Persian Empire the foundation was laid for Middle Eastern food when rice, poultry and fruits were incorporated into their diets. Figs, dates and nuts were brought by Arabian warriors to conquered lands. During Turkey's Ottoman Empire the sweet pastries of paper thin phyllo dough and the dense, sweet coffee was brought to the area; coffee is now con-sumed throughout the Middle East. It is also influenced by yogurt from Russia; dumplings from Mongol invaders; turmeric, cumin, garlic and other spices from India; cloves, peppercorns and all spice from the Spice Islands; okra from Africa; and tomatoes from the New World, via the Moors of Spain. Religion has also changed the cuisine as neither Jews nor Muslims eat pork, making lamb the primary meat. In addition, the Quran forbids alcohol, so conse-quently the region is not generally noted for its wines.
New Change
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. Tradi-tional 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 cooked in a sin-gle pot. Saffron, cardamom, turmeric and thyme are the core fla-vors used in Emirati cookery. The introduction of rice to the diet came when the traders moved to the region.
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 in-fused with mint, which aids the digestion. Other traditions to the meal include a welcome with dates and ghawah (Arabic coffee), which are offered on arrival and are kept available through the guests visit.
Seafood has been the mainstay of the Emarati diet for centuries. The United Arab Emirates cuisine is a reflection of a great Arabian heritage and vast exposure to civilizations over time. Muslims are prohibited from eating pork so it is not included in Arab menus.
Meat, fish, and rice are the staple foods for the Emirian cuisine. Lamb and mutton are the more favored meats, then goat and fi-nally beef. Popular beverages are coffee and tea which can be sup-plemented with cardamom, saffron, or mint to give it a distinct fla-vor.
Dishes forming part of the Emarati cuisine:
Kabsa Yeast
Bread Falafel Shawarm
a Kebab Sheep Al Maj-
boos Camel
Milk Masgouf
Harees Al Salona Al Mad-
rooba Fish Camel
Meat Al Kha-
beesah Al Khan-
faroosh Raqaq
(flat) Al Jabab
Bread
Kabsa (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 Per-
sian Gulf. Kabsa, though, is believed to be indigenous
toYemen. In places like Qatar, the UAE, Bahrain and
Kuwait the dish is popularly known as Majboos (مجبوس)
or Machboos (مكبوس), but is served mostly in the same
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 its uniqueness.
With the change in technology and fast moving space today
we get pre-mixed Kabsa spices are 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 gener-
ally 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 machboos, 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 hashu (
home-made — (دقوس) and served hot with dakkous (حشو
tomato sauce.
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, Madghoot, involves cooking the meat in
a Pressure cooker, which has replaced the olden methods of
cooking in fast moving jet world.
Falafel
Falafel balls
Falafel ( فالفل) is a ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually
served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in flat bread known as lafa. The falafel balls are
topped with salads, pickled vegetables and hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauce. Falafel
balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a mezze.
History
The origin of falafel is unknown and controversial. A common theory is that the dish originates in
Egypt, possibly eaten by Copts as a replacement for meat during Lent. Alexandria being a port city
made it possible to export the dish and name to other areas in the Middle East. Some authors even
claim it dates to the pharaonic period. The dish later migrated northwards to the Levant, where chick-
peas replaced the fava. It has been theorized to a lesser extent that falafel has origins in the Indian
subcontinent where it and other chickpea-based dishes are also popular. In recent years, the falafel
debates have sometimes devolved into political discussions about the relationship between Arabs and
Israelis.
Commercialization & Globalization
Falafel grew to become a common form of street food or fast food in the Middle East. During Ra-
madan, falafel balls are sometimes eaten as part of the iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast after
sunset. Falafel became so popular that McDonald’s began to serve a "McFalafel" in some countries.
The custom of eating falafel in a pita stuffed with salads began in Israel. Falafel is now an iconic part
of Israeli cuisine and often referred to as a national dish. In Israel, falafel crosses ethnic and religious
bounds, and is enjoyed by all sectors of society. This has led to resentment by Palestinians and asser -
tions of copyright infringement by the Lebanese Industrialists' Association. Lebanon and Israel have
been engaged in an escalating gastronomic battle often described as a "food fight," in which falafel,
hummus and tabbouleh are used as ammunition. Israeli entrepreneurs brought falafel to Europe and
the United States sometime in the 1970s. Today, falafel is eaten all over the world. It is popular
among vegetarians, and prepackaged mixes are sold in health-food and grocery stores. These days
falafel-inspired burgers made of chickpea are eaten as a kind of veggie Burger.
Salad - Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh (تبولة; also tabouleh or tab(b)ouli) is a Levantine salad made of bulgur,
finely chopped parsley and mint, tomato and spring onion, seasoned with lemon juice
and olive oil.
Originally from the mountains of Syria and Lebanon, tabbouleh has become one of the
most popular salads in the Middle East. In the Arab world but particularly the Greater
Syrian region, it is usually served as part of the mezze, and is served with romaine let-
tuce. The Lebanese use more parsley than bulgur wheat in their dish.
A Turkish variation of the dish is known as kusur, while a similar Armenian dish is
known as eetch. In Cyprus, where the dish was introduced by the Lebanese, it is
known as tambouli. In Lebanon, the wheat variety salamouni cultivated in the region
around Hawran and in Mount Lebanan, Bekaa Valley and Baalbek was considered (in
the mid-19th century) as particularly well suited for making bulgur, a basic ingredient
of tabbouleh.
To the Arabs, edible herbs known as qaḍb, formed an essential part of their diet in the
Middle Ages, and dishes like tabbouleh attest to their continued popularity in Middle
Eastern Cuisine today. Likehummus, baba ghanouj, pita and other elements of Arab
Cuisine, tabbouleh has become a popular "American ethnic food."
Kebabs
Doner Kebab invented in Busara Turkey
Kebab ( كباب, also kebap, kabab, kebob, kabob, kibob, kebhav, kephav, qabab) is a wide vari-
ety of meat dishes originating in Persia, and now found worldwide. The Arabic word possibly de-
rives from Aramaicכבבא kabbābā, which probably has its origins in Akkadian kabābu meaning "to
Iranian Kebab Chenjeh Kebab
burn, char". In the 14th century, kebab is defined to be synonymous with tabahajah, a Persian word
for a dish of fried meat pieces. The Persian word was considered more high-toned in the medeival
period. Kebab was used frequently in Persian books of that time to refer to meatballs made of ground
or pounded chicken or lamb. In the modern period, kebab gained its current meaning of shish kebab,
whereas earlier shiwa` شواء had been the Arabic word for grilled meat. Kebab still retains its origi-
nal meaning in the names for stew-like dishes such as tas kebab (bowl kebab). Similarly, kebab halla
is an Egyptian dish of stewed beef and onions. In Iran (Persia), however, kebab includes grilled,
roasted, and stewed dishes of large or small cuts of meat, or even ground meat; it may be served on
plates, in sandwiches, or in bowls. The traditional meat for kebab is lamb, but depending on local
tastes and taboos, it may now be beef, goat, chicken, pork; fish and seafood; or even vegetarian foods
like falafel or tofu. Like other ethnic foods brought by travellers, the kebab has become part of ev-
eryday cuisine in multicultural countries around the globe. In English, kebab with no qualification
generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer or doner kebab served
wrapped in bread with a salad and a dressing.
History
The origin of kebab may lie in the short supply of cooking fuel in the Near East, which made the
cooking of large foods difficult, while urban economies made it easy to obtain small cuts of meat at a
butcher's shop. The phrase is essentially Persian in origin and Arabic tradition has it that the dish was
invented by medieval Iranian soldiers who used their swords to grill meat over open-field fires.
However, others have claimed the dish has been native to the Near East and East Mediterranean
since ancient times. Αn early variant of kebab ("obeliskos") is mentioned in Ancient Greece as early
as 8th century BCE (archaic period) in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey and in classical Greece, amongst
others in the works of Aristophanes, Xenophon and Aristotle and there are also claims citing pictures
of Byzantine creek preparing shish kebabs. Ibn Battuta records that kebab was served in the royal
houses of India since at least the Sultanate period, and even commoners would enjoy it for breakfast
with naan.
Al Harees
Al Harees is a very ancient dish that consists of small pieces of meat, wheat, and wa-
ter. Al harees is one of the most savoured dishes in the UAE kitchen and it involves a
lengthy preparation. Al harees, which is made mainly from meat and wheat, is quite
prominent one during special occasions such as Ramadan, Eid and weddings. Al ha-
rees is made by cooking ground wheat in a pot with a pinch of salt, to which the meat
is then added. The mixture is then left for long hours until it is fully cooked and the
meat is completely dissolved into the wheat. The mixture is then poured into a clay pot
and placed in a clay oven or inside a specially prepared hole on the ground that is
filled with burning coal. The pot is then completely covered with the coal and left for
several hours after which the thick mixture is removed and thoroughly stirred with a
special piece of wood called "midrib." The final product is then topped with local ghee
and placed onto flat plates. This dish is eaten at any time but particularly during the
Holy Month of Ramdan, Eid and Weddings.
Al Majboos
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 to-
gether. 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.
Al Salona
The dish is prepared by boiling meat with onions and then adding a variety of veget-
ables (zucchini, eggplant, onions, pepper, tomato and some okra). Spices and tomato
paste are also added and the mixture is left to simmer for 10 minutes until ready.
Al Madrooba
This consists of salt-cured fish (known locally as “maleh” or salty) and flour. The fish
is washed in running water and then cooked in a pot along with spices. While cooking,
flour is added to the fish until the sauce thickens. Al Madrooba is then topped with
ghee before serving.
Fish
Fish is used heavily in emirati cuisine and is prepared in a variety of recipes: grilled,
fried or cooked with rice in paella style. Old techniques to preserve fish are still used;
they are either salt cured (called “maleh”) or sun-dried (known as “Al kaseef”). Some
dried fish are also being ground ("sahnah").
Emirati Bread
Raqaq (flat) Bread
The "raqaq" bread is made from soft unleavened dough that is flattened and baked on
a hot iron plate. When the bread is ready, a variety of toppings such as ghee, butter
and sugar, cheese or meat gravy (thareed) is spread onto it.
Al Jabab Bread
A soft dough is poured into a "tabi" oven, or in a non-stick pan. The dough is flattened
into the pan and is cooked like a pancake on both sides. When the bread is ready, it is
eaten with ghee and sugar, honey, cheese or any other desirable topping.
Desserts
Al Khabeesah
This dessert is made from flour which is heated on a stovetop and as its colour turns
brown, rose water, sugar, ghee and cardamom are added. The mixture is then left on
medium heat until ready.
Al Khanfaroosh
Al Khanfaroosh is prepared from a mixture of flour, egg, sugar, yeast, cardamom, saf-
fron and rose water. The mixture is then left to rest, after which it is divided into
pieces and fried in ghee. The flour is sometimes replaced with rice, where the rice is
washed and then left in the sun to dry after which it is finely ground before use.