It’s a pleasant day in Dubai as we drive into Sama Tower on Sheikh Al Zayed Road. Dressed in a baby pink hijaab, chef Manal Al Alem, better known as Queen of the Arabian Kitchen, is prepping for our masterclass on Emirati cuisine, as part of the Dubai Food Festival, which ended last month.
Arabic coffee
“Our food is similar to Indian food, with curries and spice. But it’s not as hot,” the 45-year-old chef, who has over six lakh followers on YouTube. “Cardamom is the main spice, along with saffron and cumin. Our food has a deep taste, and we use meats like camel and chicken, as well as seafood. Due to lack of any documentation of the cuisine, you will find that the taste of a particular dish varies from home to home.”
That evening, our tryst with the Middle Eastern feast continues with a food trail with Bader Najeeb, a 21-year-old food influencer. He tells us about machboos, a slow-cooked dish of rice and lentils, cooked in meat. It is mostly made in the winters, when families go into the desert, to cook it on a fire.
Salona Chicken
He leaves us with an interesting coffee-drinking tradition. Go to an Arab’s house, and they will welcome you with a shot of Arabic coffee in a finjan pot. When you return your empty cup, remember to shake it a bit, otherwise they will continue to refill it.
After all the stories, it’s time to dig into Emirati fare at Al Barza, Dubai’s best kept secret of Emirati cuisine in Jumeirah 1. Here is the recipe for one of their dishes.
Jasheed
Ingredients:
- 350 gm Onions, chopped
- 30 gm Coriander leaves
- 30 gm Turmeric powder
- 75 gm Fresh lemon juice
- 1 kg Fish, boneless
- (traditionally baby shark meat)
- Water
Method:
- Boil the fish for an hour with 10 gm turmeric powder
- Drain the cooked fish to remove excess water.
- Get only the meat of the fish and chop it.
- In a pot, fry the onion, and add 20 gm turmeric powder, salt, coriander leaves, and stir well.
- Once the water leaves the onion mixture, add the water, and boiled for a few minutes.
- Add 175 gm of fish meat, add 2 tbsp of coriander leaves, and lemon juice sauté.
- Cook it for 10 minutes till dry, and serve.
