Emirati cuisine is one of the cuisines that is rich and diverse with different dishes, and traditional Emirati cuisine makes it distinctive in that it is simple and full of spices, which reflects the regional influences on it.
Here are some typical dishes of Emirati cuisine that you should try:
Balaleet
A traditional Emirati dish served sweet or savory for breakfast, sometimes served as dessert, with vermicelli and eggs as the main ingredients. Seasoned with cardamom, cinnamon, saffron and orange blossom then topped with pistachios.
Al-Khouzi
Or Al-Ghouzi, is the national dish of the UAE. It is a complete, hearty and delicious meal because this dish consists of grilled lamb or mutton served over a bed of rice and topped with vegetables and nuts.
It is found in many Emirati restaurants and some Gulf restaurants have begun serving it.
Harees
Harees is a one-pot wonder, mixing wheat and salt in a pot and boiling for several hours.
When the mixture reaches a porridge-like consistency, pieces of lamb, chicken, lamb or veal are added and the dish is boiled or baked again for several hours.
Cinnamon, salt and pepper are also added to enhance the flavor of the dish.
Majboos
Majboos is a dish made of red meat, chicken or shrimp boiled with spices and dried lemon or lime powder.
When the meat is cooked, remove the pieces from the pot, add the rice and cook in the same broth.
Once the rice is cooked, add the meat along with some fried onions, potatoes, tomatoes, green peppers and other vegetables.
The dish is then simmered for at least an additional two hours to give it more flavor and a really fluffy texture.
Fattoush
If you’re looking for a traditional vegetarian dish from Emirati cuisine, try fattoush.
This dish consists of fresh lettuce, diced tomatoes, cucumbers, mint leaves, onions, garlic, lemon, and olive oil and is served on Levantine bread (toasted or fried bread slices).
This salad is a wonderful accompaniment to any meal.
Theread
It is a slow-cooked stew made with chicken, lamb or goat and roasted vegetables. It can also be cooked as a pure vegetarian dish.
This heavily spiced soup is served atop a traditional thin Emirati bread called ragag.
Lughaimat
These crunchy dumplings (which are soft on the inside) are soaked in honey or a sticky-sweet date syrup known as molasses when served.
Salty and sweet at the same time, they are the most popular traditional Emirati sweets.
