Dubai, a city on the Persian Gulf, is known for having the very best in entertainment, shopping malls, hotels and beaches. In the desert there is an indoor ski center, you can book excursions. But for a good rest and understanding of the culture of the country, you need to try the national dishes of the UAE, which differ from oriental cuisine.
Experienced travelers know the culinary secret of Dubai. Starting in early autumn, when the heat subsides, more street food vendors show up and the market gets busier. Since the proportion of immigrants is more than 84% of the country’s population, the local cuisine is a diverse mixture of traditions.
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Main dishes
Main dishes in pots were a popular option for those who lived in Old Dubai. This is due to the fact that they reduced the number of dishes to wash, which is important in a desert climate, and made it easier to transport food. If you want to eat traditional local cuisine in Dubai, you can explore the menu options.
Harees
Hares is one of the Emirati’s most popular dishes and is often served at weddings and religious festivals. The meat, together with wheat, is boiled in a saucepan, after boiling, salt and spices are added. The mixture is cooked until the meat becomes a homogeneous mass with wheat. The resulting mixture is then roasted on coals.
Thereed
The composition includes a stew similar to the Moroccan tagine. The stew includes succulent with a set of fried vegetables – potatoes, tomatoes and pumpkin. However, what makes it unique is the addition of Emirati’s thin handmade bread known as rigag. The bread is usually placed at the bottom of the dish and the stew is on top of it. The flatbread absorbs the aroma and can be served as a separate dish of the national cuisine of the UAE.
Macboos
This is rice cooked with meat or fish, similar to Indian biryani. The difference is the aromatic combination of spices used to flavor it – turmeric, cumin, cardamom and saffron. The secret ingredient is the addition of dried lemon known as pale. It provides a brightness and zest that really sets it apart from Indian cuisine.
Desserts
Over the years, the emirates have developed a large collection of desserts and sweets. Oriental cuisine is a variety of sweets. You need to study the composition of each and try it while traveling in the UAE.
Luqaimat
It is the most popular traditional Emirati dessert. It consists of small sweet dough dumplings that are then soaked in a syrup known as dibbs. Served cold.
Balaleet
Made from vermicelli noodles and eggs. The mixture is cooked with sugar and spices to create a sweet dish that brilliantly combines the crunchy noodles with the fluffiness of eggs. Locals eat it for breakfast as it is high in calories and gives a lot of energy.
Where can you try national cuisine
Finding national dishes in the UAE is easy. To do this, you need to go to the old part of Dubai or to the market. You can visit restaurants or cafes. Information about the most famous.
Seven sands
This restaurant is named after seven emirates. Located in the trendy JBR area, it boasts striking décor with an Arabian aesthetic – great for a group or solo traveler. It has a large number of non-alcoholic drinks, I advise you to try frappé. This is not quite a traditional, but still delicious drink.
Al Fanar
This restaurant has several branches in the UAE. You you can to find his at Festival City Mall, Town Center Mall and Jumeirah Road. This is a marker of how good the food is here. A lot of visitors to Emirati emphasize the popularity of the restaurant. The décor is meant to mimic the inside of a traditional Emirati home, providing a great ambience.
Arabic tea house
This eatery boasts an excellent location in Dubai’s Al Fahidi Historic District. When it comes to tradition, it’s hard to get a more authentic vibe. The restaurant offers a combination of local dishes, drinks, with several European options. This is a good place to eat tourists who want to diversify the traditional menu.
Karak and Rigag
Here you should try the national dish of the UAE – lukaymat, which is served with karak (strong tea). You can find a selection of Arabic breads that are unleavened or stuffed with cheese or potato chips. Not the most traditional, but a great way to try some modern Arabic cuisine.
Feedback from a European tourist
Amanda Ponzio-Muttaki, 34, an entrepreneur, was in Dubai last year and wanted to try some of the traditional cuisine.
“I traveled alone to do a gastronomic tour without any claims from my comrades. Met other travelers, found a fun way to explore the city. I decided to try what street vendors offer, what dishes are in the old market, in non-tourist areas of Dubai. Did not visit famous restaurants and cafes.
I wanted to get an idea of the food of the people who make up the country. Dubai has pretty strict laws when it comes to street food, so there’s not as much space as other countries.”
“There is so much food in Dubai that it’s hard to know where to start. Having visited the country several times, I decided to get out of the tourist and popular tourist areas. The surroundings of Deira are great for this. No street carts or street food stalls (again due to local restrictions) the restaurants are varied and you can find just about any cuisine available.”
Some of the moments Ponzio-Mouttaki experienced on their tour: “The best falafel of my life. We were offered to go up to the kitchen to see how the national dish of the UAE is made. Everything was in Arabic traditions – coffee, Iranian ice cream, spices and sweets. It was real food in the Middle East.