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.

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"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.