The United Arab Emirates is a fairly young state. The federation was proclaimed in 1971. However, the country's historical and cultural traditions have evolved over many centuries, including the creation of cuisine in the Emirates for centuries.
When planning a tour to Dubai or Sharjah, pay attention to the culinary specialties of the region. The answer to the question of what to try in the UAE can be found in expensive multi-star hotels, whose restaurants are able to surprise the gastronomic delights of the chefs trained in Europe, and in small street cafes where simple fast food is prepared in Arabic.
Like other Arab countries, the Emirates have gastronomic traditions based on the geographical location of the region and the cultural and religious characteristics of the population, which have developed over many centuries. Most of the dishes of modern UAE cuisine are borrowed from Lebanon, some of the culinary accents were brought by immigrants from other Arab countries who found themselves in the territory of the modern Emirates. In recent years, in connection with the development of tourism, dozens of catering establishments have been opened in the state, representing cuisine from all over the world - from Italian and French to Japanese and Korean.
The classic set of dishes on the menu of an Arab restaurant in any city of the Emirates includes a variety of lamb and vegetables cooked on a fire, desserts from cottage cheese, yoghurts and dried fruits with nuts, as well as black coffee. Locals drink it for hours, discussing local news at a table in a cafe or restaurant.
Top 10 dishes in the UAE
Lula kebab
It would seem that it is difficult to surprise a compatriot with lula-kebab, because today you can try it anywhere: in a Caucasian cuisine restaurant, and in roadside cafes called “shashliks” and open along highways of all directions. And yet, the chef of any institution in the United Arab Emirates is ready to prove that only in his country can a real kebab be cooked correctly.
The secret of the Arab recipe is simple - the meat should be taken of ideal quality, and fat tail lamb fat should make up a substantial portion of the minced meat. It needs to be kneaded for at least a quarter of an hour. This is the only way the lula turns out to be truly juicy. Each chef adds his own spices and spices, and therefore you will not be able to repeat the dish you like, with all your desire. Meat sausages, strung on skewers, are evenly fried on the grill and served to guests on an unleavened flatbread with herbs, tomatoes and dried ground sumach berries.
Shawarma
Another popular dish, which we know better as the station fast food, in the Emirates is a real masterpiece of culinary art. Shawarma is prepared both in street cafes and in restaurants, using ram or chicken meat.
The history of shawarma began in the 17th century in the Ottoman Empire, from where the recipe spread to Arab countries, including the states of the Arabian Peninsula. In the UAE, shawarma is served in pita bread wrapped with a fresh vegetable salad and spicy sauce. Shawarma is eaten without cutlery, and therefore it has become a very popular option for a quick street snack.
Hummus
Hummus is quite simple to prepare, but each culinary specialist has his own secrets, and therefore the end result is always something special. If you are vacationing in the UAE and have found a hummus that you like, consider that you now know the perfect place to dine. Because hummus is often called the basis of the Arab traditional table and the main appetizer that precedes the main meal and sets the guest in the right mood.
A snack is made from mashed chickpeas with sesame paste, called tahini. Hummus also contains lemon juice and garlic. Hummus in the UAE is served with olive oil and paprika, accompanied by a substantial portion of lavash.
Meze from appetizers
Arab traditions presuppose unhurried meals, and therefore the restaurant usually offers “meze” before the salad and the main course ordered by the guest. A selection of snacks helps to brighten up the anticipation and further provoke the taste buds that can't wait to taste at least something while breathtaking aromas come from the kitchen.
Meze contains various dishes served in small plates - literally, "by the tooth". The list of appetizers for meze usually includes “kusa makhshi” - zucchini stuffed with nuts and hot peppers; Dakhnu - fermented white peas; "Muttabal" - eggplant caviar with the addition of nuts, hot spices and garlic; “Uarak anab” - miniature stuffed cabbage rolls reminiscent of dolma. Meze is offered to guests accompanied by unleavened kamir flatbread, which is convenient for picking up snacks instead of a fork.
Taboule salad
The Tabouleh recipe came from Lebanon, although the people of Syria are always ready to argue with this statement. One way or another, this salad is definitely worth trying on a vacation in the UAE.
"Tabule" is made from bulgur (cereals made from crushed and specially crushed and steamed wheat), as well as from parsley, tomatoes and olive oil, but the main ingredient that gives the salad a special touch is mint leaves. “Tabouleh” is very satisfying, but not heavy and superbly refreshing in the heat. It is served on green lettuce leaves and decorated with lemon slices, the juice of which can be sprinkled on the dish, giving it additional piquancy.
Al majbus
The Arabian pilaf "Al majbus" is a heavy culinary artillery. If, after the meze of appetizers and salad, you managed to save some space in your stomach, be sure to try this masterpiece of Arabian gastronomic art.
Traditional lamb is used in its preparation, but in the restaurants of the UAE you can find “Al majbus” with chicken or turkey. The meat is cooked with various spices - coriander, thyme, cinnamon, cardamom and garlic, and at the end it is seasoned with tomato sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Ghee, figs and cardamom take part in the recipe, and therefore it has an unforgettable bouquet of aromas. Arabic pilaf is served with fresh vegetable salad and spicy tomato sauce.
Biryani
A hot rice dish with meat, eggs and vegetables came to the United Arab Emirates from Iran. Its name comes from the Persian word for fried. Basmati rice is used for its preparation, and the meat is fried after marinating it in a mixture of spices. A spice bouquet for Biryani can include cumin and saffron, cardamom and cloves, ginger and garlic. Chicken or lamb is fried in fat tail or ghee and served on a pad of rice cooked with herbs.
In Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other cities of the country, there are restaurants specializing in the preparation of Biryani, so this dish can be considered a visiting card of the national cuisine of the UAE.
Umm Ali
The name of the sweet and tender casserole “Umm Ali” is translated from Arabic as “mother of Ali”. Tour guides in the UAE will gladly tell the story of a little boy left without a father, but every cook prefers to keep the intricacies of the recipe secret.
It is only known that the delicious dessert contains: puff pastry; dried fruits - dates, raisins and dried apricots; nuts - almonds, pistachios and walnuts; as well as vanilla, saffron and orange peel. All ingredients are chopped with a knife and mixed, and then soaked in warm milk with vanilla and sugar and baked until golden brown. Under it remains an air mass, tender, like a mother's heart. Dessert is served to guests with dried apricots soaked in rose water. Sprinkle sesame seeds and almond petals on top of the casserole.
Sweet tooths are delighted and order a second portion, because “Umm Ali” is like a date with a carefree childhood, to which you want to return again and again.
Baklava
The kilometers-long rows of spices and seasonings in the oriental bazaar can only compete with the length of the sweet counters. Baklava is one of the most common desserts in the United Arab Emirates. Baklava can be tasted both on stalls in street cafes and in hotel restaurants for breakfast or dinner.
The secret of making a popular dessert is very simple - roll out the dough as thin as possible and do not spare nuts and honey. Baklava is made from the finest puff pastry, the sheets of which are interspersed with a mixture of honey and crushed nuts - walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and then coated with ghee. All this is repeated many times - baklava loves layering. Then the pie is baked in the oven, and at the end it is poured with syrup made from sugar, honey and lemon juice. The delicious dessert pieces are soaked and almost translucent.
Baklava is served to the accompaniment of oriental black coffee, the strength of which does not compete with the high degree of sweetness of the dessert, but sets it off favorably.
Ash Asaraya
And finally, the final chord on the list of the most popular dishes to try in the UAE is the cottage cheese dessert. The inhabitants of the country themselves prefer it to everyone else when they are going to drink a cup of coffee in good company.
"Ash Asaraya" is made from cottage cheese, soft cheese, biscuit crumbs, butter, sugar, yolks, cream and thick yogurt. Vanilla and cinnamon are used as spices. Dessert requires excellent culinary training, and it is not easy for a beginner to prepare it. "Ash Asaraya" is baked for two hours, and then it takes at least another hour to complete the finishing touches.
Curd pudding is served with the very same Arabic coffee, which is brewed with anise, cinnamon and cardamom. Coffee, which replaces many products and drinks of Western civilization for local residents and allows you to spend time as long as you like, but always pleasant and with great pleasure.
