Traditional Emirati Food

United Arab Emirates has become a global icon with its rich history, modern lifestyle and of course the diversity of food brought by the expatriates who are making UAE their home. However, with all the variety of cuisines, we must pause and think of the local Emarati food! The Emarati cuisine has been influenced by all surrounding cultures yet it has its own flavors. Let's get rolling!

Introduction to the Traditional Emirati Food

Traditional Emirati meals tend to focus on meat from animals such as camels and goats, or fish caught from the Arabian Sea. If you happen to be a vegetarian, you can opt to have your dishes without meat. The spices and vegetables will amaze you!

Main Meals

The following are the main dishes you will encounter when living in UAE.  

Harees

Harees is one of the most popular Emirati dishes and is frequently served at special events such as wedding, during Ramadan and religious holidays. It is prepared by cooking meat together with wheat in a pot with a generous dash of salt. The mixture is cooked until the meat melts into the wheat, and the combination is thickened over coals. The final result is very tasty.

Thereed

Thereed is a rich and comforting stew, similar to a Moroccan tagine. The stew combines succulent meat with a selection of slow-roasted vegetables – potatoes, tomatoes, marrow and pumpkin. What makes it unique, however, is the addition of the thin Emirati flatbread known as rigag. The bread is generally placed at the bottom of the dish, with the stew layered on top of it. This allows for the flavors of the stew to really sink in.

Machboos

This is a rice dish made with meat or fish, similar to an Indian biryani. What really sets it apart is the fragrant combination of spices used to flavor it – turmeric, cumin, cardamom and saffron, to name a few. The secret ingredient is the addition of a dried lemon, known as loomy. It provides a brightness and a zest that really makes the dish.

Desserts

Over the years, the Emiratis have developed a great collection of desserts and sweet. Our favorite traditional Emirati desserts are:

Luqaimat

This is probably the most popular traditional Emirati dessert. It consists of small deep-fried dumplings that are then soaked in a sweet, sticky date syrup known as dibbs. These little things are addictive and an absolute must-try.

Balaleet

This is a dish made from vermicelli noodles and eggs. The mixture is cooked with sugar and spices, to create a salty-sweet dish that brilliantly combines the crunchiness of the noodles with the fluffiness of the eggs. This dish is sometimes had for breakfast as well (at least it has protein!).

Hope we managed to whet your appetite! Bon Appetite!