Emirati Recipes

Emirati food grew out of desert, sea and trade. Bedouin families lived on dates, milk, wheat and meat from goats, while pearl divers and fishermen along the Gulf added fish and rice. Traders brought spices from India, Persia and East Africa, which is why cardamom, saffron, turmeric and dried limes (loomi) appear in so many dishes. Rice cooked with meat or fish, called machboos, is the centerpiece of weekend lunches, harees and thareed are tied to Ramadan and Eid, and breakfast brings chebab pancakes, khameer bread and balaleet, sweet vermicelli topped with omelette. Sweets rely on dates, date syrup, saffron and rose water, and luqaimat are fried in huge batches at festivals. Arabic coffee with cardamom is offered to every guest, usually with dates. Today the table also reflects the country's many residents, from Indian curries to Levantine grills, but home cooking stays rooted in these Gulf flavors.

Staple ingredients

• dates and date syrup
• rice
• lamb, goat and chicken
• fish and seafood
• cardamom, saffron and turmeric
• dried limes (loomi)
• wheat and flatbread
• rose water

• Breakfast 2
• Main Dishes 5
• Breads 1
• Desserts 1
• Drinks 1

Breakfast

• Balaleet (Emirati Sweet Vermicelli with Omelette)AE35 minEasy
• Chebab (Emirati Saffron and Cardamom Pancakes)AE35 minEasy

Main Dishes

• Machboos Dajaj (Emirati Spiced Chicken and Rice)AE1 h 50 minMedium
• Harees (Emirati Wheat and Meat Porridge)AE4 h 20 minMedium
• Thareed (Emirati Lamb and Vegetable Stew over Bread)AE2 h 20 minMedium
• Salona (Emirati Chicken and Vegetable Stew)AE1 h 30 minEasy
• Samak Mashwi (Emirati Spiced Grilled Fish)AE31 minEasy

Breads

• Khameer (Emirati Cardamom and Sesame Flatbread)AE50 minEasy

Desserts

• Luqaimat (Emirati Date Syrup Dumplings)AE35 minMedium

Drinks

• Gahwa (Emirati Arabic Coffee with Cardamom and Saffron)AE25 minEasy