The UAE marks 50 years today. Join in on the celebration with family, friends and food. However, choosing the right recipes can be quite a task, especially because Emirati cuisine is extensive.
The Food team at Gulf News handpicked a few dishes for you to make during the long weekend….
1. Emirati lamb ouzi with oriental rice
- By Executive Oriental Chef Mussabeh Al Kaabi, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
Ingredients:
- 1.1 kg lamb belly
- 500 gms basmati rice
- 100 gms lamb, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 10 gms fresh garlic, chopped
- 120 gms fresh onion, chopped
- 100 gms fresh tomato, chopped
- 20 ml ghee
- 200 gms salt & pepper
- 6.5 ml water
- 10 gms turmeric powder
- 40 gms local spices (a roasted blend of equal measures of black peppercorns, cumin seeds, nutmeg, cardamom, coriander seeds, cloves, dry red chilli, bay leaves and cinnamon)
- 30 gms tomato paste
- 40 gms fresh coriander, chopped
Method:
- First, chop onions, garlic, tomatoes and coriander and keep them aside.
- For the rice, add 10 ml of ghee to a thick-bottomed pan. Add the chopped garlic and onions, along with cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Cook it until the onion and garlic turn golden in colour.
- Next, add the minced lamb, cook it for 5 minutes, and add rice. Season with salt, pepper and coriander leaves and cover it. Allow it to cook on a slow flame for 20 minutes. Once done, keep it aside.
- Wash the lamb belly thoroughly and then marinate it with salt, pepper, local spices, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder.
- Store the lamb in a container and cover it. Put it in an oven for 3 hours in 180C.
- When all are cooked put the rice on a plate and put the lamb belly ouzi on top of it.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
2. Chicken Tahta
- By Chef Bilal Saleh, Majdolin at DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences
- 2 local baby chickens (600 gms), cut into 4 pieces each
- 1 kg basmati rice
- 3 red tomatoes
- 2 red onions, chopped
- 3 cardamoms
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 3 green chilli, chopped
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 tbsp of local Bezar
- ½ tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- 3 pieces of dry lime
- 3 cloves
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup oil sunflower
- 5 tsp rose water
- Sprinkle of saffron
- 1 cup fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins to garnish
Here's our recipe to making Emirati Bezar .
Method:
- For the chicken, season the pieces with Bezar and salt. Fry the chicken or roast it in an oven and keep it aside.
- For the gravy, soak the saffron in the rosewater and keep it aside.
- Sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and whole spices. Add the powdered spices and stir well. Add the chopped green chilli, dry lime and fresh tomato. Cook it for 10 minutes.
- Add two spoons of saffron-rosewater then add the cooked chicken to the sauce.
- For the rice, wash it thoroughly to rid it off from the starch then soak it for 2 hours.
- Next, in a pot add two litres of water, salt and a little oil. Boil the rice and cook it for 12 minutes. Ensure it is not too well done.
- Time to serve. In the serving pot, add around 2 cm of the cooked rice. Layer the chicken on top with chicken and gravy. Add the rest of the rice. Pour the rest of the saffron water and keep it in a hot oven of 150C for 12 minutes.
- Once done, garnish with fried nuts and serve with yoghurt on the side.
3. Emirati Balaleet with egg
- By Chef Bilal Saleh, Majdolin at DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences
- 500 gms vermicelli
- Saffron to sprinkle
- 1 tbsp cardamom powder
- 50 ml sunflower oil
- 100 gms white sugar
- 3 fresh eggs
- 50 gms local ghee
- 2 tbsp rose water
- 1.5 litres water to boil the vermicelli
Method:
- In a saucepan, add oil on a high flame.
- Add 70 per cent of the vermicelli and fry until golden.
- Add the rest of the vermicelli and then add water.
- Boil the mixture until it gets soft and fully cooked.
- Strain the vermicelli from the water using a colander.
- Add the sugar, cardamom powder and local ghee to the vermicelli.
- Transfer it to a cooking pot then add extra ghee and rose water.
- Close the pot well and slow cook for 6 minutes until ready. Serve and enjoy!
4. Dates and Chami
- By Chef Bilal Saleh, Majdolin at DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences
- 2 cups of fresh yoghurt
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of dates
- 2 tbsp of local ghee
Method:
- Mix yoghurt and water and stir well.
- Heat the mix until it splits. Don’t stir it.
- Now strain the mix in a soft mesh to drain the water.
- Once cooled, fill the ‘chami cheese’ in the dates.
- Drizzle local ghee on it or serve in a bowl. Enjoy!
Do you know of any Emirati dishes? Share it with us on food@gulfnews.com