Emirati cuisine relies heavily on the use of fish, meat and rice as local dishes are largely made up of a combination of meat and rice or fish and rice. Below we explore some of the most popular dishes that are genuinely “Emirati.”

Al Harees

Al harees is one of the most savoured dishes in the UAE kitchen, partly because it involves a lengthy preparation. Al harees, which is made mainly from meat and wheat, is a popular treat during special occasions such as Ramadan, Eid and weddings.

Al harees is made by cooking ground wheat in a pot with a pinch of salt, to which the meat is then added. The mixture is then left for long hours until it is fully cooked and the meat is completely dissolved into the wheat. The mixture is then poured into a clay pot and placed in a clay oven or inside a specially prepared hole on the ground that is filled with burning coal. The pot is then completely covered with the coal and left for several hours after which the thick mixture is removed and thoroughly stirred with a special piece of wood called "midrib." The final product is then topped with local ghee and placed onto flat plates.

Al Majboos

The main ingredients of Al Majboos are meat (which can be replaced by chicken or shrimp) and rice. The meat is placed in boiling water and a local 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 as well as saffron are then added to the meat mixture in layers. Finally, Al Majboos is left to cook on low fire or in an oven for about 10 minutes.

Al Salona

The dish is prepared by boiling meat with onions and then adding a variety of vegetables (zucchini, eggplant, onions, pepper, tomato and some okra). Spices and tomato paste are also added and the mixture is left to simmer for 10 minutes until ready.

Al Madrooba

This consists of salt-cured fish (known locally as “maleh” or salty) and flour. The fish is washed in running water and then cooked in a pot along with spices. While cooking, flour is added to the fish until the sauce thickens. Al Madrooba is then topped with ghee before serving.

Fish

Fish is used heavily in emirati cuisine and is prepared in a variety of recipes: grilled, fried or cooked with rice in paella style. Old techniques to preserve fish are still used; they are either salt cured (called “maleh”) or sun-dried (known as “Al kaseef”). Some dried fish are also being ground ("sahnah").

Emirati Bread

Raqaq (flat) Bread

The “raqaq” bread is made from soft unleavened dough that is flattened and baked on a hot iron plate. When the bread is ready, a variety of toppings such as ghee, butter and sugar, cheese or meat gravy (thareed) is spread onto it.

Yeast Bread

The dough is made by mixing flour, warm water, yeast and a date paste (which consists of grounded dates that were pre-soaked in water). The dough is left to rest for about four hours and is then cut into several pieces. Each piece is shaped into a flat circle and fried on both sides in a pan (or baked in a traditional oven called “tabi”). The bread is then topped with honey and butter or cheese. This bread is traditionally baked as a special treat during Ramadan.

Al Jabab Bread

A soft dough is poured into a "tabi" oven, or in a non-stick pan. The dough is flattened into the pan and is cooked like a pancake on both sides. When the bread is ready, it is eaten with ghee and sugar, honey, cheese or any other desirable topping.

Desserts

Al Khabeesah

This dessert is made from flour which is heated on a stovetop and as its colour turns brown, rose water, sugar, ghee and cardamom are added. The mixture is then left on medium heat until ready.

Al Khanfaroosh

Al Khanfaroosh is prepared from a mixture of flour, egg, sugar, yeast, cardamom, saffron and rose water. The mixture is then left to rest, after which it is divided into pieces and fried in ghee. The flour is sometimes replaced with rice, where the rice is washed and then left in the sun to dry after which it is finely ground before use.