The cuisine of the United Arab Emirates (Arabic) is one of my personal favourites. I adore the flavours, textures and aromas of Arabic dishes. Arabic cuisine makes effective use of spices and the blend of sweet and savoury flavours is delectable. There are many dishes that are influenced by the nearby countries of Persia and India.
Here are some of my favourite Arabic dishes:
Pilaf made with Burghul wheat
Burghul wheat pilaf is a delicious one-pot meal that is made with a medley of vegetables. The dish is flavoured with Middle Eastern spices and served with a vegetable stew.
Man'ooshe Bread
There is a flatbread called man'ooshe available in almost every street bakery in the UAE. In general, it is served with a spread called Za'tar. This spread is made of sumac, sesame seeds, and salt, topped with tomatoes, onions, and salads of choice. Then, it is wrapped up and eaten.
Dango
Dango is a lovely appetiser made with boiled chickpeas. The boiled chick peas are coated and stir-fried in cayenne pepper and spices and served as a snack
Fatoush
Fatoush is a delicious salad that is made with crunchy salad leaves, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, delicious sweetcorn, pomegranate seeds and Lavash bread. It’s dressed with the flavours of sumac, pomegranate molasses and coriander.
Muhallabia Milk pudding.
Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh is a salad made mostly of finely chopped parsley, with tomatoes, mint, onion, and bulgur, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and sweet pepper
Falafel
Falafel is a Middle Eastern snack. A deep-fried ball or flat-shaped patties made with ground chickpeas, herbs, and spices. They are usually served on a meze platter with hummus, pitta bread and salad.
Labneh
To make Labneh, full cream yoghurt is strained and then salt is added to it. This is the base, and you can flavour it with herbs and spices, drizzled with olive oil. It can be used as a dip.
Hummus
The main ingredients in hummus are chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and seasonings. Red pepper hummus, smoky paprika hummus, and caramelised onion hummus are just some of the variations you can make with hummus.
Couscous salad
A delicious couscous and chickpea salad is seasoned with aromatic herbs and spices. To enhance the flavour and texture, flaked almonds, dried apricots and pomegranate seeds are added.
Despite the fact that Arabic cuisine is predominantly meat-based, it makes use of a lot of fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices, making it a very healthy and nutritious cuisine. There are plenty of vegan and vegetarian options available to eat and enjoy in the UAE.
If you are looking to travel to UAE, finding a restaurant in the UAE can be made easier by visiting the Square Meal UAE. Here you will find plenty of restaurant choices at a click of a button.
*collaborative post
I do love flat breads and have made them myself, I usually have cous cous in the summer and not winter for some reason
ReplyDeleteThese all look really good! I love all the flavors that they showcase.
ReplyDeleteYes it’s a lovely cuisine .
DeleteI love all the recipes! Couscous salad is a great recipe to start with.
ReplyDeleteI lived in UAE for a few years, amazing food!!! They have amazing vegetarian selection...So so good...
ReplyDeleteLoving each and every one of the recipes shared here. It looks so delicious and I can't wait to try them all
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to try Tabbouleh! It just sounds like it tastes so yummy!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love Tabbouleh as well as Falafel and having now tried Muhallabia Milk pudding, I am a huge fan of that too x
ReplyDeleteI love pommegranate in dishes, it adds that little pop of freshness and I love cous cous too
ReplyDeleteOooh so many big flavours. Falafel is a big favourite for us - perfect for a Saturday night treat.
ReplyDeleteIt's just me, popping back again. I'm checking out the couscous salad. This could be a great side dish option for us, leading into the Christmas festivities.
ReplyDeleteI like that there is a dish using chick peas. You don't see them used so much and I like them.
ReplyDeleteI love things like hummus! They feel like really delicious and also filling foods.
ReplyDeleteMy husband is of Lebanese descent, and I recognize some of these from family reunions. I’ll ask him if he want me to try any of these!
ReplyDeleteAll of these look so good. I'm a HUGE fan of falafel, and the rest of these look amazing.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow. These look so good! I've never had pilaf with wheat before. I need to try that.
ReplyDeleteI am with you on the Fatoush and falafel. I could literally live off those two things for the rest of my life I love them so much!
ReplyDeleteThe milk pudding looks interesting, I like how it is served in those cups though it is cute and looks interesting to eat.
ReplyDeleteThey couldn't look better than they do. Excellent presentation for them all.
ReplyDeleteThese are lovely recipes and it look new to me. I wonder how UAE taste for being vegan.
ReplyDeleteThose are all interesting and wonderful dishes to try out and they all look absolutely delicious!
ReplyDeletelove that and these dishes are wonderful to clear the taste bud and system after all the Christmas meals. Thanks for the recipes. - Knycx Journeying
ReplyDeleteI would love to try the coucous salad.
ReplyDeleteFatoush sounds so delicious and healthy! I love that you're focusing on these vegetarian dishes from the UAE. They're unique yet so creative!
ReplyDeleteAmazing collection of recipes thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteYour article on UAE's top 10 vegetarian dishes is a mouthwatering delight. The vivid descriptions and enticing photos make me want to try them all. Can't wait to explore more of your blog!
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