With the Time Out Abu Dhabi Young Chef of the Year soon upon us, we’re in the mood for something indulgent, extravagant and even down-right outlandish. What luck then, to have executive chef of Fanr restaurant, Simon Barber, offer us some of his tips on upping the game in our kitchen. With his passion for food and a can-do approach to innovative ideas, chef Simon runs a kitchen which combines Arabic, Mediterranean, European and Indian cuisines.
We love the smell of lemongrass but we hear Thai basil is pretty special too, can you tell us about it?
Thai basil has a distinct flavour of aniseed or liquorice and is normally used in large pieces or a sprig. It’s added to soups and stews to give a pungent flavour. We use it in Fanr to flavour our Thai green chicken curry.
Where can we source it?
I have seen it in Spinneys and Carrefour on occasion, but it quickly disappears. You should be able to find it in any small supermarket that specialises in Asian foodstuffs.
Over the past year we’ve been having a love affair with truffles, but they’re so expensive. Any tips on how we can make better use of them?
Black truffles are very expensive and quite hard to get hold of, there is the summer variety also but they lack the distinct flavour. We at Fanr use truffle oil to enhance our wild mushroom soup just prior to serving, but you can use truffle oil in a variety of dishes or accompaniments, like mashed potato or a salad dressing. There are thousands of recipes and combinations, just be careful to only use a little as there is no going back once you add the oil.
We’re a little nervous about being in possession of them – they’re so expensive it’d be a shame to have them go off. Do you have any tips on how to store them?
Fresh truffles are normally wrapped in absorbent paper (unwashed) and stored in an airtight, cool, dark, dry place. They can also be stored in jars of risotto rice and will give the rice a distinct truffle flavour that you can savour at a later date.
Let’s talk about camels, we tend to find them mostly in burgers here in Abu Dhabi – do you use camel meat in any other dishes at Fanr?
For the moment we only use the camel meat for our burgers in Fanr but we are looking at Emirati dishes that incorporate camel meat and will possibly add them to the menu soon. Our burger has been a great success story with people returning just to have it again.
What is it that is so special about camel meat?
Camel meat is a great alternative to beef. It’s higher in protein and low in cholesterol and can benefit people with dietary problems such as diabetes or high cholesterol.
Do you have any tips for us if we want to cook with camel meat?
Camel meat is quite lean and for the burger we have to add a small amount of fat to keep it moist. Most camel meat is cooked slowly in a stew and any type of steaks are normally marinated and quickly pan fried or grilled.
You use camel milk as well – can you tell us about your ice cream?
We get the camel milk ice cream from a local supplier here in Abu Dhabi and it is made using the Italian style gelato method. Our flavours include hazelnut flavour and cherry flavour.
What has been the public’s response to it?
It’s been very popular. So now, we are also planning to add a camel milk cappuccino to the menu.
Can you tell us about the qualities of camel milk?
Camel milk is a rich source of proteins with potential antimicrobial and protective activities; these proteins are not found in cow milk or found only in minor amounts. Camel milk is a whole food, meaning it has enough nutrients to sustain a person throughout the day.
Truffle oil and other truffle products are available at Jones the Grocer outlets across Abu Dhabi (02 443 8762). If you’re heading to Fanr for camel meat burgers, call to check availability first. Fanr Restaurant, Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island (02 657 5888).
