A caterer by trade, Lorna Nasser began running cookery classes in her home after prompting by friends. ‘People used to come to the house,’ she recalls, ‘we’d get a lot of expats curious about Arabic cooking.’ Now they flock to her PartiPerfect office, squirreled away in the nest of villas just up from Khalidaya Gardens where they learn to cook Arabic, Japanese, Italian, basically everything – enough to put together a swift dinner party at least.
The Palestinian-born caterer sits upright behind her desk and talks confidently of the vagaries of regional dishes. ‘Middle Eastern cooking is very rustic – like the Italians,’ she says. ‘Today we’re cooking moghrabiyhe. It means Morroccan but the Lebanese do it, the Palestinians do it. There isn’t really a defining line. The tastes overlap and every country claims to do certain dishes better.’ With the exception of the UAE, it seems.
‘I don’t think anyone can cook local cuisine. A lot of it takes from Indian cooking; it uses biryani rice a lot – as in the porridge-like harees – and comes in huge portions.’ Lana studied her culinary skills in New York, she explains, and despairs of the Middle East’s approach to loading one’s plate.
I’m soon led downstairs where I meet my cookery gurus, Lorna and Stephen. The smiling twosome both hail from the Philippines. Lorna learned Arabic cooking from Lana’s mother, I discover; Stephen has worked in hotels across the Middle East. Introductions over, Lorna is quick to get down to business. There is a deliberateness in her movements and I pity the poor chicken that crosses her path. Against the background sizzle of browning poultry, the pair of them run over the ingredients: carraway, onions, chicken (pre-seasoned with salt and pepper). Most interesting are the pellets of moghrabiye, a cous-cous-like starch available from the Lebanese Roastery, says Stephen, or most supermarkets.
Both chefs share a similar frustration with the lengthy cooking time of Arabic cuisine. To fill the gap, Stephen offers to show me his blade collection and quickly disappears. He returns brandishing four boxes of pristine, stone-balanced sushi knives. The set cost him US$1,100, but these are the tools of his trade, he says, and you don’t argue with a gentleman of his filleting prowess.
Anyway, having buttered and oiled her moghrabiye, Lorna tips the two pans together and lets the whole thing stew for about 10 minutes, before dishing it up in front of me. The result is a homely burst of flavour – quite satisfying. It may have taken a while to cook, but as we all know, good things come to those who wait.
Cookery classes are run at PartiPerfect every Saturday and Tuesday from 9.30am-1pm. Email partiperfect@gmail.com for weekly menus, recipes and price updates.
Recipe
Chicken moghrabiye
For four persons
Ingredients
5 medium red onions
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp all-spice
1tbsp caraway powder
1 cup canned chick peas, drained
¼ cup dried moghrabiye
Knob of butter
½ cup cooking oil (for frying)
Method
• Quarter the chicken and season with salt, pepper and all-spice.
• Fill a medium-sized pot with oil to fry the chicken. You are looking for a golden brown colour.
• After frying, set the chicken aside and cut onions in half and then slice in long ribbons. Use the same pot, to fry the onions until caramelised.
• Now place the quarters of chicken back on top of the onions and fill with water until the chicken and onions are well covered.
• Now add a tablespoon of caraway powder and salt to taste.
• Bring the water up to boil, lower the heat and cover the pot and stew for 45 minutes or until soft and tender.
• Towards the last 10-15 minutes add the three cups of chickpeas.
• In the meantime, in a separate pot, cover the moghrabiye in water and boil for five-seven minutes.
• Afterwards, drain the moghrabiye balls and sauté in butter for a few minutes.
• Turn off the fire from under the chicken and pour some of the chicken broth over the moghrabiye balls.
• Platter the moghrabiye, pour in a bit more sauce, place chicken pieces over it and place the remaining chickpea sauce in a saucier.
• Arrange each plate with some moghrabiye, chicken, chickpeas and sauce and serve.
Pure class
More capital cookery classes to test your kitchen skills…
Japanese
Those not already familiar with Soba’s sushi masterclasses will find much to occupy their thoughts as the secret of preparing, rolling and cutting sushi are revealed by Le Royal Meridien on Fridays and Sundays (10am-noon; 4pm-6pm). Sessions cost Dhs150 (plus 16 per cent) per person.
Call 800 101101 to book.
Arabic
Anantara are now offering Arabian cookery classes on Sir Bani Yas Island Resort. For only Dhs200 per person, you will receive a special certificate of attendance, refreshments, dinner, an Anantara apron and chef’s hat. Now isn’t that worth at trip to Bani Yas?
Book on 02 801 5400.
Thai
If you can wrangle a group of four to five friends, head over to Wimol Forse’s house, she will teach you the sweet and sour mysteries of Thai cooking. Pick three items from her menu to learn and for Dhs120 per person she’ll cook with you and even sit down with you afterwards to eat the results.
Contact 050 532 8043 or email wimolforse@yahoo.com.
