So it’s that time of year again, but now the UAE is turning 40, so we’re looking forward to a real bang this National Day. And seeing as the best way to celebrate anything ought to involve a good spread, we got together with the official UAE National Day people to bring you a full course Emirati meal. Well…ok, we’re not going to feed you, though we’d love to, we promise. Instead, we’re going to give you some authentic recipes which have been donated with much love, by some wonderful Emirati ladies. The UAE National Day website is putting together a cookbook which reflects the rich and diverse cuisine of the region, and here are some of the very best, selected by Abu Dhabi food-blogger, May Al Badi.
Starter first. Labneh, hummus and all those other dips we can’t do without, just aren’t good enough with carrot sticks and cucumber slices. So here’s that delicious Emirati flatbread which is dangerously filling before your main course. Mariam al Mazrouei has donated her own method of making this at home, so it’s warm when you get your choppers into it.
Khebz rigag
Ingredients:
3 cups of white flour
3 cups of brown flour
1 tbsp salt
3 cups water (plus some extra, depending on the thickness you want)
Preparation:
1 Mix all ingredients together.
2 Heat a flat griddle to medium heat
3 Take a cup of the batter and spread on the flat griddle using a wooden spatula in a circular motion.
4 Remove the extra batter by swiping it to the side, you only need a very thin layer of batter.
5 Wait until your bread starts browning from the bottom, flip it over and then wait for few more seconds until it’s done on the other side.
Now for the main course. This chicken and rice dish is popular all over the Arabian gulf. But Nadia Boumeziout from Dubai has given us her special recipe for the Emirati version.
Machboos
Ingredients:
3 onions sliced thinly
1 fresh chicken cut into quarters
2 tbsps bzar (Emirati mixed spices)
salt to taste
4 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 fresh tomatoes chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
3 whole dried lemons
1 stick cinnamon
8 cardamom pods
3-4 curry leaves
4 cups basmati rice rinsed with water
Preparation:
1 Brown the sliced onions in a little olive oil.
2 Clean the chicken pieces and rub with salt and bzar. Gently fry in a pan with a little olive oil until brown on both sides.
3 Transfer chicken to a pot, add a little oil and add the stock, garlic, dried lemon, cinnamon, cardamom, curry leaves and tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes on low heat.
4 Add the fried onions.
5 Taste for salt and add the drained rice. Boil gently on a low heat but don’t stir.
6 Once the water has been absorbed, cover pan with a damp cloth and a heavy lid. Leave to steam, unopened, for 15-20 minutes, turn off the heat and stand for ten minutes before serving.
And finally, dessert, courtesy of Shaima Al-Tamimi from Abu Dhabi. Gaimat are fried dough-balls dripping with date syrup or topped with sesame seeds. Need we say more?
Gaimat
Ingredients:
½ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups whole-wheat flour
2 tbsps cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1½ cups warm water
1 tsp instant yeast
½ small pot plain yogurt (room temperature)
A few saffron threads
Oil for deep-frying
Preparation:
1 Stir the yeast and sugar in the warm water until well dissolved, add the saffron threads and set aside until bubbles rise to the surface.
2 Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the yogurt and water and mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour.
3 Heat the oil in a frying pan or a deep fryer and drop balls of the dough into the oil.
4 Frequently turn the balls over in the oil to ensure even browning. Remove once they achieve a golden brown colour, remove and place on to oil absorbent paper.
5 Topping options: date syrup, sugar syrup, honey, icing sugar, toasted sesame seeds.
Have some mouthwatering family recipes of your own? Contribute to the UAE National Day Cookbook at: http://en.uaenationalday.ae/share-your-recipes
