Top 11 Most Delicious Dishes in the UAE

Dubai's cuisine and its oriental flavor

The era of rapid growth for the Arab Emirates began in the 1960s. Vast financial resources from oil extraction poured into the country and became the foundation of this Eastern state's prosperity. There is genuinely a lot to see here, which is exactly why the UAE is so appealing to tourists.

Dubai is especially popular - the most vibrant, high-tech, and modern city in the Middle East. You could talk endlessly about its local wonders. Striking skyscrapers, luxurious beaches, exciting amusement parks, and huge shopping malls - a holiday in this remarkable city is never boring. But Dubai's cuisine deserves a closer look.

Although the Arab Emirates have been a magnet for guests from around the world for decades, the national cuisine of the UAE remains a mystery to many. According to leading travel portals and publications, Dubai ranks among the world's top ten culinary destinations. The most famous chains and top chefs are eager to open a restaurant in this city. Yet when visiting these establishments, tourists often stick to dishes they already know - and that's a real shame, because the national cuisine of the Arab Emirates can impress with its variety, novelty, and richness of flavor.

It shares much in common with traditional Middle Eastern cuisine. Chickpea dishes and meat with vegetables wrapped in thin flatbread are popular here too, and every culinary creation is generously seasoned with spices. Cloves, turmeric, cinnamon, coriander, hot pepper, cumin, and cardamom, borrowed from India, give any dish an unusual, sometimes piquant flavor. And original local additions - dried lime or a pomegranate-juice sauce - round out a culinary masterpiece.

So what should you try in Dubai? Here is our ranking of the best dishes.

Manakish (manaeesh)

Manakish is a popular Arab snack that looks and tastes somewhat like pizza. In simple terms, it's a flat cheese flatbread, sometimes topped with spicy minced lamb or beef. Traditional manakish is made with brined-style cheese such as suluguni or feta. An essential element of the dish is sesame seeds and a spice blend of cumin, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and salt.

The flatbread is served with olive oil as a side to the main dish. But since it's quite filling, it also works well as a snack during the day.

Guzi (Ghuzi)

This slow-cooked dish of meat and rice is rightly considered a genuine delicacy. There are several recipes for it in the Emirates, but the traditional one uses young goat or lamb. Some cooks first pan-fry finely chopped pieces of meat in a dry skillet, then add rice and nuts so everything stews together with the spices in the meat juices. Other cooks first marinate the meat, then simmer it slowly for several hours before adding rice and fried potatoes and stewing until done.

Whichever recipe is used, guzi always turns out delicious and hearty. Its main components are, of course, the spices: garlic, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, and saffron. Guzi is served on a wide platter, garnished with currants, raisins, and nuts.

Masgouf

Think Middle Eastern cuisine is all about meat and spices, and that seafood isn't as popular? Far from it - fish is loved and frequently eaten in the Emirates. Skillfully prepared seafood can be found at every Dubai restaurant. One such dish is masgouf. By one account it originates from Iraq, by another from Israel. The recipe's history reaches far back into the past. But the version that has come down to us is the one with the best balance of flavor and nutrition, so masgouf as made by Dubai's chefs is a must-try.

It's made with carp, perch, bream, or hake. The fish is butterflied and soaked in a marinade of tamarind and turmeric, then grilled until golden and finished for a few minutes over hot coals. The tender, juice-soaked fish is served with pickles and lemon slices under a thin flatbread.

Al-harees

Any dish containing meat is bound to be delicious - a truth no one in the East doubts. Even when the additional ingredients aren't entirely familiar, such as wheat. Sure, wheat has plenty of fans, but making something truly wonderful out of it isn't something everyone can do.

Except for Dubai's chefs! They're able to create a genuine masterpiece from meat and wheat cooked together in one pot. It's a fairly labor-intensive dish, simmered for at least 5 hours. But the result is absolutely worth the effort. Thanks to the long simmering, the meat and grains take on an exquisite texture and flavor. Al-harees is traditionally prepared for holidays and honored guests. Once you've tried it, you'll remember its distinct Eastern notes and unique texture forever.

Tabbouleh

Want to add a vegetarian touch to the menu? Try the light salad of bulgur, onion, parsley leaves, tomatoes, and mint. This dish is usually served at the start of a meal, sometimes alongside falafel, hummus, and flatbread. In Arabic, tabbūle means "dipped in seasoning." Indeed, it's a kind of opening course: light, yet filling enough. The flavor combination of the ingredients unfolds gradually - just the way it should before a hearty meal.

Fattoush

Another vegetable salad with an Eastern touch. Its ingredients may look familiar: tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce leaves, fresh carrots. The main difference from a Russian-style salad is the fragrant herbs, which always include mint. Toasted or dried pieces of pita are also added to the salad.

Hummus

This staple of Middle Eastern cuisine is made from boiled chickpeas and tahini paste. In consistency, hummus resembles a puree. To give it a richer flavor, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice are added to the base. It's usually served with flatbread or as a sauce for meat.

Falafel

Many consider this dish the ultimate street food. It has indeed become so popular in recent years that anyone can try it, not just in the East but around the world. What's more, falafel is often made at home using easily available ingredients.

Crispy chickpea balls look a bit like meatballs on the outside, but taste entirely different: piquant, with legumes at the forefront and hints of spice. The balls are served in lavash or pita, or on their own with a creamy sesame sauce.

Moutabal

This is not just a delicious grilled eggplant paste but a genuinely refined appetizer in the best Eastern tradition. There are different recipes, but the main components of moutabal are garlic, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, white yogurt, and, of course, eggplant. The eggplants are first roasted, then peeled and mashed. All the ingredients are then combined, resulting in a delicious dip for lavash or flatbread.

Desserts

Every meal should traditionally end with dessert. And it would be strange, while in Dubai, not to try the local sweets. The list of Eastern desserts could go on forever. Here are just a few:

• umm ali - a pudding with dried fruit and nuts;
• esh asaraya - a cheesecake-like dessert;
• mehalabia - a pistachio pudding;
• kunafa - a baklava-like pastry made of fine vermicelli-like strands, soaked in syrup, with pistachios;
• luqaimat - dumplings in syrup.

Arabic cardamom coffee

Now you know what people eat in Dubai. What about drinks? Pride of place goes to Arabic coffee with cardamom. An exquisite aroma, a rich, deep flavor, a thick consistency... Barely perceptible resinous notes, over which citrus and eucalyptus scents dominate... It's impossible to resist, even if you're not a coffee lover! And if you don't know what to bring your loved ones from a trip to the UAE, get them Arabic cardamom coffee as a gift.

This is just a short list of what's worth trying food-wise in the UAE. Once you're in the Emirates, don't deny yourself the pleasure of experiencing one of the world's most refined cuisines.

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