4 classic Emirati dishes to celebrate UAE National Day

What better way to celebrate National Day than with second helpings of their traditional meals? Tuck right in.

Kanaad Machbous (Fried Kingfish with Spiced Rice)

Prep Time: 1 hr

Cook Time: 25 mins

Serves: 5

Ingredients

1 kg basmati rice

50 ml sunflower oil

3 cloves

3 cardamoms

3 pieces cinnamon stick

3 pieces dry lime

1 cup chopped red onions

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp local bzar spice

1 tbsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cardamom powder

1 green chilli

1 tbsp salt

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

1.1 L water

3 tbsp local ghee (Dihn khaneen)

½ cup fried onion

For the fish:

5 pieces kingfish steak

1 tbsp mixed local spices

Salt to taste

1 cup sunflower oil

Method

Wash the rice and soak in water for two hours prior to preparing the dish.

Heat oil in a pot then add the hard spices and onion and cook

until tender.

Add the garlic and ginger paste and stir for 2 minutes.

Add the powdered spices, chilli, salt and chopped fresh coriander to the pot.

Add water. Once it is boiled, add the rice and stir gently until boiling; then, cover and keep on low heat for 16 minutes.

Once done, drizzle the ghee on top.

For the fish, season it with mixed spices and salt, then fry it using hot oil until well done.

To serve, arrange the fish on top of the rice, sprinkle over with fried onions and chopped coriander. Serve.

Marak Naggar (Emirati-style Squid Stew)

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 45 mins

Serves: 5

Ingredients

1 kg fresh red tomato

½ cup sunflower oil

5 cardamom

4 whole cloves

3 cinnamon sticks

1 cup chopped red onion

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

½ tsp cardamom powder

2 fresh green chillis

1 bunch coriander leaves

1 cup tomato paste

1 L water

1 kg local fresh squid

2 tsp local bzar spices

Salt to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a pan and add the hard spices. Sauté the onion until soft and cooked. Add the ginger garlic paste and the powdered spices and stir. Add the chilli, chopped coriander, tomato paste and stir well until the tomato is cooked well.

Add water and let it all boil well for 15 minutes. Season the squid with mix bzar and pan fry it. Add the squid to the gravy and let it boil slowly for 5 minutes.

Serve hot with white rice.

Chicken Tahta (Emirati Chicken Biryani)

Prep Time: 1 hr

Cook Time: 45 mins

Serves: 5

Ingredients

2 pieces of local baby chicken, cut into 4 pieces each

2 tsp local bzar spices

Salt to taste

Sprinkle of saffron

5 tsp rose water

2 chopped red onions

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

3 cardamoms

3 cinnamon sticks

3 cloves

½ tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

3 fresh chopped green chillis

3 pieces dry lime

3 fresh red tomatoes

1 kg basmati rice

2 L water

½ cup sunflower oil

1 cup fried onions, cashews, raisins

Method

Season chicken with bzar spices and salt. Fry or roast it in the oven at 180°C for 40 mins; set aside.

For the gravy, soak the saffron in rose water and set aside. Sauté the onion, ginger garlic paste and whole spices. Add the powdered spices, chilli, dry lime and tomato, and stir. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add two spoons of the saffron rose water, then add the cooked chicken to the sauce.

Wash the rice and soak it for two hours in a pot. Add 2 L water, salt and a little oil. Boil the rice and cook for 12 minutes.

In the serving pot, add about 2cm of the cooked rice. Add the chicken with gravy, then add the rest of the rice on top. Add the remaining saffron water and keep it in a hot oven for 12 minutes.

Remove and garnish with fried onions, nuts and raisins. Serve with yoghurt on the side.

Batheetha (Date-based Crumble)

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Serves: 5

Ingredients

500 gm flour

1 tbsp crushed fennel seeds

1 kg fresh dates, pitted

1 tsp cardamom powder

50 gm dates syrup

200 gm local ghee

(dihn khaneen)

Method

Roast the flour in a pot without adding any fat.

Once done, mix the warm flour with the fennel seeds, dates, cardamom powder, date syrup and ghee using your hands until you get a crumbled texture. Serve warm.

• WKND
• Food and Dining