CULINARY
CAULDRON
Ethnic foods dished out by
immigrants who’ve made the city their home have given Dubai a culinary edge
A local once told me, “Dubai is exactly what you want it to be.”
I understood the true meaning of this sentence on a short holiday in the Arab
country that has something to offer every kind of traveller. Be it a Hummer
ride across the sand dunes, an option to skydive from the Burj Khalifa, or even
go deepsea diving in the Arabian Gulf. But what beats it all is the variety of
food on offer in this vibrant country.
FOOD FOR THE SOUL
Most of the food consumed here has travelled a lot of food
miles. Fresh food comes from Pakistan, Iran, Lebanon, Africa, Morocco, North
and South America, New Zealand and the UK. One must try the traditional Emirati
cuisine, also known as the modern cuisine of the UAE. Be it the Balaleet
(saffron pancakes with vermicelli for breakfast), machboos (rice, lentil and
meat preparation spiced with saffron, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon), meat-stuffed
sambosas (that inspired our good ol’ samosas) or the luqaimat (deep-fried dough
balls topped with sesame seeds and drizzled with a honey-date syrup), the rich
flavours are a treat. Traditionally, camel meat was not eaten by Emiratis, but
modern chefs in the city are increasingly trying their hand at cooking
everything from camel sliders to camel biryani, burgers and stews.
HAUTE PICKS
Next on the must-try list is a meal of Levantine cuisine.
Levantine cuisine, known in Arabic as the Bilad ash-Sham or Land of the North,
is the true traditional cuisine found in the Levant region, which today spans
the modern states of Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, southern Turkey and
Cyprus. Think hummus, baba ganoush, dolma, baklava, falafel, ka’ak, kebabs,
manakesh, muhammara dips. If you think you will get tired eating the
traditional cuisines of the Middle East, Dubai boasts of some of the best
international cuisine restaurants too. But on a balmy evening, a visit to a
food truck is a must. From German doner kebabs, Indian curries, to BBQ steaks,
the city has one of the largest food truck cultures. Trucks are modified into
vibrant service models, each playing a character of the food they serve. Be it
at Palm Jumeirah, the beachside or the Downtown area, your cravings will find a
nearby food truck. To keep the good food habit going, make it a point to stop
by the spice souk in the old part of town to take home some spices, salts and
herbs.
GOURMET AFFAIR
There’s nothing like getting to know a place through its fresh
food markets. Buy seasonal organic vegetables, dried fruits, delicious regional
cheese, freshly baked bread, exotic raw honey and more at the city’s many
colourful bazaars and gourmet grocers held across the city from Jumeirah Beach
Road to Zabeel Park. For six months of the year, in the shadows of the world’s
tallest building – Burj Khalifa, a group of the country’s organic farmers sell
their best locally-grown produce. Once the taste buds and hunger pangs have
been satisfied, the city offers a maze of malls, stretched across storeys and
floors. Be it luxury shopping or flash sales to get the best buys on a
shoestring budget, you have something for all kinds of shoppers. Don’t forget
to sample some scents.
Phorum Dalal
TL30SEP18
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