This is not your regular biryani. This isn’t even the regular machboos or Fogat Diyay—a traditional rice and chicken dish that’s popular throughout the Gulf—that you eat in a restaurant. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the fogat diyay cooked by an Emirati mom in her own kitchen. We all know how special a meal becomes if it is cooked by mom.
Today, when the United Arab Emirates celebrates its 40th national day, I am going to share with you a special Emirati lunch experience that I had a few days ago. Then I’ll head out and drive into the crazy traffic to see all these wildly decorated vehicles. But first, let’s talk about food and Emirati hospitality.
Arwa of La Meré Culinare invited us, a group of super awesome food bloggers based in the UAE, to her home to celebrate the national day where her mother was going to teach us to cook Emirati food. Who could say no to that? Right after confirming our invitations, my sister and I went to the Naif Souq and bought ourselves silk jalabiyas, those long traditional dresses.
Shall I begin with how we set forth with a GPS and still got lost? Let’s just say that I am a congenitally geographically disoriented person and my sister just returned from Tokyo and was a little jet-lagged (we get jet-lagged even on two-hour flights and make that as an excuse for anything that goes wrong). So when we arrive the basmati rice has already been soaked for 30 minutes and drained, the chicken happily cooking away in a pot of onions and spices, and the ladies—there were around twelve, I think—were taking down notes. Plus we missed the grand breakfast that everyone’s now raving about in their respective blogs.
I must admit that I didn’t immediately jump in to see how the chicken was being cooked; I spent the first few minutes shaking hands with and introducing myself to these ladies whose blogs I have began reading on a regular basis (I will tell you about these talented women and their amazing blogs in another post). After that, I spent the next few minutes admiring the kitchen! I love all that beautiful, natural light pouring in so generously from the windows that creates magic on food photography! The home is elegantly and tastefully decorated, and our host’s hospitality made us feel VVIPs.
A portable stove was set up on the kitchen island so that we could all see and photograph the cooking process with ease. Besides the spices and cooking utensils, the table was cluttered with pens and paper, digital SLR cameras, and cellphones.
The moment our host and teacher would say something like, “And then you add salt…” everyone would rush to focus their camera lens into the pot and begin taking pictures. This was repeated each time an ingredient is added into the pot. I must tell you, Arwa’s mom is a very patient lady.
Sometime during the cooking lessons, Arwa’s father made a brief appearance just outside the kitchen door. We’re told about his love for plants and flowers which is evident by the lush garden surrounding their house.
That’s ginger and garlic pastes, turmeric powder, cumin powder, lemon juice, green chilies, cardamom pods, and a special Arabic spice mix called bzaar. What is not shown in the picture above is an ingredient that I have tasted for the very first time but instantly fell in love with—whole dried lime. I have decided to add dried lime into every rice dish that I cook henceforth (or until the dried lime fever wears off).
Here are a couple of tips I learned that morning: first, do not over-soak your basmati rice (30 minutes of pre-soaking is enough) because then it will not absorb the yummy chicken stock later, and second, after the rice comes to a boil (and is half cooked), cover the pot with a lid and put in the oven at 150ºC for 10 minutes. Oh, and ghee is used. That makes a huge difference in the taste.
Next, we were taught how to make balateet, a sweet and salty vermicelli and egg dish that is usually cooked on a Friday morning for breakfast.
To make balateet, vermicelli is first boiled, drained and sprinkled with sugar. In another pot, heat up some ghee and fry finely-chopped onion until translucent. Whisk the eggs along with some cardamom powder and add this into the pot with the onions. Add saffron strands, cardamom powder and sweetened vermicelli. Mix well and serve.
While waiting for lunch to be served, we were offered tea and coffee, aka gahwa. I like how there’s a separate plate for a bunch of mint leaves to be added in the cup of tea; it adds a nice and fresh taste to the drink.
Take note: the tea comes with the saucer while the coffee doesn’t. It’s tradition.
And then our gorgeous-looking, amazingly fragrant fogat diyay was set on the table. I am happy to announce that I loved being with this group of food bloggers! Imagine not needing to tell anyone, “Do not touch the food yet, let me take a picture first!” because…
…everyone was already there before me taking pictures!
Arab hospitality is very much like ours in Pakistan or India, the host will initially serve the guests herself, as opposed to the guests helping themselves with the food. I find that it’s a very nice and sweet gesture.
This chicken and rice dish tastes so good. The meat nicely absorbed all the spices and was juicy tender, while the rice was perfectly cooked (and the long basmati grains were unbroken). This was accompanied by some onion pickles and lemon, but personally I didn’t think this dish needed anything else: it was perfect on it’s own!
We were also served fresh juice of fruits harvested from their farm: lemon-pineapple juice, and watermelon-ginger juice. I loved the latter one and will post a recipe soon. You can tell how busy I was enjoying the meal because I forgot to take pictures of my watermelon juice.
It was already 2 pm by the time the ladies started to leave. But as the Emiratis are known for their hospitality and generosity, we weren’t allowed to go empty handed. Each of us were given a huge packet of freshly-ground bzaar spice mix so that we could try to cook the fogat ourselves, a packet of dates with sesame seeds, bottles of fresh laban (a yogurt drink), and if that wasn’t already enough, each of us were handed a goodie bag that contained a flag, keychain, clip, and pendant with the colors of the UAE flag! The flag and keychain are now hanging in my car in celebration of the national day.
We were also given a brief introduction to the types of frankincense used in an Emirati household. We were offered to try drinking some water that has been perfumed by bakhoor, wood chips soaked in fragrant oils. “Oh, this tastes like smoking a sheesha!” commented one of the ladies. I tried a couple of sips myself; it wasn’t bad but since it was my first time, I found it a bit strong. We were told that they usually select or make their own bakhoor. These smelled so good, unlike what is usually sold in the market. Since there are quite a large number of imitations and fake products around, it’s not easy to identify the real thing, specially if you don’t know much about these fragrances.
Before we left, we treated to an amazing blend of fragrant perfumes. Arwa personally placed the fancy burner (on the left in the picture) under my abaya and applied some really good smelling perfume on my hijab and wrists. If you live or have been to the U.A.E. then you must be familiar with that exotic scent that trails behind Emirati men and women as they walk past you in the malls or share the elevator with you. The scent is overpowering at first, then you gradually get used to it and eventually you fall in love with it. I returned home with the fragrance of bukhoor, hospitality, generosity, friendship, and clinging onto my abaya and skin, a scent that will always remind me of the U.A.E.
Thanks for a lovely post!
I’m really glad you enjoyed your time that day!
Thank you to you and your mom for having us at your lovely home, Arwa!
Wow, what an experience! Thanks for sharing
You are most welcome, Specs! Did I mention that I am officially in love with bukhoor? I think I will get myself tons of it should the day come that we have to leave the UAE for its scent will always remind me of this country.
Absolutely love this post, but so bummed about missing the event and not having the chance to meet you at this event in person! Isn’t it awesome to be surrounded by a bunch of chatty, curious, camera-wielding food bloggers…makes you feel right at home!
Hope there’ll be a next time, but till then, I’ll make do feasting off of your post.
I Live in a Frying Pan recently posted..A Chicken Tagine that simmers deep within Hor Al Anz.
I was looking forward to meet you too, Arva!
“Isn’t it awesome to be surrounded by a bunch of chatty, curious, camera-wielding food bloggers…makes you feel right at home!” You just said meri dil ki baat
Really liked reading this post. Brought back my own memories of growing up in the Middle east. The pictures are amazing as well!
Thank you so much, Sprouts of Spring!
I love Emirati food – I think food in UAE and the choices and variety you get is the best in the world.
Mezba recently posted..Are You More Pious Than The Prophet?
I completely agree with you, Mezba! We are spoiled with unlimited options.
Wow. I just CANNOT believe the high levels of hospitality … Really makes all the difference .. Plus i loved that tea set .. What is it called ?
It’s normally called “Arabic Tea Set” in the stores
But the traditional flask is called dallah and the thimble-shaped cup is called finjaan.
Super Fabulous. .Glad you guys had a chance for an emirati hospitality
Thank you! Yep, it was a great opportunity to learn and experience the hospitality of a local citizen.
What a nice post! Sounds like everyone had a great day, I like how you guys were taking pictures of everything
‘liya recently posted..Remembering Places & People
Thank you so much, ‘liya! Oh, we get this intense high of taking infinite pictures whenever we find ourselves in a new place, more specifically if food is placed in front of us, specially if it’s beautifully garnished and served.
Lovely post! Been reading everyone’s account of visiting Arwa’s home and feeling like I missed out a really great get-together…if I wasn’t at work that day, I would’ve loved to have made it. Nice post
And yup, love not having to say: “WAIT for me to take the pics!” Haha…food bloggers rock.
Devina Divecha (FooDee) recently posted..Where to eat falafels in Dubai
Devina, I was looking forward to meeting you at Arwa’s! You did miss out on a great get-together, but I’m sure there will be more opportunities (hopefully on weekends)
Food bloggers definitely rock! They are very patient and creative people
Thank you so much for reading. Hope you are having a great day!
Beautiful post – was so lovely seeing you there, and what a wonderful day. Sad I missed the perfume – and it was me who said the water tasted like sheesha! Maybe I’m just craving it…
Sarah – the hedonista recently posted..Celebrating National Day the Emirati Way
It’s been a pleasure meeting you and the other ladies. It was indeed a wonderful day! Why yes, it was you who mentioned the sheesha comment…I wasn’t sure it was you, but I remember now
Thank you for reading, Sarah!
Wow, that sounds like an amazing experience Masha’Allah. I would love to see the recipe for the fogat diyay! It looks delicious. Dubai just keeps getting better and better
Sabirah M recently posted..Sipping Chai
Oh, it was a fun experience where we met some fabulous food bloggers and learned about Emirati food and culture up close. I will be cooking fogat diyay soon, inshaAllah. Watch out for that
Thank you for stopping by, Sabirah!
I love that you captured this lovely day in so many gorgeous details- made me feel that I was actually there, to the extent that my stomach growled in anticipation of some of that delicious food!
Londoneya recently posted..Eating Like an Egyptian
Thank you so much, Londoneya! The photographs help me come up with words to describe something. I don’t know how I’ll write if I didn’t have pictures to help me!
I’m going to try the fogat diyay soon, inshaAllah, and will let you know how it went. And, if it turns out good, I will share the recipe
I love everything about this post! What you describe far surpasses any lavish 10 course meal at the finest of restaurants, nothing beats homecooking! Great pics…looking forward to reading about the other food bloggers that were there.
Sadia recently posted..Please Touch Museum
Thank you so much, Sadia. Your comment brings a huge smile on my face
You reminded me about the smoked water. It was the most extraordinary thing I have every tasted. Lovely to meet you there, great account of a special day.
Sally – My Custard Pie recently posted..Bzar and other spices – a day in an Emirati kitchen
The smoked water was truly fascinating. I’ve never tasted anything like it! It was great meeting you too, Sally.
Thank you so much for stopping by.
hello, nadia…
read this post of yours three times and it’s only now that i’ve mustered the courage to comment. what can i say, really? well, that it’s lovely! looks like you guys had much fun. also, that you had a great time writing down and capturing the details of the singular event (and poking fun at everybody and everything, as usual) . your get-together sounds merry, silly and wacky – all at the same time.
excellent food, generous hosts and food bloggers who, you say, trying to act like their best selves?
hmmn… i wonder if the mother of the host anticipated the number of times her tea set is going to get pictured.
i love the last part – the smoked water, the perfume and the gifts for each of you who came. it’s like being in a wedding minus the nervousness and the frenzy, lols!
am glad for you and thanks for sharing the experience with us.
nami-miss na kita, ah. warm regards
Hi ‘San! Sorry for super-late response. I really owe you an apology. Thank you so much for being such a loyal reader.
That afternoon was indeed lovely. Our lifestyle here in the UAE (specially for women who work full time) leaves little time for socializing – you know, the type where you sit and enjoy a leisurely meal with a group of women. My regular “group” consists of my mom and sisters. So this lunch at Arwa’s was special in a lot of ways.
“it’s like being in a wedding minus the nervousness and the frenzy” LOL
Hey, I can’t find your new blog
hey, nadia, it’s alright. busy-busyhan din me…
ahaha, that makes that afternoon really special, then. hmmn… i also usually have dinners and yes, lunch sometimes, with my sisters. nasanay na ako. ah, you’re lucky, your mom’s still around. do you and your sister still get to say “i’m tellin’ mom,”? lols!
the pics above are lovely as usual. ikaw na ang photographer! at ang tasteful ng house at mga gamit nila, hehe…
i’ll tell you the details of the new site sa email na lang. hey, you do have to write me some yourself, ha, when you’re not busy, of course…
nag-request na ako ng subscription sa dpsa site and reopening, siyempre. i wonder what’s taking them so long and why they’re makin’ things hard for me, huhu… hugs!
doon po sa amin recently posted..Get Instant Feedback When You Publish
I wouldn’t say no to the experience either. Learning how to cook Emirati from an expert is not a usual experience one can have. Thank goodness you weren’t that late when the lesson started. I am glad you get to share the this valuable info and photos. I hope you can visit here at DTS. Thank you for sharing.
Nadiaaaa!!!! The pictures are mouth watering !!!!!!!!!!!! I wannna eat that man… abhi ammi ki jaan khati hoon :’(… I loved the pictures. I hope you had great time.
Thank you, Pervisha! Your comment went into the spam folder – that means you haven’t been commenting enough lately
I had a great time, alhumdulillah. So did you finally get your ammi to make something?
Assalamualikum, Nadia,
Ok I’m back to blogging, Alhamdulillah
Masha Allah very nice post and photography, of course
. That food looks soooooo yummy, and the house is so beautiful, Masha Allah. Enjoyed your post and getting to know the UAE tradition.
Uneekmuslimah recently posted..SMS sent by islam.ws 14
Walaikum assalam! Welcome back!!! I’m so happy that you’ve decided (or have finally found the time) to resume blogging
Great to meet you and your sister at Arwa’s and I loved reading your post and reliving the day again!
Thank you, Ginger & Scotch! It was lovely meeting you and Wee Scotch
And it’s also interesting to see how we all picked up on different details from the day
ginger and scotch recently posted..A Taste of Arabic Home-Cooking at an Emirati Home
But you took the most beautiful pictures of that day!
That is a really nice experience! It’s quite special to be with co-food bloggers, right? We all know the rules before eating hehe
Btw, i might go to Dubai for a stopover soon. Hope to meet you there
Micamyx|Senyorita recently posted..Jeepney Topload From Banaue to Batad on a Sunny Day
Mica, when is “soon”? I’m so excited! Keep me posted
wow.. it looks yummy..
Thank you, Needa! The food was really delicious.
Looks great – feels like I was there with you! Hope you have more of these opportunities
Sumera recently posted..Strictly Soulmates: The Muslim episode BBC 3
Thank you, Sumera!