Must Try Traditional Cuisine in Abu Dhabi – Middle-Eastern Pleasures

The Guinness Book of Records has put this dish down as one of the largest served across the world. It is a favoured dish across the UAE and is one of the gourmet dishes served at weddings of privileged families. The wide variety of ingredients required to prepare this dish include one whole camel, 20 chickens, a lamb, fish, boiled eggs and rice. Before the camel is roasted it is stuffed with a variety of other exotic ingredients. The end result is an elite dish that is a must try when in Abu Dhabi.

This is a simple yet highly flavoursome dish that's quite popular across the UAE. The main ingredients are meat and wheat that is cooked for a long duration of time. First the wheat and meat together with a tab of salt is boiled in hot water for a couple of hours. Once they combine and make a thick paste the dish is cooked in an underground oven covered with coal throughout the night. The flavour is salty while the combination of meat and wheat makes it an ideal accompaniment to any meal. Al Harees is generally served with a dollop of ghee and is a traditional dish made during the Ramadan Season, Eid Festivals and weddings.

Popular in Asia as well as the UAE the simple Shawarma is loved by all. A typical shawarma will generally consist of a main ingredient of lamb or chicken; different restaurants have varied takes on the preparation method.
Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi resplendent with natural desert beauty and wildlife; is an excellent holiday resort to look for a gourmet Abu Dhabi eatery. The Sir Bani Yas Island restaurants are ideal for savouring cuisine from around the world. Located there is the Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort, an accommodation option that is considered by many who visit the region.

This too is a traditional favourite of the UAE. The dish is made with meat, rice, onion and dried lemon – also called loomy. These are well seasoned with salt and exotic spice. The meat and other ingredients, apart for the rice are first boiled until the meat is tender. It is then taken out and the rice added to the remaining stock. After the rice is cooked the meat together with vegetables is re-added and boiled down creating an extravagant tasting meal.

Hummus is a world famous dip that goes very well with Arabic bread, pita bread, crackers or toast. The dip is a concoction of chickpeas, garlic, tahini paste, olive oil, salt and lemon juice. It is a highly flavoursome and nutritious dip that is served right across Abu Dhabi and the UAE.