Exotic Dishes from Dubai that Serve as the Gate-Pass to Heaven – Divine Culinary Offerings of the Middle East

If you're in the United Arab Emirates, one of the essential things to do is eat Machboos. Available anywhere from roadside eateries to luxury resorts including the likes of PER AQUUM Hotels & Resorts, this dish is a cultural icon. Machboos consists of rice that is elaborately seasoned with a variety of spices served with chicken that has been cooked utilising a traditional apparatus known as a tandoor, where the meat is marinated and barbequed within a deep hole in the ground. It is considered a national dish in Saudi Arabia.

Definitely one of the finest snacks the Arab world has to offer. This dish consists of triangular pieces of flat-bread known as pita bread, that have been split open, filled with halloumi cheese and lightly toasted. Delicious as well as healthy, this Kellaj is a cheesy snack almost too good to be true.

These are fritters of sorts that are made with minced chick peas or fava beans coupled with a few spices and then deep fried. Falafel can be consumed on their own, or inside a shawarma; which is also commonly referred to as a falafel. It is an indulgent delicacy that can even be enjoyed by vegetarians.

You're bound to find this in almost every restaurant in Dubai. Shish Tawook is a kebab of sorts that involve boneless chicken that has been marinated with a mildly spicy concoction and grilled to perfection. The grilled meats are generally accompanied by pita bread and two sauces, most commonly a garlic-mayo and tomato ketchup.

Although the name simply translates into 'meat with dough', this is a marvellous dish. In fact, Lahem Bi Ajeen is pretty much the Arabic equivalent to a pizza. The dish consists of a round baked bread that is topped with minced lamb mix seasoned with a variety of spices and stir fried with onions. Anyone with a taste for baked meaty dishes is bound to adore this, especially if you prefer them with a bit of spice.

This list won't be complete without the inclusion of a sweet dish. Similar to Lahem Bi Ajeen, the Knafeh also resembles an abstract pizza. This is in essence a pastry that is crispy on the outside and filled with a gooey sweet cheese. The fact that it is cheesy and round make it very pizza-like in appearance and form. Be sure to sample this incredible delight if you're in Dubai.

Everyone knows about Hummus, but few are aware of the next best thing, which is Baba Ghanoush. Essentially this is identical to Hummus except for one key difference, the chick peas are replaced with grilled eggplant. This small change gives the paste a very distinct flavour, in addition to a few more nutritional qualities. This dish is very popular in the middle east so if you're a fan of hummus, you're definitely going to love this.