Joanna James
The exotic Arab nation of ultramodern architecture, stunning gulf beaches, golden deserts and mind-blowing opulence, Qatar is also home to a cuisine that won't disappoint your taste buds either. Sample your way through an assortment of traditional dishes and indulge in the mouth-watering flavours.
An Arab chicken mixed rice dish known by a few different names such as Majboos, Machboos and Kasba, is a national dish not just in Qatar, but throughout all the states in the Arabian Peninsula. While chicken is what usually goes into the preparation of the dish, oftentimes, lamb can also be seen used as a substitute. However, it is the magical combination of authentic Qatari spices that gives the dish the flavourful relish that it is well-known for. Treat yourself to a plate of vibrant Majboos on your trip to Qatar and you are bound to be left drooling for more.
Vermicelli rice noodles, eggs, sugar and saffron, Balaleet is one of the truly authentic dishes of Qatari cuisine that never fails to captivate visitors outside the Middle East. The ingredients make an undeniably bizarre combination; however, the sweet and savoury flavour that it gives the dish is also nothing short of mind-blowing and is sure to take your taste buds to paradise. Qataris enjoy the dish both as a breakfast choice and as a dessert, but it is mostly served for breakfast.
Sometimes a porridge, sometimes a gruel, Harees is a dish of boiled, cracked, or coarsely-ground wheat mixed with meat and the addition of butter, cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom, which give the dish its rich flavour. The nourishing dish is known by quite a few names such as harees, jareesh, boko boko, and harissa, and is served at restaurants in Doha Qatar offered by the likes of Al Najada Doha Hotel by Tivoli, and eateries in other parts of the country as well. While Harees is served at eateries throughout the year, the dish comes to life in Qatari households mostly during the holy month of Ramadan.
A traditional Qatari dish of Bedouin origin, Saloona is a classic Arabian stew relished throughout the Peninsula. What's fascinating about Saloona is that it has no set recipe and is cooked with the vegetables and meat available in the household at the time of preparation. Tomato, aubergine, carrot, potato and chicken as the popular choice of meat are what usually goes into the making of Saloona in its basic form. Locals consume the stew with bread, using the bread to soak up the broth.
Satisfy your sweet cravings with a Luqaimat or two on your trip to Qatar. Enjoyed both as a dessert and a snack, Luqaimats are deep-fried dough balls dipped in sweet syrup and flavoured with saffron and cardamom. Nothing makes for a quick bite like crunchy-on-the-outside-and-soft-on-the-inside Luqaimat when strolling the bustling streets of Qatar.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
