Joanna James
Qatari food is unique and flavorful and draws inspiration from various other Middle Eastern cuisines as well as Bedouin Culture. Here are some of the best examples of traditional food you must savour when visiting Qatar.
A home-cooked dish during Ramadan, Thareed is often referred to as Arabic lasagna! The stew is
made from vegetables like carrots, green beans, potatoes and onions, tomato puree, spices, and potatoes. All of this gets simmered with either lamb or chicken while a big chunk of rustic-style bread is put at the base of the container to soak the juices of the casserole. In the end, you get to bite into soft and flavoursome bread along with tender vegetables and meat. You can also try this dish while in Doha; restaurants offered by the likes of Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara will feature this dish alongside many others on this list!
This dish is made from stuffed zucchini and is popular all over Qatar and the Middle East. The zucchini gets stuffed with a mixture which includes, minced meat, short grain rice, tomatoes, garlic, mint and olive oil. It is then baked in a hot oven and eaten with a slathering of tomato sauce.
This tasty meal is packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals. Margoog is typically made with carrots, zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, and meat. Delicate pieces of dough are put into the dish while it's being cooked, so you end up with flavourful pieces of cooked pasta-like dough to make it a complete meal in a pot!
This popular sweet treat is found famously everywhere in Qatar. A dish of luqaimat includes dumplings made from flour, butter, milk, sugar and flavoured with cardamom and saffron. The balls of dough are deep-fried and drenched with date syrup, while still hot. They will be crispy on the outside and soft and pillowy inside. This extremely sweet dessert is best paired with some potent Arabic coffee!
Madrouba is like a savoury rice porridge and is made by boiling white rice, milk, butter, chicken and cardamom. The dish gets cooked until it forms a thick, soupy texture. It gets served piping hot, topped with a drizzle of ghee and fried onions.
Saloona is an Arabic stew commonly prepared for family occasions. The dish is easy to make and uses ingredients readily available at home including meat like chicken, lamb or fish. The meat gets cooked with seasonal vegetables and flavoured with lots of garlic and ginger. Rice or Arabic flatbread is served alongside for a complete and satisfying meal.
Last, but not least is Majboos – the national dish of Qatar! This is one dish that you must try if you want to taste the flavours of the country. It's usually made with either lamb or chicken, which is cooked on low heat with plenty of spices for a long time to generate an incredible flavour. Majboos is eaten on top of flavoured rice, with tomato sauce and a salad.
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.
