Celebrate UAE’s golden jubilee with 4 classic Emirati recipes

national-day-recipes — Celebrate UAE’s golden jubilee with 4 Emirati recipes! Image Credit: Shutterstock

The UAE marks 50 years today. Join in on the celebration with family, friends and food. However, choosing the right recipes can be quite a task, especially because Emirati cuisine is extensive.

The Food team at Gulf News handpicked a few dishes for you to make during the long weekend….

1. Emirati lamb ouzi with oriental rice

- By Executive Oriental Chef Mussabeh Al Kaabi, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

Ingredients:

1.1 kg lamb belly
500 gms basmati rice
100 gms lamb, minced
2 bay leaves
3 cinnamon sticks
10 gms fresh garlic, chopped
120 gms fresh onion, chopped
100 gms fresh tomato, chopped
20 ml ghee
200 gms salt & pepper
6.5 ml water
10 gms turmeric powder
40 gms local spices (a roasted blend of equal measures of black peppercorns, cumin seeds, nutmeg, cardamom, coriander seeds, cloves, dry red chilli, bay leaves and cinnamon)
30 gms tomato paste
40 gms fresh coriander, chopped

Method:

First, chop onions, garlic, tomatoes and coriander and keep them aside.
For the rice, add 10 ml of ghee to a thick-bottomed pan. Add the chopped garlic and onions, along with cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Cook it until the onion and garlic turn golden in colour.
Next, add the minced lamb, cook it for 5 minutes, and add rice. Season with salt, pepper and coriander leaves and cover it. Allow it to cook on a slow flame for 20 minutes. Once done, keep it aside.
Wash the lamb belly thoroughly and then marinate it with salt, pepper, local spices, tomato paste, chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder.
Store the lamb in a container and cover it. Put it in an oven for 3 hours in 180C.
When all are cooked put the rice on a plate and put the lamb belly ouzi on top of it.
Serve hot and enjoy!

2. Chicken Tahta

- By Chef Bilal Saleh, Majdolin at DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences

2 local baby chickens (600 gms), cut into 4 pieces each
1 kg basmati rice
3 red tomatoes
2 red onions, chopped
3 cardamoms
3 cinnamon sticks
3 green chilli, chopped
2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp of local Bezar
½ tbsp coriander powder
1 tbsp turmeric powder
3 pieces of dry lime
3 cloves
Salt to taste
½ cup oil sunflower
5 tsp rose water
Sprinkle of saffron
1 cup fried onions, cashew nuts and raisins to garnish

Here's our recipe to making Emirati Bezar.

Method:

For the chicken, season the pieces with Bezar and salt. Fry the chicken or roast it in an oven and keep it aside.
For the gravy, soak the saffron in the rosewater and keep it aside.
Sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and whole spices. Add the powdered spices and stir well. Add the chopped green chilli, dry lime and fresh tomato. Cook it for 10 minutes.
Add two spoons of saffron-rosewater then add the cooked chicken to the sauce.
For the rice, wash it thoroughly to rid it off from the starch then soak it for 2 hours.
Next, in a pot add two litres of water, salt and a little oil. Boil the rice and cook it for 12 minutes. Ensure it is not too well done.
Time to serve. In the serving pot, add around 2 cm of the cooked rice. Layer the chicken on top with chicken and gravy. Add the rest of the rice. Pour the rest of the saffron water and keep it in a hot oven of 150C for 12 minutes.
Once done, garnish with fried nuts and serve with yoghurt on the side.