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Arabic Cuisine |
It won't be long after you arrive in Dubai that you'll be able to recognise the smell of a street-side shawarma stand before you've even seen it. And on your first trip back to your home country you may find yourself craving the distinctive Arabic cuisine that is so easily available throughout Dubai.
Most of the Arabic food available here is based predominantly on Lebanese cuisine. Common dishes are shawarmas (lamb or chicken carved from a spit and served in a pita bread with salad and tahina), falafel (mashed chickpeas and sesame seeds, rolled into balls and deep fried), hummus (a creamy dip made from chickpeas and olive oil), and tabbouleh (finely chopped parsley, mint and crushed wheat). And to round off your meal, you must try the amazing variety of fresh juices available at most Arabic restaurants.
There are also opportunities to sample the local Emirati food. The legacy of the UAE's trading past means that local cuisine uses a blend of ingredients imported from around Asia and the Middle East spices such as cinnamon, saffron and turmeric along with nuts (almonds or pistachios), limes and dried fruit add interesting flavours to Emirati dishes.
Dried limes are a common ingredient in Arabic cuisine, reflecting a Persian influence. They are dried in the sun and are used to flavour dishes either whole or ground in a spice mill. They impart a distinctive musty, tangy, sour flavour to soups and stews.