Emirati women cooking traditional foods at Sheikh Zayed Festival - in pictures

  • Emirati women prepare traditional food for a competition to showcase UAE's heritage at Sheikh Zayed Festival. All photos: Nilanjana Gupta / The National
    Emirati women prepare traditional food for a competition to showcase UAE's heritage at Sheikh Zayed Festival. All photos: Nilanjana Gupta / The National
  • Bzar is an Emirati spice blend made with various seeds.
    Bzar is an Emirati spice blend made with various seeds.
  • Fatima Mahmoud with her bzar mix.
    Fatima Mahmoud with her bzar mix.
  • Habiba Al Mansouri arranges her serving tray with bzar, thereed, reqaq and old photographs.
    Habiba Al Mansouri arranges her serving tray with bzar, thereed, reqaq and old photographs.
  • Habiba Al Mansouri first roasts seeds, which are then ground to make bzar.
    Habiba Al Mansouri first roasts seeds, which are then ground to make bzar.
  • Fatima Mahmoud also participated in the food competition.
    Fatima Mahmoud also participated in the food competition.
  • Fatima Mahmoud's serving tray with mashmoom or basil flowering plant.
    Fatima Mahmoud's serving tray with mashmoom or basil flowering plant.
  • Habiba Al Mansouri preparing fresh reqaq, a traditional flat bread.
    Habiba Al Mansouri preparing fresh reqaq, a traditional flat bread.
  • Reqaq by Fatima Mahmoud.
    Reqaq by Fatima Mahmoud.