Emirati chefs share their favourite recipes for Eid

Courtesy Shaikha Al Ali

Sarah Dea / The National

Prawns Irseyah

Chef Ali Ebdowa, Mezlai, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Ingredients

300g prawns

200g rice

20g cardamom powder

20g salt

50g ghee

200g fresh cream

100g Parmesan cheese

Pinch of saffron

600ml water

Method

Soak the rice for one hour in the water.

Boil the rice with prawns until the rice is cooked (after cooking, set two prawns aside for garnish).

Add the cardamom, salt, ghee, fresh cream, Parmesan cheese and saffron to the rice and prawns. Keep it on the heat

until the mixture becomes thick.

Next, blend the mixture with a hand blender.

Spoon the mixture onto a plate. Garnish with the prawns set aside earlier.

Halwat Al Tamur Bil Rutab

Chef Shaikha Al Ali, founder, www.whenshaikhacooks.com

“We usually make this with pitted khalas dates, but rutab dates are in season now, so it’s perfect to use those instead. I love this dessert because it’s very simple and reminds me of the cooking methods used in the past.

“Simply brown the flour with some ghee, blend it with some delicious dates and serve it with yogurt – pure bliss.”

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups wholewheat flour

4 big spoons of ghee

1 kilo pitted fresh rutab dates*

1 tbsp ground fennel

1 tbsp cardamom powder

• Use any kinds of dates you like (except khunaizi). It's best to use sukkari dates, which contain a lot of sugar

Method

In a hot pan, melt the ghee slightly and then add the flour. Keep stirring until browned, about 5 to 7 minutes (don’t over-brown or it will burn).

Add the pitted dates.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir well.

Add the fennel and cardamom and stir until everything is combined. The dates should blend into the flour mixture well.

Pour into a bowl and serve.

• The dessert can be kept for a couple of days. Reheat in the microwave and serve. Delicious when served with yogurt.

Aseeda Bobar

Chef Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, Dubai

“Aseeda is a traditional ­Emirati dessert. I still remember when I was a child, my big sister used to prepare this dessert and that’s why this dish is with me everywhere I go. I really love it because as it reminds me of my childhood.”

Ingredients

300g flour

600g pumpkin

20g rose water

3g saffron

250g sugar

30g ghee

5g cardamom

Currants for garnish

Method

Roast the flour in the oven until it turns golden.

Peel the pumpkin and boil it until it’s soft. Then strain the pumpkin. Put the boiled pumpkin in a hot pot.

Add the roasted flour, rose water, saffron, sugar, ghee and ­cardamom.

Mix all the ingredients together slowly in the pot and cook on low heat for 15 minutes.

Serve in small serving bowls and garnish with currants.