Until I moved to Abu Dhabi in early 2013, I had minimal exposure to Middle Eastern food. I’ve found that I quite like it — though as a food-lover, I’m not sure this is a surprise.
This Ramadan, I’m on a mission to try something new at every iftar I attend. I’ve learnt that many traditional Middle Eastern dishes are only served for special occasions and I need to taste them all.
For my very first iftar, I went to CuiScene at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr. The lavish spread offered Arabic dishes I’d never seen before, with special attention to Emirati cuisine. It was here that I discovered harees. The milky white porridge was thick and sticky. The mix of sweet and savoury in this flavourful but colourless dish intrigued me.
While gorging on a buffet, I rarely go back for a second helping of the same dish. But I went back for more of the harees. And here’s where I have to confess that I wasn’t sure what I was eating, which made it all the more spectacular. I just couldn’t put my finger on what it was.
And then I asked.
It was lamb harees — a porridge of wheat (often soaked overnight) and lamb all ground up together. Just wheat and meat, often sweetened with sugar and cinnamon. I loved it. I loved the taste. I loved the texture. I loved the guessing game of what it was and I loved the surprise that hit me when I found out. This dish hit all my senses and I’m looking forward to trying it again.
Here’s my challenge to my fellow expats: Go enjoy an iftar, or three, or 10. Soak up the experience of what this meal brings each day of the Holy Month. And try things you’ve never had before – especially if you have no idea what you’re eating.
sjohnson@thenational.ae
