Hereesat Ramadan at Al Ain Palace Museum – in pictures
Harees is a traditional dish that is eaten across the Arabian Gulf. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
The dish is commonly made with wheat, chicken or lamb, spices, including cinnamon, water and butter, oil or ghee.
Recipes for the dish vary across the Arabian Gulf.
In the Emirates, the dish is most often eaten at gatherings, such as weddings, as well as national and religious holidays and particularly during the month of Ramadan.
At Al Ain Palace Museum, every Friday throughout Ramadan, an event called Hereesat Ramadan is taking place.
The event invites visitors to experience a revival of the traditional custom of preparing and distributing harees to neighbours, relatives and less fortunate families.
At Al Ain Palace Museum men prepare boxes of harees for distribution.
Large plates of harees are given out between 4pm and 5pm every Friday before iftar.
The meal comes with a small tub of ghee to pour on top.
A skimming spoon on display at Al Ain Palace Museum.
Various serving plates for the harees are also on display.
Harees plates on display. Victor Besa / The National
The dish is based on wheat or wheatberries.
A container of ghee on display. Ghee is poured over the harees to finish off the dish.
Visitors are invited to learn more about the traditional dish, how it's prepared and the ingredients that are used.
