UAE is the metropolis of tourism, tradition and culture. Besides being a hubspot for all things extravagant, it is also a cosmopolitan with various cultures unifying to live in harmony. And that can’t reflect more in their dishes.

Many traditional UAE dishes have Indian, Lebanese, and Moroccan influences. Below is a list of dishes worth cooking this Eid to eat like the Emiratis do:

Harees

Haree is a popular dish in the UAE and most of the other GCC countries. It is an exquisite tasting dish of meat and wheat cooked for a long period of time. It is mostly served on special occasions like weddings, parties, Ramadan and Eid.

Harees have porridge like consistency as it’s made with ground wheat and shredded meat boiled for hours. Nowadays, some health conscious Arabs make a chicken and oat alternative of this dish. But one thing is common in both the versions — it’s served with a topping of local ghee.

Machboos

A favorite in the Middle East, Machboos is the perfect traditional counterpart to Biryani and Pulao from the Indian subcontinent. Its main ingredients are rice, meat, onions and some dried local lemons with some seasoning such as nutmeg, cinnamon and paprika. Meats of all kind can be used to make the tender succulent rice preparation.

The Emirati version of Machboos is made to perfection with the saffron soaked in lemon juice and raisins. It gives the tangy and sweet flavor to the dish. However, the recipe for Machboos differs from household to household in different nations.

Emirati Hummus

Not exactly a dish or a food by itself, hummus is more like a dip. But a world renowned dip. It is made up of ground chickpeas which had been previously soaked in water, tahini, garlic, salt and olive oil. Some people like to add green chillies and a few chickpeas as toppings.

Hummus is a must try appetizers. It can be used as a dip for pita bread, pita chips, normal fries and as a side for a shawarma platter.

Date Truffles

Islamic historians believe that dates have been a Middle Eastern staple for over 5,000 years now. And for good reason. The Prophet Mohammed was said to have enjoyed dates often and even broke his fasts with dates, which to this day is followed as a norm by all the Muslims.

A date truffle is a sweet treat prepared by blending dates, almonds or pistachios, shredded coconut into a thick moldable mixture. Some orange blossom water is added for aroma and it’s rolled into some dried coconut flakes. They are perfect to serve with tea to guests during Eid festivities.

Balaleet

An unusual savoury made of sweetened and spiced vermicelli noodles served with egg is a breakfast favorite in the Gulf. The vermicelli is prepared in rose water, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, powdered sugar, saffron. While the egg omelets is only seasoned with salt.

Many chefs around the globe call Balaleet a recipe of contradictions much like UAE, which is often known, as the “land of contradictions”. Like the emirate changes from an oasis to skyscrapers within small distances, the dish also goes from sweet and salty to soft and crunchy simultaneously.

What menu are you preparing for Eid celebrations this year?