Umm Ali Recipe (Pastry Milk Pudding with Nuts)
Make umm ali: baked puff pastry torn into a dish with nuts and raisins, covered in hot sweet milk and cream, then grilled golden. Quick Ramadan dessert.
Mandi, shawarma, harees, kunafa and the home cooking of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Iraq, written for cooks outside the Gulf. Every recipe works in a normal home kitchen: no pit oven, no special equipment, with clear timings and a fix for the usual mistakes.
Recipes developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan
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The recipes to cook first
- 9Chicken KabsaSaudi one-pot spiced rice
Lamb MandiSmoky mandi in a home oven
Saudi Chicken ShawarmaStreet-style chicken shawarma
KunafaCrisp, syrupy Ramadan kunafa- 9QatayefRamadan stuffed pancakes
- 9JareeshCreamy Ramadan cracked wheat
- 9JallabDate and rose iftar drink
Emirati HareesSlow-beaten wheat and meat
Learn the technique
Guides behind these recipes
How to Cook Perfect Basmati RiceHow to Make Ghee at Home5 Traditional Desi Cooking Techniques Every Cook Should Know
Quick answers
Arabian Gulf Recipes FAQ
What is the difference between mandi and kabsa?
Mandi is smoked and traditionally cooked underground with the meat above the rice; kabsa is cooked in one pot with tomato and baharat.
Can I make mandi without a pit oven?
Yes. Roast the meat in a hot oven and smoke the rice with a piece of hot charcoal and ghee in a covered pot.
Which Gulf dishes are made in Ramadan?
Harees, thareed, luqaimat, kunafa and jareesh are Ramadan staples across the Gulf.
What spices are used in Gulf cooking?
Baharat, dried lime (loomi), cardamom, saffron, cinnamon and black pepper.
Every recipe
All Arabian Gulf recipes
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Basbousa Recipe (Semolina Coconut Cake in Syrup)
Make basbousa: a soft semolina and coconut cake with yoghurt, baked golden and soaked in lemon syrup. The Ramadan favourite across the Gulf, moist, never dry.
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Luqaimat Recipe (Emirati Saffron Dumplings with Date Syrup)
Make luqaimat for Ramadan: light yeasted saffron and cardamom dough balls fried crisp, then drizzled with date syrup and sesame. Crunchy outside, airy inside.
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Marag Recipe (Iraqi Okra and Lamb Stew)
Make Iraqi marag bamia: lamb and small okra in a garlicky tomato stew with dried lime, served over white rice. Tips so the okra stays whole and never slimy.
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Dajaj Mahshi Recipe (Iraqi Stuffed Roast Chicken)
Make Iraqi dajaj mahshi: whole chicken stuffed with spiced rice, nuts and raisins, simmered then roasted golden. A feast centrepiece with timings that work.
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Kubba Hamuth Recipe (Iraqi Sour Kubba Soup)
Make Iraqi kubba hamuth: rice-shell dumplings filled with spiced meat, simmered in a sour broth of turnip, beetroot or chard and lemon. Shaping tips included.
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Iraqi Tikka Recipe (Lamb Shish Kebab)
Make Iraqi lamb tikka shish kebab: cubes of lamb marinated in onion juice, yogurt and spices, skewered with fat and grilled hot. Tender, charred and juicy.
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Muttabaq Samak Recipe (Kuwaiti Fish and Rice)
Make Kuwaiti muttabaq samak: fried spiced fish layered over rice cooked in its own stock, topped with sweet onion daqqus. A Kuwaiti national fish dish.
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Kuwaiti Fish Stew Recipe (Mutabbaq Saloona Samak)
Make Kuwaiti fish stew: firm white fish simmered gently in a tangy tomato, loomi and bzar sauce with coriander. Keeps the fish whole and never fishy.
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Kafta Recipe (Emirati Spiced Grilled Kofta)
Make kafta: minced lamb and beef with parsley, onion and baharat, shaped on skewers or into fingers and grilled hot. Chill and fat tips so they stay juicy.
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