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.