Photo essay: Dubai chefs put finishing touches to Ramadan dishes

Kunafa, chicken Topkapi and fish harra are on iftar menus this holy month

Chef Abel Vieilleville at the Address Sky View puts the final touches to his kunafa. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Vieilleville has created a special dish for iftar this Ramadan

Vieilleville separating shredded kunafa

The shredded kunafa being added to the pan

Ghee is added to the kunafa

Finally the dish is placed in the oven

A litre of cream and corn flour is mixed and brought to the boil

Vieilleville adds the cream to the dish

Rose water is added to the mix

Syrup made from sugar and water is added after the kunafa is cooked

The final product

Chef Mina Gaber Ibrahem at Sheraton Dubai Creek

Ibrahem chops onion and peppers for his chicken Topkapi dish

Ibrahem preparing the peppers and onions

Spices are an essential part of the recipe

Time for the chicken to face the heat in the kitchen

Ibrahem uses tweezers to ensure his dish is perfectly presented

The chicken Topkapi at Sheraton Dubai Creek

Executive chef Rawad Al Kabalan at Vida Emirates Hills, Dubai

Different coloured peppers are diced to accompany the sea bass used in Al Kabalan's fish harra

The sea bass is prepared in a pan

Chopped and diced peppers are added

Tomatoes are added to the cooked vegetables

Rawad Al Kabalan puts the final touches to his rocket and zaatar salad with sumac feta

A squeeze of lemon for the salad

Cherry tomatoes add a further splash of colour

Walnuts provide the topping

Et voila, Al Kabalan at Vida Hotel presents his fish harra with rocket and zaatar salad

Three chefs in Dubai are showing how they are putting their unique touch to dishes that will be available to diners throughout Ramadan.

Chefs Abel Vieilleville, Mina Gaber Ibrahem and Rawad Al Kabalan, invited The National to go into their kitchens as they put together their dishes of choice, which will be offered during iftar — the meal held at sunset that breaks the day's fast — at their respective hotels. Some offer a la carte menus, while others do a buffet set-up.

Vieilleville, who leads the pastry and baking department at Address Sky View in Downtown Dubai, has shared how he makes kunafa. The sweet dessert is popular in the region. From separating the shredded kunafa to creating its syrup, he is meticulously careful about it while putting it together.

Over at Sheraton Dubai Creek, Ibrahem is the Arabic/specialty chef who joined the team in October. He reveals how he makes his chicken Topkapi dish that is available during iftar at the hotel. It consists mainly of a mix of peppers, onions, chicken and spices and is plated with a colourful finish.

Al Kabalan, the executive chef at Vida Hotel, has put together a fish harra dish for the occasion. Different vegetables such as peppers and tomatoes are added, while walnuts are used to top it off. He serves it with a rocket and zaatar salad with sumac feta. The dish will be available as part of the hotel's buffet iftar spread.