What is Qatari Cuisine and Why is it Unique – Culinary Marvels That You Should Taste
The charming nation of Qatar is a captivating country to visit presenting numerous features of interest for the traveller. Undoubtedly, one of these is the country's distinctive culture and part of its cultural heritage is the mouth-watering local cuisine! The cuisine of Qatar may be regarded as a delectable blend of the culinary traditions of Lebanon, Persia, India and northern Africa. Some of the outstanding dishes that you should sample during your visit to this country are described below.
Thareed
An excellent choice with which to commence your sampling of authentic Qatari cuisine is the well-known thareed. This local speciality which is often prepared during the holy month of Ramadan, at first glance, rather resembles a pot of rich stew. It is also sometimes called the Arabic lasagna. To make this dish, vegetables like beans, carrots, potatoes and onions are cooked along with meat such as lamb or chicken; spices and tomato sauce are also added. Bread is kept at the base of the dish so that it soaks up the savoury juices and becomes flavourful and soft.
Saloona
When it comes to meals in Qatar, saloona is a popular addition and may be described as a spicy thick broth containing meat and vegetables. Typical ingredients in this dish are carrots, aubergine, tomatoes and potatoes. Whilst it usually includes chicken, it may also be prepared using other proteins like beef, lamb or fish. Saloona may be enjoyed on its own or accompanied by rice. It is easy to make vegetarian or vegan versions of it by avoiding meat and including more vegetables. As this dish is tasty, nourishing and healthy, it may also be considered a great comfort food.
Harees
Another distinctive local speciality is harees which is a delicious dish composed of boiled, coarsely ground or cracked wheat combined with meat. The texture of this culinary creation can be said to be between that of a gruel and a porridge. Harees is thought to be a health-giving food due to its high content of nutrients as well. During the month of Ramadan, this speciality is often prepared for breaking fast at the time of iftar. It is also commonly consumed during other holidays and family gatherings.
Machboos
Your experience of Qatari foods wouldn’t be complete without trying out machboos, a culinary delight that is much-loved by the locals. The main ingredient in this dish is rice, along with protein like lamb, chicken, camel, fish or shrimp. It also includes a selection of flavourful spices. In appearance, machboos rather resembles the well-known Indian food biryani. You will often find this dish in local homes and dining venues across the country. When seeking the best restaurants in Doha, the nation's capital, consider those at accommodation providers like Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara where you can savour machboos and other regional dishes.
Kousa mahshi
A rather different kind of dish is kousa mahshi which basically consists of stuffed zucchini; it happens to be a much-loved speciality across the Middle Eastern region. In this internationally popular culinary creation, the zucchinis are stuffed with a filling of lamb seasoned with garlic and mint. To prepare kousa mahshi, the stuffed zucchinis are baked in an oven and served hot. Vegetarian versions of this dish are also available.
Luqaimat
Qatari cuisine also includes a number of desserts and an outstanding one to try out is luqaimat which consists of little spherical sweet treats. The ingredients used to make this sweet delight are butter, flour, milk, sugar, cardamom and saffron. Small dumplings are created with these ingredients which are then deep-fried and immersed in honey or sugar syrup to make them sweeter. You will find that luqaimat is soft inside with a crunchy exterior. If you have a sweet tooth, your taste buds are sure to be tantalized by this exquisite treat!
