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Arabian Gulf

Arabian Gulf map

Arabian Gulf cooking is all about fragrant rice, tender meats, seafood, dates, and spices that make the whole kitchen smell fabulous. Think cardamom, saffron, dried lime, rosewater, and plenty of slow-cooked goodness, with fresh fish and shrimp bringing a breezy coastal twist.

Every Gulf country has its own little personality. Omani food leans into Indian Ocean flavors, while Emirati, Qatari, and Kuwaiti dishes reflect Bedouin, Persian, and South Asian connections. Add cardamom coffee, dates, and a generous table, and you've got hospitality with serious main-character energy.

Soups
Shorbat Adas (Emirati Lentil Soup)
6 servings
Drinks
Laban (Chilled Salted Yogurt Drink)
Drinks
Karak Chai (Spiced Emirati Tea)
Breads
Regag (Emirati Thin Crispy Bread)
6 servings
Breakfast
Balaleet (Sweet Vermicelli With Saffron And Egg)
4 servings
Breakfast
Chebab (Emirati Pancakes With Date Syrup)
4 servings
Lunches
Salona (Emirati Vegetable And Meat Stew)
6 servings
Lunches
Machboos Dajaj (Emirati Spiced Chicken And Rice)
6 servings
Appetizers
Fatayer Sabanekh (Emirati Spinach Pastries)
6 servings
Appetizers
Chicken Samboosa (Emirati Fried Pastry With Spiced Filling)
6 servings
Soups
Fereed (Bread And Meat Broth Soup)
6 servings
Street Food
Chicken Shawarma (Emirati Style)
4 servings
Salads
Salatat Zabadi (Cucumber Yogurt Salad)
4 servings
Salads
Rocca Salad (Arugula, Tomato And Onion Salad)
4 servings
Mains
Machboos Laham (Emirati Spiced Rice With Lamb)
6 servings
Mains
Ouzi (Whole Roasted Lamb With Spiced Rice And Nuts)
8 servings
Sides
Saffron Basmati Rice (Emirati Spiced Rice Side)
6 servings
Sides
Grilled Vegetables With Sumac
4 servings
Desserts
Luqaimat (Emirati Sweet Dumplings)
6 servings
Desserts
Khabees (Emirati Date And Semolina Sweet)
8 servings
Breads
Khameer (Emirati Sweet Saffron Bread)
6 servings
Street Food
Falafel (Fried Chickpea Fritters)
6 servings
Holidays & Special Occasions
Harees (Ramadan And Eid Wheat And Meat Porridge)
8 servings
Holidays & Special Occasions
Thareed (Emirati Bread And Meat Stew For Eid And Ramadan)
8 servings
Sides
Mutabbaq Rice (Ruz Mutabbaq)
7 servings
Sides
Grilled Vegetables (Khudra Mashwiya)
1 servings
Mains
Saleeg
7 servings
Mains
Jareesh
7 servings
Soups
Marqouq Soup (Shorbat Marqouq)
5 servings
Appetizers
Sambousek
2 servings
Appetizers
Hummus with Khubz (Hummus bil Khubz)
4 servings
Lunches
Kabsa
7 servings
Breads
Qursan
8 servings
Drinks
Saudi Qahwa (Qahwa Saudia)
Drinks
Laban
Street Food
Falafel
2 servings
Street Food
Shawarma
3 servings
Holidays & Special Occasions
Ouzi
9 servings
Holidays & Special Occasions
Saudi Luqaimat
2 servings
Desserts
Saudi Ma’amoul
8 servings
Breads
Saudi Khubz
8 servings
Desserts
Saudi Kunafa
11 servings
Salads
Saudi Tabbouleh
1 servings
Salads
Saudi Fattoush
1 servings
Soups
Saudi Shorbat Adas
4 servings
Lunches
Saudi Mandi
7 servings
Breakfast
Saudi Balaleet
1 servings
Breakfast
Saudi Foul Medames
2 servings
Holidays & Special Occasions
Harees (Ramadan Wheat and Meat Porridge)
15 minutes (plus overnight soaking) · 8 servings
Sides
Ruz Mfalfal bil Loomi (Steamed Rice with Dried Lime)
5 minutes (plus 20 minutes soaking) · 7 servings
Breakfast
Balaleet (Sweet Saffron Vermicelli with Egg)
10 minutes · 2 servings
Breads
Khameer (Bahraini Sweet Yeasted Bread)
20 minutes (plus 1 hour 15 minutes rising/resting) · 7 servings
Breads
Khubz Regag (Thin Crispy Bahraini Bread)
10 minutes (plus 10 minutes resting) · 5 servings
Salads
Khyar bi Laban (Cucumber Yogurt Salad)
10 minutes · 2 servings
Street Food
Shawarma Lahm (Bahraini Lamb Shawarma Wrap)
15 minutes (plus 1 hour marinating) · 5 servings
Soups
Shorbat Adas (Spiced Red Lentil Soup)
10 minutes · 1 servings
Drinks
Gahwa (Bahraini Arabic Coffee)
5 minutes
Desserts
Luqaimat (Sweet Dumplings with Date Syrup)
15 minutes (plus 1 hour proofing) · 6 servings
Appetizers
Samboosa Bahrainiya (Bahraini Fried Samosas)
30 minutes · 2 servings
Breakfast
Chabab (Bahraini Date Pancakes)
10 minutes (plus 35 minutes resting) · 2 servings
Sides
Daqqus (Bahraini Tomato and Chilli Relish)
10 minutes · 1 servings
Appetizers
Hummus Bahrainiya (Bahraini-Style Hummus)
10 minutes · 4 servings
Salads
Fattoush Bahrainiya (Bahraini Bread Salad)
20 minutes · 1 servings
Mains
Machboos Laham (Spiced Lamb and Rice)
20 minutes · 6 servings
Street Food
Chaat Bahraini (Spiced Chickpea Chaat)
15 minutes · 2 servings
Desserts
Halwa Bahrainiya (Bahraini Halwa)
10 minutes · 10 servings
Lunches
Saloona (Bahraini Vegetable and Meat Stew)
15 minutes · 4 servings
Drinks
Tamr Hindi (Tamarind Cooler)
30 minutes
Mains
Muhammar Samak (Sweet Caramelized Rice with Fish)
20 minutes · 3 servings
Soups
Marag Laham (Bahraini Meat and Vegetable Soup)
15 minutes · 5 servings
Holidays & Special Occasions
Qoozi (Whole Roasted Lamb Celebration Feast)
30 minutes · 6 servings
Lunches
Machboos Diyay (Bahraini Spiced Chicken and Rice)
20 minutes · 6 servings