The Daily Feast

Going back to the emphasis on the cities of salt, I am from one of the saltiest cities in the Gulf region and in the world: Dubai. A lot has changed in Dubai (similarly to all other Emirates in the UAE) since the very humble past to the extremely lavish present; however, there are things that remain untouched, and from how I see it, it is very unlikely that these things ever change. One of the most apparent things is the love for festive food, which has been and still is a wont and a lifestyle. We might have the best restaurants, international cuisines and all those eateries, but at least ONCE a week (if we are busy), we do gather for the habitual Christmas-like food!

Unlike most habits, this habit is actually not new or brought by the fast development, this has been embedded in the Emirati culture and has not been altered in spite of the changes. On the other hand, a nutritionist stepping in (which I doubt is effective in this respect) may change this culturally constructed habit, along with other factors such as infusing the traditional food with new ingredients from different cuisines etc. but the idea itself of festive food has not changed!

I have taken some pictures of what we may find on every Emirati family's dining table on ANY day, not necessarily an occasion.

 Traditional fouga (or machboos) prepared differently with Cinnamon spiced chicken (Moroccan way)

Kingfish - one of the popular fish in the region.

Maleh Salad - literally meaning "salty salad" but maleh here refers to the way the fish is prepared, soaked in water and salt (sometimes with eggplants too) and then added to either a salad or rice