CUISINE FOCUS: Arabic

Middle Eastern cuisine: we think of houmous, dates, fattoush, and mixed grills. But the cuisine is becoming even more popular outside the Middle East and North Africa. Karen Osman investigates why

There are ingredients common to all countries in this region, even if they are used in different ways, hence the term Arabic cuisine. The use of specific products such as tahini, chickpeas, dates and smoked eggplant is unique to the Middle East.

No chef in Europe, America or Asia will use them the same way. In this manner, we can highlight Middle Eastern cuisine by its unique product use.

Similarly, like any food culture, it is impossible to define it without looking at its history and geographic location. Suzanne Husseini, renowned chef and author elaborates: “We [the people of the Middle East] share language, culture, and most profoundly, we share food which is ancient in the Middle East; it goes back thousands and thousands of years.

I celebrate the heritage that is known as Arabic cuisine. The fact that the Arab world sits at the crossroads of the spice trade is important because that gave this part of the world its unique flavours and ingredients.”

Sourcing
From the GCC and the Levant to North Africa and Iran, wherever you travel, you can experience the common ingredients which are important staples of any MENA menu.

With relatively easy access to suppliers, especially in international hubs such as Dubai, chefs can make use of both local and international sourcing opportunities.

Ali El Bourji, executive oriental chef at Atlantis, The Palm, explains his approach to sourcing ingredients for his restaurant Levantine: “We try to source as much locally, however there are specific herbs and spices and other ingredients which are essential for an authentic taste which we import to maintain authenticity.

We are fortunate that it’s easy to obtain any sort of ingredient we require because we are really located in a Middle Eastern hub, surrounded by so many countries.”

That’s not to say there aren’t challenges and with every Middle Eastern country having a slightly different climate, subtle differences can be seen from destination to destination. Sebastien Cassagnol, executive chef, The Chedi, Muscat explains: “I am fortunate that Oman’s natural resources are plentiful so most of my suppliers are local.

We use a lot of local ingredients, specifically fruit, vegetables and seafood. The choice and quality of the seafood here is excellent and very popular. The good thing about this region is the ‘common culinary share culture’, meaning ingredients such as lamb will be always available and at good quality, and we can get vegetables such as eggplant, okra and chickpeas.

Some very basic home products can be extremely hard to get though, especially if you are looking for a specific brand, but being an expat, the beauty of our job is to work as much as possible with the resources available locally.”

No doubt there’s a need in this market for specific ingredients for Middle Eastern cuisine. Food service manager and corporate chef at Emirates Snack Foods, Soufiane Raji explains one of their most sought after: “It is little known that all olives in the world descended from ‘feral’ olives from the Middle East.

This explains its extensive use in this culture as a beauty product, health enhancer, as well as a staple ingredient. With its rich history, the olive also has a myriad of spiritual meanings in many religions, ancient cultures and tribal populations.

We carry preserved olive products from Orto Conserviera, an Italian producer and they are used in dishes such as stews and tagines, fish dishes, salads, mezzes, and of course are enjoyed on their own.”

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Health Benefits

One of the most enticing elements of Middle Eastern food is its health attributes. Despite this, the UAE is among the top five countries in the world with the highest percentage of adult diabetes sufferers with 70% of the population at risk. (Source: World Health Organisation).

But with awareness comes solutions. Products such as Sunny Bio’s Agave Syrup won the Gulf Food Award for the Best New Heath Food and Beverage in 2012.

Raji explains the demand: “It is no secret that Middle Eastern cuisine has a host of sweet protagonists: baklava, fattayeh, knafeh, umm ali, stuffed dates, and awamat to name a few.

This product has 100% natural sugar, can lower your GI (glycaemic index), has no aftertaste, and can be used for a variety of creations in the kitchen. This is a new favourite of chefs, as the syrup is sweeter than normal sugar, and the liquidity makes it an easy addition to any dish.”

As Middle Eastern cuisine expands, the health aspect could be one of the key drivers in its popularity especially as the world becomes more health conscious than ever before.

With its emphasis on the use of olive oil, vegetables, fish, and whole grains as primary foods, saturated fat levels, mainly found in animal based foods are incredibly low.

Instead, healthy fats such as monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids are the primary source. Protein is obtained from legumes or fish instead of red meat or poultry.

According to a study published in the British Medical Journal (2008), a Middle Eastern diet can reduce overall mortality and mortality from cancer or heart disease as well as reduce the risk of developing Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.

Variety is the Spice of Life

Looking deeper into Middle Eastern cuisine, what cultural differences are there between countries? Chef Ali Hussain from Al Nafoorah at Jumeirah Emirates Towers gives an example between Lebanese and Qatari dishes: “Although most dishes feature similar ingredients, the serving style and actual focal point of meals change markedly between countries.

For example, Lebanese cuisine has a strong focus on hot and cold starters, called mezzeh. The start of a Lebanese meal is large and bountiful, whereas in Qatar they start simply before serving a rich dish of succulent meats and rice.”

It is these subtle differences that make dining in this part of the world interesting and such differences aren’t just between countries but also within the country. For example, in Northern Iran, it is customary to have bread and rice on the table, whereas in the south, the emphasis is more on rice.

Arguably, most chefs would agree that Lebanese dishes are the most popular with certain dishes from the Gulf under-represented, especially in hotels. Yet, this may be set to change with Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek set to open an Emirati restaurant.

“Lebanese, Syrian and Iranian dishes have been popular for many years followed by Moroccan and Turkish in the last four years,” explains Chef Uwe Micheel, who runs Persian restaurant, Shabestan.

“I hope with the drive of the DTCM and the opening of a few Emirati restaurants, Emirati cuisine will pick up in popularity. We are planning an Emirati restaurant to open after the summer; the menu will reflect traditional Dubai dishes but will also have a section which will reflect Dubai today.”

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Popular Fare

With most hotels across the region offering at least one Middle Eastern restaurant, there is a general trend for eating this cuisine throughout the year and not just during specific periods such as Ramadan or Eid.

Kalyana Krishnamoorthy, assistant food and beverage manager at St. Regis Hotel, Doha concurs: “Excluding the holy month of Ramadan and Eid, we see a consistent consumption of this cuisine throughout the year.

In Al Sultan Brahim, we do anything between 60 and 120 covers per night. The restaurant needs to have an Arabic look to ensure guests feel at home and create the right ambience. It is also important to have Arabic speaking staff for an authentic experience.”

It would seem that Middle Eastern cuisine is set to expand worldwide. Perhaps a good indicator of this is the speed at which franchise company, Just Falafel has expanded since opening their first branch in Abu Dhabi in 2007.

They have recently opened their first store in London which is the first outside of the Arab world. CEO Fadi Malas said that the business aims to establish 200 more branches in the UK over the next five years, adding to its 650 franchises.

So what is the future for Middle Eastern cuisine? Executive chef Brendan McGowan at St. Regis Doha gives his take: “Those that have a deep emotional connection to the region will always have a deep connection with its cuisine as it is an integral component of this rich tapestry we have here.

Over the years, those professionals who have embraced the culture and the hospitality have combined the key elements of Middle Eastern food with cuisines from across the globe with fantastic results.”

Chef Ali Hussain agrees, commenting: “Middle Eastern cuisine stems from a long and traditional history; it is strongly embedded in the regional culture and because it is healthy, plentiful and fresh it will continue to dominate the market.”