Dubai’s culinary excellence comes from a rich, flavourful base that comes from ancient times. In fact, for those who are interested in cuisine, exploring Emirati flavours has become one of the top things to do in Dubai. Here are four of the most sought-after local dishes you must try during your stay at luxury hotels like Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort.

Al Harees

This dish is one of the go-to dishes during Ramadan and other festive occasions. Al Harees is a choice of meat, usually chicken or lamb and wheat, slow-cooked for a few hours until the ingredients meld into each other. This porridge is seasoned with salt, ghee is added to enrich the flavours.

Machboos

Now this is a dish you are sure to find at popular restaurants in Jumeirah Beach. Machboos is basically a rice dish flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves. The rice is served with richly seasoned meat, chicken or seafood along with dried lime (loomi) for a tangy flavour.

Khuzi

Said to be the national dish of the UAE, Khuzi is yet another rice dish served with lamb. The rice includes hints of sweet and savoury with the infusion of Arabian species and a combination of nuts, veggies and raisins. It’s basically Dubai on a plate!

Luqaimat

Image by Leonhard Niederwimmer from Pixabay

Taking a look at the sweeter side of the UAE, there’s luqaimat, a delectable deep-fried dumpling that’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. These sweet bite are not stuffed with any filling, instead, they are bathed in date syrup or honey and garnished with sesame seeds. Perfect for that sweet tooth!