I’m owing to this blog for some updates :p A lot of topics to be written, only if I could have more free time to spend on writing haha. If you are following me on Twitter, you would know that I’ve been spending about 2 weeks in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. This is my first exploratory discovery with the authentic Arabic world; no, UAE is definitely not authentic in this sense :p FYI, the population of westerner expatriates in UAE is a few folds more than UAE nationals.
Saudi Arabia has diverse populations too, but, mainly from the Islamic countries in Persian Gulf and Arabian Peninsula. So, the cultures and lifestyle practiced in Saudi Arabia, are generally the very Arabian way. Also, there are a lot of migrant workers from Southern Asia and Philippines, coming to Saudi Arabia to work for meagre, but tax-free, wages.
Wheats, and Thus The Breads
Unlike rice, wheat production is more widespread globally, and wheat is the primary food staple in the Middle East and North Africa. You see rice in almost every meal served in Southeast Asia and East Asia, but you will see all kind of breads in almost every meal served in Middle East.
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So how do you eat the breads in Middle Eastern meal? Continue reading the post, and you will find out the answer ;)
Middle Eastern Eatery
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This panoramic photo, produced by Photosynth iPhone app, shows the interior of Ya Mal Asham restaurant – one of the Middle Eastern restaurants in the Riyadh’s business district.
This restaurant serves a wide array of Middle Eastern menus, ranging from shawarma, kebab, hummus and lentil soup, to all kinds of salads, appetizers, sandwiches, and daily dishes.
There are a few sections in this restaurant, each is serving a different type of food.
Hummus
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Hummus is the first Arabic food that I’m introduced to in Riyadh. A creamy spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic, hummus is a Syrian dish.
Ever since my first encounter with hummus, I really love it!! As a dip, it is eaten with freshly-baked breads. I can finish 3 quarters of this portion by myself. You got to try this once in your lifetime, to know how good the taste is!
Shawarma
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As shown in this photo, is a shawarma rotisserie. Shawarma (pronounced as “shwarma“), can be eaten in a few common ways:
- Served as shawarma plate of your chosen type of meat, and eaten with breads, and hummus topping if you would like to.
- Shaved meat wrapped as sandwich.
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Coffee
Coffee plays a very important role in Arabic culture. Due to globalization, cafes serving Italian espresso-based gourmet coffee are easily found in Riyadh. But, in Saudi Arabia, there are 2 types of local coffee that is unique to the Arab world:
- Arabic coffee
- Turkish coffee
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The making of Arabic coffee uses ingredients other than just the Arabic coffee ground. It’s brewed together with cardamom and saffron as well. Thus, brewed Arabic coffee appears as golden color. Arabic coffee is served in small cup that has no handle, and is almost always accompanied with dates.
If you are served a cup of Arabic coffee while visiting someone’s house or office, it’s an insult to the host, if you refuse to drink :)
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Another type of popular coffee is Arab world, is Turkish coffee. The name – Turkish coffee, describes the method of preparation, not the raw material; there is no special Turkish variety of the coffee bean. And, the history of Turkish coffee is dated about 300 years earlier than Espresso. Well, Espresso brewing process requires existence of some technology aspects to separate supply of steam and water.
Turkish coffee is also served short like Espresso. A few flavoursome sips, and the aroma is enough to stay in your breathe.
As quoted from Wikipedia, the following are some important steps spotted in the brewing of Turkish coffee.
Beans for Turkish coffee are ground or pounded to the finest possible powder; finer than for any other way of preparation.
Preparation of Turkish coffee consists of immersing the coffee grounds in water which is usually hot, but not boiling, for long enough to dissolve the flavoursome compounds.
Just as the coffee comes to the boil, the pot is removed from the heat. It is usually kept off the heat for a short time, then brought to boil a second and a third time, then the coffee is poured into the cups.
However, before you could attempt to try Turkish coffee, you must be able to take Espresso. Else, the flavor and body of the coffee, could be too rich for your liking.
Don’t Eat and Drink with Left Hand
Among Muslims, the left hand is reserved for bodily hygiene and considered unclean. Thus, the right hand should be used for eating and drinking (especially when drinking coffee). Shaking hands or handing over an item with one’s left hand is considered an insult.
Closed for Prayer Time
Muslims observe five formal prayers each day, and a lot of eateries and cafes in Riyadh are closed for prayer time. So, you got to really learn and take note of the prayers, or you will have to starve while looking for food during prayers.
I have experienced this myself, and it was a half-an-hour wait, before the shops and eateries re-opened.