This gloriously messy rice dish is a must in this stopover hub

The dish

Machbous, United Arab Emirates

Plate up

Though we’re referring to this wildly popular rice pilaf dish here as machbous, you will also see it throughout the Arabian Peninsula and the Levant referred to as makbus, majbous, or even kabsa. All are acceptable, because as you will see from the explanation below, this is not a dish unique to the United Arab Emirates. It is, however, a cherished staple there, and that’s undoubtedly because it’s absolutely delicious. Machbous is a dish of long-grain rice cooked with vegetables and a heady spice mix that usually includes black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, saffron, nutmeg, cloves and black lime. This pilaf is either cooked with meat (chicken, lamb, fish, seafood or even camel), or is later topped with meat that has been grilled over coals. The finished machbous is then served family-style, on a large platter, and diners eat with their hands.

First serve

The techniques used to prepare machbous are thought to have originated in Yemen, where Bedouin people there used the ingredients around them – meat, rice and spices – to create a hearty meal that could easily be shared among large groups. Bedouins are typically nomadic, so it wasn’t long before their favourite dish spread through the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, its popularity increasing to the point where almost all countries of the region now count this as their national dish.

Order there

In Dubai, enjoy an Emirati-style machbous (and a whole lot of other delicacies) at Al Fanar Restaurant. Alternatively, if you’re lucky enough to fly in Emirates′ business class cabin, you can order prawn machbous on board.

Order here