No standard fare

SULTAN DUBAI FALAFEL

Our first stop was for falafel. Palestinian-Jordanian-owned Sultan Dubai Falafel serves specialities such as musakhan (sumac-packed roasted chicken with warm spices, caramelised onions over taboon bread) and mansaf (meat cooked in fermented yoghurt over rice), but one must-have at this streetside joint is the famed falafel mahshi (stuffed falafel). Cooks scoop out a herb-laden chickpea mixture with their aleb (moulds) to form one half of the falafel ball, which is then smeared with shatta (chilli paste) before it’s sealed off with yet another scoop of the mixture. It is then sculpted into the desired shape, rolled in sesame seeds and fried. The result: a crispy on the outside, tender on the inside falafel bursting with flavour.

Plates and bowls full of creamy hummus, tatbeela (thin sauce made with green peppers, lemon and garlic), fried aubergines, crispy fried cauliflower, assorted lip-smacking pickles and fresh pita were placed before us so we could create our own falafel piece de resistance.

QWAIDER AL NABULSI

Next door to Sultan Dubai Falafel is its sister restaurant, Qwaider Al Nabulsi and its famous kunafa. We were treated to freshly-made Palestinian kunafa nabulsiya from the city of Nablus. Unlike Lebanon’s smooth kunafa (na’amah) made with a semolina-based dough, Nabulsi kunafa is coarse (khishna); it is prepared with layers of crispy kataifi noodles and briny Nabulsi cheese made from sheep’s milk, all of which is then generously soaked in sugar syrup.

As soon as the tray of kunafa was brought out, all post-falafel tableside conversations came to a dramatic halt, our eyes zeroed in on the golden dessert and Farida’s food tour portion control advice went flying out the window. Qwaider Al Nabulsi’s warm, crispy, gooey, salty-sweet kunafa topped with finely chopped pistachio – sprinkled across the top of the kunafa in the shape of a heart, just for us – couldn’t have been a sweeter way to end the first leg of the food tour.

AL SAMADI SWEETS

A short stroll accompanied by Farida’s engaging commentary led us to the next delight, this time courtesy of a centuries-old Lebanese shop, Al Samadi Sweets. Confections such as baklava (layered phyllo dough with nuts), ma’amoul (cookie filled with dates or nuts), basbousa (syrup-soaked semolina cake) and osh el bulbul (nest-shaped kataifi pastry with pistachio) were meticulously displayed with the intention of turning each adult present into a kid in a candy store. Perhaps the most interesting of the array was karabij (semolina cookies with pistachio and rose water). This was served alongside natef, a sweet meringue similar in texture to marshmallow fluff made from the root of soapwort, the same plant used to make natural soap – wait, we ate soap?!

Before heading to our next stop, we tamed our sugar highs with the definitive beverage of Arabian Gulf hospitality, gahwa (coffee). Farida demonstrated the elaborate drinking and serving etiquette that goes into enjoying the piping hot, cardamom-infused drink.

FAROOJ AL SHAMI

Shawarmas are a dime (or should we say dirham?) a dozen in the UAE, but in-the-know foodies will tell you that Farooj Al Shami – a relative newcomer to Dubai’s thriving shawarma scene – serves up some of the best in town. Chicken or beef? Take your pick and either way you won’t be disappointed.

Shawarmas are a dime (or should we say dirham?) a dozen in the UAE, but in-the-knowfoodies will tell you that Farooj Al Shami – a relative newcomer to Dubai’s thriving shawarma scene – serves up some of the best in town. Chicken or beef? Take your pick and either way you won’t be disappointed. toum (a punchy garlic sauce). Vegetarians need not fret. The moreish cheese and za’atar manakish were just as tasty, especially with an extra sprinkle of za’atar.

KABAB ERBIL IRAQI

What usually comes to mind when you think of Iraq? Is it its poets, architects and painters, who are among the best in the region? Its natural beauty that ranges from sandy dunes to plush stretches of flora and fauna? Or, is it its war-torn history of recent decades? If it’s the latter, a trip to Kabab Erbil Iraqi will change that. With roots back in Kirkuk, Iraq, where it first opened in 1973, this Iraqi restaurant is famed for its masgouf – smoked carp that was traditionally fi shed out of the Tigris River.

And to Iraqis, masgouf is so much more than a national dish – the way it’s smoked over a wood fire (from where it derives its name) is a ritual that embodies a way of life long before the events of recent history.

Take our advice and order an extra side of amba, a tart sauce made with pickled green man-goes, to dip the tender fish in. And hopefully, after tasting Kabab Erbil Iraqi’s authentically prepared dishes, when you think of Iraq, you’ll think of its food.

SADAF IRANIAN SWEETS

We end our Middle Eastern food pilgrimage at Sadaf Iranian Sweets in the sweetest way possible: with traditional saffron ice cream topped with faloodeh (starchy vermicelli-like noodles). The ice cream is deliciously refreshing, boasting that distinctly pungent saffron flavour. Sadaf is a haven for Persian ingredients and delicacies including fragrant spices, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, traditional sweets, and of course, saffron. Due to its labour-intensive harvesting methods, precious saffron is the world’s most expensive spice so we were pleasantly surprised when we were each gifted a container of delicate saffron threads. A truly special way to end a truly special experience.

To book your own Frying Pan Adventures tour, visit fryingpanadventures.com