۞ Food

Local cuisine in Dubai is mainly based on Middle Eastern dishes and largely borrowed from other countries in the region, in particular Lebanon, Syria and Iran. The diet of the Bedouin who inhabited the area that is now Dubai consisted only of fresh fish, dried fish, dates, camel meat and camel milk. Traditional Emiratf cuisine doesn't lend itself to tantalising interpretations of these ingredients.

Muslims do not eat pork, as it is haram (forbidden by Islam). Sometimes, as an alternative to pork bacon, supermarkets sell beef bacon and turkey bacon. Dishes containing pork generally only appear on the menus of top-end restaurants and are marked as such, as are dishes using alcohol in the cooking process or the sauce. Meat consumed by Muslims must be halal, meaning religiously suitable or permitted. The animal must be killed by having its throat cut and the blood drained out before it is butchered. This is why much of the red meat slaughtered and sold locally is very pale in colour.

The range of cuisines offered in Dubai is wide, but mainly falls into several categories. Besides Middle Eastern, you'll find plenty of European, Indo-Pakistani and Asian or Far Eastern eateries.
The most common of Middle Eastern food you'll see is Lebanese . Lebanese restaurants are found all over Dubai and cover all price ranges. All Lebanese dishes are served with pickles, piles of Arabic bread and a big plate of fresh salad. The Lebanese have food covered - you can grab their version of fast food, the shwarma, when you're in a hurry, or linger for hours over mezzes and mixed grills. Throw in a belly dancer and some sheesha (water pipe) and you have the makings of a great night out.

Though there are similarities with Lebanese cooking, Iranian (Persian) food has its own style and flavours. The Iranians are big on spicy rice dishes and a favourite in Iranian cooking is the buttery crust left at the bottom of the pan after rice is cooked. Anyone who doesn't serve this part of the rice dish to guests is considered either a bad cook or a bad host.

Iranian food is usually served with a plate of lettuce, cabbage, tomato and onion, with a minty yogurt sauce on the side. Naan (Iranian bread) is baked in several different ways, but the most common variety in Dubai is known as lavash - it is thin, square and somewhat elastic.