The culture of Qatar’s people can be found in their traditions, and one of the most cherished traditions are their foods in Qatar. Here, you can see the best local Qatari cuisine in Doha. Qatar’s local foods are mostly influenced by Iranian and Indian dishes. Food knit the people of a nation together, and its variety and creativity make up the heart and soul of each country. The capital of Qatar has an unbelievable variety of international foods, and it is quite hard to find local Qatari dishes. But it is worth some effort to hunt the traditional restaurants to taste the amazing flavor of local foods. Here’s a list of the most popular savory Qatari dishes.
Machboos, a traditional Qatari dish
One of Qatar’s first and foremost known national dishes is machboos or majboos. This is a bowl of spiced rice mixed with marinated meat like beef, lamb, chicken, or fish. The Qatari Machboos look like a Biriyani of Iran. Some people serve it with lemon juice and rose water to make a delicious flavor. If you want it spicier, sometimes a spicy salsa dip is served next to the dish. Try it once, and after that, you cannot leave Qatar without trying this famous dish again.
Harees, a traditional Qatari food
Harees are meat, butter, and boiled or ground wheat. It is similar to porridge and is used regularly during the Holy Month of Ramadan, the festive season, and Eid. Because it has nutrient content, it is considered a perfect way to break the fast at Iftar; sometimes, cinnamon, sugar, and cardamom are added to enhance the flavor. It is also a well-known dish in the GCC. You can find it in local souqs, which have all sorts of different food stalls, except if you get invited to a local’s home for a meal.
Kunafa, a traditional Qatari cuisine
Kunafa is traditionally an iftar treat, but at any time of the year, it is enjoyable, either. It is a very sweet dessert and comes in two kinds of versions: the soft one, which is known as kunafa naa’ma, and the harder one, which is known as kunafa kheshna. Both are popular across the Middle East and are absolute heaven. The Qatari people seldom have an event or meeting without serving kunafa. Kunafa finds its way to some European tables with some differences in its recipe. One of the best spots in Doha to try Kunafa is Al Aker Sweets, in the middle of Souq Waqif.
Umm Ali, a traditional Qatari desert
Umm Ali is originally an Egyptian dessert, but Qatar has its version. It is made with sweetened milk, chopped nuts, and raisins and filled with dried fruits. When tasted, it offers a great mixture of spices. It is like bread pudding and is one of the sweetest desserts that one can taste in Qatar. Umm Ali is a traditional Doha food mostly known as a classic Middle Eastern food.
Luqaimat, a traditional Qatari sweet dish
Luqaimat is one of Doha’s desserts that is famous among travelers. It is a traditional Qatari cuisine found at most bakeries in Doha. What largely increases its heavenly taste is that it is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, and it is also flavored with cardamom and saffron. Luqaimat are sweet dumplings that look like deep-fried doughnuts and often have sesame seeds sprinkled to add even more richness to the flavor. It pairs well with a cup of Arabic coffee. It is made during Ramadan and blends butter, milk, flour, sugar, saffron, and cardamom.
Thareed, a traditional Qatari food
Thareed is a traditional Arab and Turkish meal that is quite popular in Arabia. It is often called the Arab lasagna. It is another Ramadan special food consisting of carrots, beans, onions, and potatoes mixed with chicken or lamb, tomato sauce, and spices. Stew juices make the bread, which is on the plate’s bottom, soft and flavorful. Thareed can be easily considered the most popular Qatari dish.
Balaleet, a traditional Qatari cuisine
Another traditional Qatari food with Indian roots is Balaleet, which consists of fried vermicelli topped with a saffron egg. It is soft, crunchy, and sweet; people eat it for breakfast and dessert. This traditional Qatari food can be served cold or hot, depending on your preference. This lovely, savory, and crunchy dish (due to the nuts) is always very appreciated by people trying it, even for the first time. Often, it is served with a side of the omelet (saffron egg). The flavor sounds weird, but you will not believe how delicious this dish is. Savor this traditional Qatari cuisine.
Saloona, a traditional foods in Qatar
Saloona is one of the traditional Qatari dishes. It includes tomatoes, aubergine, carrots, and potatoes and is served either by itself or with rice. Saloona is a classic regale food suitable for family dinners that can be prepared with anything available. It generally starts with beef, lamb, fish, and seasonal vegetables flavored with garlic, ginger, and tomatoes. All the traditional restaurants serve Saloona, and every market in Qatar has a traditional restaurant.
Waraq enab, a traditional Qatari meal
Waraq enab is a traditional cuisine of Qatar that is made with a blend of minced meat, rice, and savory spices in grape leaves. Sometimes minced tomatoes are used too. Qatari waraq enab is especially tasty and considered heaven on Earth. It’s best to eat this Qatari cuisine with fresh lemon. Waraq enab is a light snack that people can eat at any time of the day.
Margoog, a traditional Qatari food
Another traditional Qatari food worth trying is Margoog! This traditional dish is a healthy and hearty combination of carrots, meat, potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and zucchini. Qataris always tend to add something to their dishes. They add pieces of bread dough to Margoog, which boil in the vegetables, absorbing all the delicious flavor. This food is full of essential vitamins and fiber.
Ultimately, you can find some of the world’s best food in Qatar, known for its variety of eye-catching restaurants. There are many things to look for in Qatar, and their traditional foods are one of them. You can enjoy the amazing culinary delights of the country. Moreover, you can see the top places to visit in Qatar to find out what your holiday would be like.
