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Traditional Emirati cuisine topped the bill at Britain’sfirstHalal Food Festivallast weekend, when AustralianMasterchef favourite Amina El Shafeiappeared in the show’slive demonstration kitchen.
Amina, whose unique cooking style is influenced by her Middle Eastern and Asian heritage, preparedlgeimat, atraditional Emirati sweet flavoured with saffron, in front of the festival’s following of ‘haloodies’ or halal foodies.
The Saudi Arabia-born chef, who shot to fame downunder in 2012, made her way to London via Abu Dhabi, where she met Emirati food personality, Chef KhaloodAtiq.
The pair swapped tipsand shared recipes at the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara. Chef Khulood, the UAE’s first female celebrity chef, also treated Amina to local speciality Chicken Machbous, which uses rice, spices and meat to create a flavoured Emirati favourite.
“Middle Eastern cuisine is so diverse, as it spans so many flavours and styles. The memory of seeing Emirati food up close is something I will definitely take away with me. The use of spices is particularly interesting. I tend to go very heavy on spices, so to see how Chef Khulood blends their flavours into her food was fascinating,” said El Shafei, ahead of her Halal Food Festival appearance.
Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi)was the show’s official tourism partner, encouraging festival-goers to find out more about halal-friendly holidays in the emirate.
“Abu Dhabi has a hugely diverse culinary scene, from Middle Easternand Asian to modern European, but few visitors are aware of the more traditional dishes from our emirate. It’s great to see international chefs embracing Emirati cooking and spreading the word about Abu Dhabi’s culinary heritage. We hope the show will have helped convince lots more people to come and try it for themselves” said Nabeel Al Zarouni, UK Country Manager, TCA Abu Dhabi.
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