Hunting Takjil (Without "War") in Dubai

Name: Hunting Takjil (Without "War") in Dubai
Uploaded: 2024-03-28T09:44:33Z
Duration: 20 min 32 s
Description: There is no "takjil war" in Dubai like the excitement in Indonesia. We can calmly hunt for takjil without fear of running out.

There is no "takjil war" in Dubai like the excitement in Indonesia. We can calmly hunt for takjil without fear of running out.

This article has been translated using AI. See Original .

BUDI SUWARNA

· 6 minutes read

The time for breaking the fast has arrived on Wednesday (20/3/2024). After breaking the fast, it is time for us, a group of journalists from Indonesia invited by Dubai Economic Tourism, to hunt for takjil (fasting snacks) in Diera Souk or Diera Market, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This is an iconic traditional market in the heart of modern Dubai. The market is divided into several blocks, including Gold Souk (gold market) and Spice Souk (spice market).

We walked through the alleys of the market that were lined with brightly-lit shops. In between or in front of the shops, there were several chai vendors, selling tea and milk-based drinks infused with various spices. The pleasant aroma of the chai they brewed wafted into the air, signaling a trail of deliciousness.

We continued walking and finally arrived at an empty space where several market alleys met. There were several circularly arranged wooden benches, where people enjoyed chai and various snacks. We occupied two empty benches, right in front of the small Al Shaiba Bakery which provided various breads such as zaatar bread, potato naan, brain bread, cheese honey, labreh, and others.

Its owner is an Afghan named Abdullah who has been trading in Diera Souk for over 30 years. The tall and big-bodied man with a long beard is very friendly. "Asalamualaikum," he greeted me while shaking my hand firmly.

Then he smiled and said in broken English, "Your hands are very small, like a child's hands."

Our laughter broke out. I noticed that Abdullah's palms were indeed much larger than the average Indonesian palms. Its shape is wide and round like a plate. Perhaps because it is used every day to pound dough for bread.

We ordered zaatar bread recommended by Arva Ahmed, owner of Fryingpan Adventure, who was guiding us that afternoon. It is a kind of kebab bread grilled in a tandoor, a traditional clay grill. The bread is filled with zaatar, which is a mixture of spices from the oregano family, triangles of cheese, and sumac (a kind of red seed that has a lemon aroma), sesame seeds, and olive oil. Within a few minutes the zaatar was served wrapped in aluminum foil.

When the packaging is opened, the aroma wafts from the creamy-colored, moist and warm zaatar bread. I take a piece and eat it. The bread has a soft and slightly sticky texture when chewed. It tastes bland like most kebab bread. The inside is green-brown zaatar with a texture like tomato sauce with the typical aroma of Middle Eastern spices. The taste is savory, salty, and slightly sour.

We enjoyed the zaatar bread with a cup of karak, which is a type of milk tea (chai) added with saffron, Pakistani cardamom and sugar. The taste of milk, tea, sugar, cardamom and saffron is quite balanced. This drink is suitable to be sipped when the air is cold because it leaves a warm feeling in the body.

Matching vermicelli and syrup

From Al Shaiba's shop, we moved to the outer part of Diera Souk facing Dubai Creek, a river that has been the lifeline of Dubai's trading for thousands of years. We were introduced to a popular fast-breaking snack called faludeh, which was bought from an Iranian-owned shop. According to Arva Ahmed, this snack is currently trending in Arab countries.

When faludeh was served in a small plastic bowl, my eyes widened in surprise. How could rice vermicelli be served with shaved ice and sweet syrup? It's an unusual combination of ingredients for Indonesians, who are used to consuming fried rice vermicelli.

With a little hesitation, I scooped a small amount of white faludeh with a reddish-purple tint onto my spoon. It tasted like eating cold, bland noodles with a syrupy, purple raspberry dressing. Truly strange. Surprisingly, in the next two or three bites, my taste buds were able to accept the refreshing taste of faludeh.

"The syrup used in faludeh is very famous in the Middle East, from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and so on. Its name is Vimto. There is no Ramadan in the Middle East without Vimto," said Arva.

Also read: The fun of mass breaking the fast at Dubai market

Vimto is made from berries, grapes, blackcurrants and several spices. The taste is fresh sweet with moderate aromas of grapes and berries. This drink originates from England and reached Dubai via India. The creator is John Noel Nichols. This drink achieved success in England. From here, Vimto began to be brought by sailors and spread to India, the Middle East and North Africa.

Now, Vimto has become a marker for Ramadan, just like Marjan syrup in Indonesia. During several dining events that we attended in Dubai, ranging from those held in the desert, offices, stalls in the midst of market kiosks, to super expensive restaurants on Burj Khalifa's courtyard, Vimto is always served.

Satisfied with faludeh and Vimto, we continued our hunt in the Bur Dubai area separated by the Dubai Creek from Diera Souk. We reached Bur Dubai by a traditional wooden boat called an abra. The boat sliced through the calm Dubai Creek, but was crowded with abra boats and tourist boats. Along the way, the old Dubai city on the river bank gleamed with golden colored lights.

In just a few minutes, we arrived in Bur Dubai, a traditional market area that is inhabited by many immigrants from India and Yemen. The atmosphere is no different from the bustling Diera Souk.

We immediately headed to the Robou Al Yaman Restaurant, located on the banks of Dubai Creek, for a big meal. We ate seated on carpets like many Arab families do.

We ordered dishes such as nasi briyani, fahsa, madfoon, mulawah, and their companions. Fahsa is a beef-based menu that looks like rendang kalio, but tastes like curry. Madfoon is a spiced lamb that is roasted in a traditional oven buried in the ground. The meat is tender and savory. This meat can be enjoyed with a bowl of broth called shorba, which tastes like soto.

Also read: Are there Israeli dates in Indonesia

The hunt for takjil and big meals that day finally came to an end. The various foods and drinks we tried left memories of foreign but delicious flavors on our tongues - we who are used to eating Padang or Javanese cuisine. In addition, the food and drinks opened our eyes wide to the diversity of the nation residing in Dubai.

Yes, we can see traces of the inhabitants of a city from their food and drink.

Editor:

MOHAMMAD HILMI FAIQ

Hunting Takjil (Without "War") in Dubai

About AI Translated Article

Matching vermicelli and syrup