Food in Dubai...

Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces. Falafel balls may also be eaten alone as a snack or served as part of a meze.

Generally accepted to have first been made in Egypt, falafel has become a dish eaten throughout the Middle East. The Copts of Egypt claim to have first made the dish as a replacement for meat during Lent. The fritters are now found around the world as a replacement for meat and as a form of street food.

The word falafel can refer to the fritters themselves or to sandwiches filled with them.Some sources trace the name to the Arabic word falāfil is the plural of filfil which means "pepper"--probably from the Sanskrit word pippalī which means "long pepper”. A Coptic origin has recently been proposed from Pha La Phel 'of many beans'. The word has now spread to the rest of the world. In English, it is first attested in 1941.

Falafel is known as ta'amiya in Egypt, with the exception of Alexandria, as well as in Sudan. The word is derived from a diminutive form of the Arabic word ṭaʻām meaning "food"; the particular form indicates "a unit" of the given root in this case Ṭ-ʕ-M (having to do with taste and food), thus meaning "a little piece of food" or "small tasty thing”.

The origin of falafel is unknown and controversial. A common theory is that the dish originated in Egypt, possibly eaten by Copts as a replacement for meat during Lent. As Alexandria is a port city, it was possible to export the dish and name to other areas in the Middle East. The dish later migrated northwards to the Levant, where chickpeas replaced the fava. It has also been theorized to a lesser extent that falafel originated during Egypt's Pharaonic Period or in the Indian subcontinent. In modern times, falafel has been considered a national dish of Egypt, Palestine and of Israel^.

Falafel grew to become a common form of street food or fast food in the Middle East. The croquettes are regularly eaten as part of meze. During Ramadan, falafel balls are sometimes eaten as part of the iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast after sunset. Falafel became so popular that McDonald's now serves a "McFalafel" in some countries. It is still popular with the Copts, who cook large volumes during religious holidays. Debates over the origin of falafel have sometimes devolved into political discussions about the relationship between Arabs and Israelis.

While falafel is not a specifically Jewish dish, it was eaten by Mizrahi Jews in their countries of origin. Later, it was adopted by early Jewish immigrants to Palestine. Due to its being entirely plant based, it is considered parve under Jewish dietary laws and gained acceptance with Jews because it could be eaten with meat or dairy meals. Falafel is now an iconic part of Israeli cuisine and often referred to as a national dish. This has led to resentment by Palestinians and assertions of copyright infringement by the Lebanese Industrialists' Association.


Shawarma is a Levantine Arab meat preparation, where lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, beef, or mixed meats are placed on a spit (commonly a vertical spit in restaurants), and may be grilled for as long as a day. Shavings are cut off the block of meat for serving, and the remainder of the block of meat is kept heated on the rotating spit. Although it can be served in shavings on a plate (generally with accompaniments), "shawarma" also refers to a pita bread sandwich or wrap made with shawarma meat. Shawarma is eaten with tabbouleh, fattoush, taboon bread, tomato, and cucumber. Toppings include tahini, hummus, pickled turnips and amba. Shawarma is a fast-food staple across the Middle East, Europe and the Caucasus. People have described the Shawarma as "the greatest meal since the invention of the Dorito".

The Arabic word shawarma comes from the Turkish word çevirme 'turning', and has its origins in Anatolia. It is similar to the dish called döner kebab 'turning kebab' in Turkish, and the Greek gyros 'turned', formerly called. A related Armenian dish is "tarna", literally meaning "to turn".


Mandi is the traditional dish in Yemen native to Hadhramaut Province Yemen and many other Yemeni Cities known as Haneeth also. It is now very popular in the rest of the Arabian Peninsula and in many other Arab countries such as Egypt and Syria. Mandi is usually made from meat (lamb or chicken), basmati rice and a mixture of spices. The meat used is usually a young and small sized lamb to enhance the taste further. The main thing which differentiates mandi is that the meat is cooked in the tandoor (Taboon in Yemeni) which is a special kind of oven. The Tandoor is usually a hole dug in the ground and covered inside by clay. To cook mandi, dry wood is placed in the tandoor and burned to generate a lot of heat turning into charcoal. Then the meat is suspended inside the tandoor without touching the charcoal. After that, the whole tanoor is closed without letting any of the smoke to go outside. Raisins and pine nuts can be added to the rice as per one's taste. Mandi is considered as the main dish served in special events such as weddings and feasts.