All the Small Things: Part 2

السلام عليكم

Back in February, I published a post entitled "All the Small Things" in which I highlighted a few unique elements of إماراتي‎/خليجي (Gulf/Emirati) society that I noticed soon after my arrival in the UAE. Now, exactly three months later, I'd like to share with you a few more interesting aspects of the local culture to give you a more complete idea of what living in a foreign country is like.

 A Full Spectrum of Service


One of the more noticeable characteristics of the UAE is that many trivial tasks that we Americans do without complaint every day--like pumping our own gas or clearing our tables after dining in at a fast-food restaurant--are viewed not as the responsibility of the public but as the responsibility of those employed by the establishment at which you're being served. As the semester progressed, I became more accustomed to this full-service society; even so, I still find myself searching for a place to dispose of my trash and tray from time to time, and despite having the luxury of cleaning staff to make my dorm room spotless each week, I still end up doing my own dishes and dusting out of habit. You can take me out of America, but you'll be hard-pressed to take the American individualism out of me. On that note, here are a few more situations in which American might be surprised at the level of service provided:

Delivery and Dining Out 

Nearly every fast-food place (including all your typical American brands) and local cafeteria offers door-to-door delivery, and it's often free of charge. I can order everything from Starbucks coffee to a gourmet Indian feast and have it brought to my dorm in rapid fashion. Also, in lieu of drive-thru, most of these same restaurants offer drive-up service à la Sonic, so patrons aren't inconvenienced by having to leave their air-conditioned cars. But instead of orderly parking spaces with two-way speakers for placing your order, the typical scene is 20+ haphazardly-parked cars honking to get the attention of the servers or express their displeasure at their inability to extricate their vehicles from the circus.

All Things Vehicular

Oregonians rejoice! Just like at home, all gas stations in the UAE are full-service, and you don't even have to tip the attendant! Additionally, as an aside, I should mention that petrol is ridiculously cheap here, as you might expect from the world's 7th largest oil exporter. Next, for those of you who like to keep your car as shiny and spotless as the day you bought it, many parking lots, especially in places frequented by those whose wallets are fat and whose patience is thin, are populated with workers eager to wash or wipe down your ride for a handful of dirhams in a never-ending struggle against the dust of the desert.

Shopping: Where Past Meets Present

As I've mentioned before, the UAE is a study in contrasts. Ostentatious megamalls are as ubiquitous as traditional souks, and both serve as excellent examples of the cultural diversity that defines this small yet globally influential nation.

The Traditional Way

Traditional shopping is exemplified by a trip to one of the many souks (public markets) around the Emirates. In addition to large, covered marketplaces offering a wide selection of general wares for both locals and tourists alike, Sharjah and Dubai offer a handful of specialized shopping centers such as the Gold Souk, Spice Souk, Fish Souk, and Produce Souk among others. There are even souks for modern goods like consumer electronics as well as a host of stalls offering knock-off designer clothing and accessories--a 3rd-world parallel to Dubai's glamorous 1st-world boutiques. At all of these souks, however, there is one common theme: haggling. For visiting tourists, it can be a headache, but for locals, it's a way of life. Here's how a typical visit and transaction might go down:

You stroll leisurely through the souk, glancing at each stall as you walk by. You're here to buy your mom a new pashmina scarf. To an outsider, the selection of shawls might be overwhelming, but you've been to the markets enough times to know who the reputable sellers are. You can distinguish quality craftsmanship from souvenir junk, and you're not persuaded by the incessant barrage of "Excuse me, sir, step inside, best pashmina, special price" that follows in your footsteps. After a few minutes, you arrive at your destination--a "hole-in-the-wall" stand covered wall-to-wall with woven fabrics in a plethora of colors and patterns. You greet the shopkeeper, and from your demeanor, he instantly sizes you up, concluding that you're a respectable adversary, not some bumbling tourist with more money than sense. Haggling, you see, is like a game of chess. It's psychological warfare--a series of calculated moves in predictable sequences in an effort to prove you're the dominant member of your species. As you peruse the shelves, he inquires if there's anything in particular you're looking for and offers you some of his finest scarves while describing their quality in great detail. One of them catches your eye. It's a lovely floral pattern. Gold stitching on a blue background. "I'd like this one," you inform the shopkeeper, "how much?" "150 dirhams," he replies. It's an outrageously high price, and you act insulted, but in your mind you know it's just part of the game. "I see pashminas like this all the time. 50," you reply. "Sir, it's best quality, won't find anywhere else. Maybe I feel generous today, give you special price. 100 dirhams," he counters. "Eh, maybe I'll go look at some other shops ..." you start. "Ok 80 dirhams, but that's as low as I go," the owner offers. "I have to feed my family you know." Still, you're not convinced. "I guess I could afford to pay 70 dirhams," you say, "but only if you throw in a bracelet as well." The owner ponders your offer for a moment before replying, "Ok you buy both, but for 80." "75 is all I can afford," you answer. "Ok, ok, 75." And so it ends. The shopkeeper gets to brag to his friends that he sold you a pashmina worth 50 dirhams for 75, and you're satisfied because you were willing to pay 100 for an item of this style and quality and you got a bracelet for free as part of the deal.

That's haggling in a nutshell. Love it or hate it, it's how business is done if you want to shop the Middle Eastern/South Asian way.

The Modern Way

Not much explanation is needed to describe shopping the modern way in the UAE. Nearly everything a person could ever want can be found within the brightly-lit corridors of the world-record-holding Dubai Mall, and if you've got the cash to spend or a hefty credit-limit, Dubai is your playground. You can buy a Patek for yourself and Louboutins for your girlfriend, sign a lease on a luxury condo, order a custom-tailored kandura, enjoy camel-tenderloin and exotic tea at an upscale restaurant, scuba-dive in a massive aquarium, and finish off the day with a french pastry and some Turkish coffee at a cafe with a prime view of the Burj Khalifa as well as a fountain show that makes the Bellagio envious ... all in a day's work, as they say. Even if you have a smaller budget, you can still get your shop on at over 1200 stores, goggle at the parade of luxury cars valet parked near Fashion Avenue, grab a bite to eat at one of the many multicultural fast-food establishments in the massive food court, and conclude your visit with ice-skating at the indoor rink on the premises.

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Well, that's it for today's post, but stay tuned, 'cause I'm going to Doha, Qatar tomorrow, and I'm sure I'll have lots to share with you about that excursion when I have the time to write again.

As always, thanks for reading!

~MH

Türkiye

Ahlan!

Due to a deluge of projects and midterms, I haven't had the time to update this blog the past few weeks. But seeing as things have finally slowed down a bit, I'd like to take a moment to share with you a few reflections on my incredible spring break trip to Turkey--a country with a vibrant culture, fascinating history, and beautiful landscape. Be prepared for a lengthy post! :)

Due to its transcontinental location along key waterways like the Mediterranean and Black seas as well the Bosphorus and Dardanelles, Turkey has always been one of the great crossroads of the world. Accordingly, its lands have played host to a plethora of empires, many of which were among the most influential throughout recorded history. If you recall anything from your world history courses, you might recognize a few of the following names, all of which had a stake in this region at one time or another: Alexander the Great, the Byzantine Empire, the Seljuk Sultanate, the Mongol empire, and the Ottoman Empire.
Today, remnants of this diverse, turbulent past can still be seen, forming the tiles of the multicultural mosaic that is modern Turkey. And when I say multicultural, I mean it. Where else in the world can you enjoy an Arab-inspired meal in cave dwelling built by early Greek Christians while sipping wine that would make Tuscany jealous while in the middle of a landscape that looks like the moon and the American southwest had an illegitimate love-child?

With that, please fasten your seatbelts, 'cause you're about to be transported to the magical land of Turkey!

 

DAY 1: Travel & Arrival in Istanbul

5:00 AM. "It's not that early ..." you say as you set your alarm the night before. I mean, you'll be able to sleep on the plane, right? WRONG. Waking up before sunrise and then spending your entire day shuffling through airport lines interspersed with periods of continually changing positions in an effort to get comfortable while trapped in the confines of economy class next to foreigners that don't bathe regularly should be banned by the Geneva convention. But such is the nature of air travel--a necessary but thankfully temporary evil. However, seeing as I was rewarded for my troubles with a week in Istanbul and Cappadocia, I can't really complain. And hey, the food on Royal Jordanian was actually pretty decent, something that can't be said about travel on most US-based carriers. Anyway, after a full day of transit, myself and my 3 travel companions finally arrived at our cramped but hospitable accommodations tucked away along a side street in the Sultanahmet district of Istanbul's Old City.

Here's a picture of our hostel in all its pink-painted glory. Fun fact: it used to be a police station, and the basement (where our room was located) used to be the jail! Nonetheless, the beds were quite comfortable, the bathroom was clean, and our next door neighbors,  three flamboyantly fabulous South Africans, were quite friendly and entertaining.

DAY 2: Major Landmarks of Istanbul

Ayasofya (The Hagia Sophia)

This was definitely my favorite architectural stop on our tour of the city. It was really fascinating to see how the space was transformed over the ages as Turkey shifted from a Christian empire under the Byzantines to the predominately Islamic state it remains today. One example of this was that much of the Christian iconography was defaced, since in Islam it is forbidden to have images of people and animals in a place of worship; however bits and pieces of the old mosaics remained, and despite the addition of the minarets on the exterior, the place still felt more like a church than a mosque.

The Basilica Cistern

 

Not much to be said about this landmark, as the pictures do a pretty good job of illustrating the ornate columns and stone medusas that adorn what used to be a massive water storage facility in ancient times. As with many historically important cities, Istanbul has many layers, and it was interesting to see this subsurface example of Byzantine engineering prowess.

DAY 3: More Istanbul Highlights

Masjid Sultanahmet (The Blue Mosque)

From the beautiful symmetry of its exterior domes and minarets to the intricate complexity of its stained glass windows and mosaics on the inside, the Blue Mosque was a magnificent sight to behold.

Topkapi Palace and Museums

Visiting the sprawling Topkapi Palace complex took up the majority of our second day in Istanbul. Our first stop was the Archaeological Museum where we were able to see some phenomenal examples of marble sarcophagi like the Alexander Sarcophagus seen above. The name is a bit of a misnomer, since Mr. Alex himself wasn't entombed inside this burial fixture; however the carved decorations depict a scene of his conquests with some of the original colors remaining. Topkapi also boasts an extensive collection of bejeweled clocks and artwork from the private collections of its previous inhabitants, but perhaps the most important artifacts on display are the sword and cloak attributed to the Prophet Muhammad.

DAY 4: The Golden Horn and Bosphorus

For our final day in Istanbul, we embarked on a full-day tour of some of the lesser known but equally interesting sights of the city. In the morning, we took in the fabulous frescoes of Chora Church and the ornate interior of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy as well as scenic vistas from the tops of Yedikule Fortress as well as Pierre Loti Hill. In the afternoon, following a delicious Turkish lunch, we visited the Spice Bazaar (where I purchased some authentic Turkish tea!!) and Rustimpasa Mosque and finally concluded our day with a 1.5 hour boat cruise up the Bosphorus strait, returning to port just as the rain clouds arrived.

Chora Church

Greek Orthodox Patriarchy

The Bosphorus

DAY 5: Travel to Urgup (Cappadocia)

Day 5 in one sentence: If you think air travel is fun, just wait til you get to spend 13 hours on a bus!

DAY 6: Ballooning, a Breakfast Fit for a King, Ihlara, and Kaymakli (the Underground City)

Ballooning

Another 5AM morning. This time, however, we had a different sort of airborne excursion ahead of us--just as cramped, but infinitely more enjoyable: Hot air ballooning!!! This was hands down the best experience of the entire trip; in fact, it just might be the most incredible thing I've ever experienced while traveling.

Picture this ... you're soaring above a surreal lunar landscape filled with "fairy chimneys" and canyons evocative of the best Utah and Arizona have to offer while the sunrise paints the sky a canvas of orange and pink ... dozens of colorful balloons drift by, borne by the breath of the morning breeze while you hold your camera over the edge of the woven compartment trying to decide what to shoot next yet unable to make a decision because there is a perfect photo in everything ... a blast of hot air warms the back of your neck as flame erupts from the propane burners, providing just enough lift to keep the basket from brushing against the canyon floor below ... and then you're gaining altitude, up, up, up until you can see for miles and miles ... then a graceful descent, and when its all over and the colorful folds of fabric come cascading to the ground, the ground crew greets you with a smile and a glass of champagne ... and you think to yourself: Ahhh, c'est la vie.

That's Cappadocian ballooning for you.

Breakfast at our Cave Hotel

What's so special about breakfast that it deserves its own section in this post? Well ... the breakfast at 4ODA Cave Hotel isn't your typical low-budget grab-n-go hotel fare. Each morning of our stay, the owners and their staff prepared a feast fit for a king (and it was included with the cost of our room!) consisting of local cheeses, homemade bread, Turkish mezze, eggs your way (they even make omelettes if you'd like!), a selection of fruit preserves (my favorites were the apple/quince and the passion fruit varieties), hot pastries with meat, cheese and herbs, Turkish tea, Turkish coffee, and even a cereal bar! As if this breakfast wasn't enough, the accommodations were 5-star worthy, and the owners were the nicest people you could hope to meet. They drove us around in their personal car, made us dinner reservations at the best places in town, secured us discounts on tours and activities, and even assisted us in getting cold medicine and arranging our bus transfer back to Istanbul. If you ever visit Cappadocia, you HAVE to stay at 4ODA in Urgup. And no, they didn't pay me to say that :P

Hiking in Ihlara Valley

Exploring Kaymakli

The most well-known feature of Cappadocia is its abundance of cave dwellings. To hide from invaders, early Cappadocia settlers carved cities and churches out of the soft volcanic rock, and many of these are still visible today. Perhaps the most impressive of these dwellings is the underground city of Kaymakli. Designed to mimic a tree's root system, Kaymakli's multileveled network of rooms and tunnels is still a marvel of engineering even by today's standards. In its heyday, it had everything from stables to wine-making facilities as well as ventilation shafts for fresh air and massive stone doors for protection. We toured the complex with an adorable old man named Mustafa who has been a guide at the site since 1967. I'll never forget his voice saying "Ladies and gentlemen, watch your head, watch your step" before we entered each room and tunnel.

DAY 7: Highlights of Cappadocia

For our last day in Turkey, we went on a full-day guided tour to see the "highlights" of Cappadocia, which included an up-close look at "fairy chimney" rock formations that resembled everything from a camel to a cowboy, a hands-on visit to an artisan pottery shop in Avanos, a photo-op near Uchisar Citadel, a delicious clay-pot kebap meal for lunch, and finally a visit to the UNESCO heritage site at Goreme where stunning Christian frescos are preserved inside rock-cut churches.

The Camel Chimney

 Visit to an Artisan Pottery Workshop

"Evil Eye" Talisman on a Tree Overlooking Uchisar

Goreme

DAY 8: Travel Hell

Because air travel, lengthy layovers, cross-country bus rides, and public transit are just the bees knees, let's put them all together into a 32 hour super duper awesome travel marathon! First, we were thrilled to repeat our 13 hour overnight bus journey from Urgup to Istanbul. Next, we rode the metro to Ataturk airport, where we were forced to wait for 7 hours until our flight was scheduled to depart. Then, guess what? 2 hour delay! Yay! Next, we took a 3 hour flight to Amman and waited 3 hours in Queen Alia airport. While we were waiting, I did manage to capture this pretty cool photo of the sunset, though :)

Finally, we took a 2 hour flight to Dubai, spent an hour at the airport going through passport control and getting our luggage, and then took a cab ride home, arriving at AUS just after 2AM. WHEW. Talk about an exhausting two days. Would I plan such a return trip again? Nooooope. But was it worth it? Hell yeah! I had the time of my life touring Turkey avec mes amis, and I can't wait to return someday to see even more of the country.

I'll leave you with a group pic of myself and my travel companions, aka "The Fantastic Four." As always, thanks for reading! مع السلامة

 ~MH

Sojourn in the Sultanate

Ahlan!

Fasten your seatbelts, 'cause you're about to be transported to a little-known gem of the Middle East: سلطنة عُمان (The Sultanate of Oman) ...

Located on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula, Oman is a country with strategic geographical importance, a rich history, a vibrant culture, and stunning natural scenery. Yesterday, I had the unique opportunity to experience each of these aspects through a day-long excursion by dhow (a traditional Arab boat) along a fjord in Musandam, a small enclave in the north next to the Strait of Hormuz bordered by the UAE, the Persian Gulf, and the Gulf of Oman. In the map above, Musandam is denoted by the red circle; for our trip, we entered Oman by way of Ras al Khaimah and then continued on by bus for about an hour to the district of Khasab, dubbed the "Norway of Arabia". The image below (from Wikipedia) shows a section of the road between RaK and Khasab. Note the interesting geology, a result of the Arabian Plate slowly pushing under the Eurasian Plate. You'll see more examples of the unique rock formations later on in this post.

With its winding curves and scenic vistas, the drive was evocative of the Pacific Coast Highway along the California coast--minus the greenery of course. For the car enthusiasts out there, the elevation changes and winding curves would be the perfect companion to a tuned Lotus or Mitsubishi Lancer EVO. A guy can dream ... ;)

We arrived at our destination, a small fishing village at the mouth of a fjord, at around 10am, 30 minutes before our boat trip was scheduled to begin, giving us some time to take in the sights, get fitted for our snorkel gear, and take a quick cat nap amongst the embroidered cushions lining the deck of the dhow. The images below show what a typical dhow looks like from the inside and outside. On the way to the islands for snorkeling, we played cards and relaxed on the lower deck, but on the return voyage, myself and the other students took over the spacious top deck where we sunbathed and took Titanic parody photos :)

As I mentioned earlier, Musandam has some pretty neat geology, thanks to plate tectonics, wind, and waves. Here are a couple more photos that highlight the landscape:

During our cruise up the fjord, we also had the opportunity to witness a different side of nature's majesty: a pod of bottlenose dolphins frolicking alongside the boats. On the return trip, we even saw a baby dolphin swimming next to its mother! Unfortunately, I didn't have my phone or camera with me to record the moment myself, but here's a YouTube clip (from user SuperBetocan) that shows these magnificent, playful creatures racing a dhow in the fjord:

 

Seeing dolphins was pretty awesome, but the real highlight of the trip for me was when we stopped at a place called Telegraph Island to have a delicious lunch (Arabic Chicken Masala with rice, hummus, tea, and flatbread) and swim/snorkel amongst schools of tropical fish and rock formations populated with an abundance of sea urchins. The water was clear and a pleasant temperature, and we enjoyed hearing our guide tell how the British used to operate a military telegraph outpost on this remote slab of rock. Today, all that remains of the outpost are the original stone stairs and a few segments of crumbling walls, but it was still a sight to behold.

On the return portion of our boating adventure, our guide gave us some more interesting tidbits of history. For instance, we passed by a few tiny fishing villages carved into the coastline that used to be occupied by pirates. While the newer buildings had white walls to reflect the harsh rays of the sun--temperatures can reach over 50 Celsius (122F) here in the summer months--older structures were built from sand stone to blend into the surrounding landscape, enabling their former inhabitants to camouflage themselves and their illicit activities from the prying eyes of authority. Hearing these stories of pirates of old was very interesting, but what was even more fascinating was learning that even today, Musandam boasts a very active smuggling trade with neighboring Iran, a result of the sanctions placed upon the latter by the United States. The following paragraph, sourced from Wikipedia, does a good job explaining this thriving subversive economy:

"Iranians import sheep and goats into the local port, from where the animals are dispatched to the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in trucks. On their return trip to the Islamic Republic, the sailors load their boats up with electronic goods and American cigarettes, arriving in Khasab after sunrise and leave before sunset to conform with Omani immigration laws. Since the trading is illegal under Iranian law, they must avoid the Islamic Republic's coastguard as well as all other shipping in the busy waters of the Strait of Hormuz. The crossing is hazardous since the vessels, piled high either with livestock or with numerous boxes must avoid the path of the scores of oil-tankers which pass through the Strait in a transverse direction daily. Recent increases of United States sanctions against Iran have increased the amount of smuggling done through Khasab."

As we returned to port, our guide pointed out a selection of dhows tied to one another near the docks that had been seized by authorities due to their use in smuggling activities.

Well, that's about it for my day-trip to Musandam, Oman. I hope you've enjoyed learning a little about this unique region, and perhaps one day you'll be able to experience it all for yourself. I highly recommend it! As for me, I've got some homework to catch up on and a sunburn to sooth, but I'm definitely going to look into planning another excursion to Oman in the future--maybe an overnight camping trip, or maybe even a visit to Muscat!

Shukran! Ma'asalaama :)

~MH

Going Global: Part 2

Marhaban! Welcome to the second of my two Global Day-themed posts :)

As an amateur chef and lover of all things food, my experience at Global Day was akin to Christmas morning for a child. The majority of the pavilions had traditional snacks, sweets, and sips available for free or for a small donation, and by the end of the two-day event I was quite the full and happy person. They say gluttony is a sin, however, so as penance for my misdeeds, here are a few recipes for a selection of the various world cuisines I had the opportunity to taste last week. Bon appétit!


Egyptian Kushari

Recipe Source 


Ingredients:

Ø 2 large chopped onions

Ø  4 cloves of minced garlic

Ø  ¾ cup olive or vegetable oil

Ø  ¾ cup uncooked long grain rice

Ø  ¼ tsp red pepper

Ø  1 tsp cumin

Ø  1 can of tomato sauce

Ø  ¾ cup brown lentils

Ø  4 cups water

Ø  1  cup elbow macaroni

Ø  ½ cup white vinegar

Ø  1 cup of boiled chickpeas

Directions:

•  In a large saucepan, put the lentils in water and bring it to a boil.
•  Simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes then drain.
• Add new water to the lentils and then add the rice.
• Continue to simmer for 20 minutes more or until rice gets tender.
• Fill a separate saucepan with water, add a little bit of salt and bring to a boil.
• Add the macaroni to the boiling water and cook until it gets tender, then drain.
• Put some of the vegetable/Olive oil and heat it up in a pan then add the garlic and simmer until its color starts fading.
• Add the vinegar to garlic and bring it to boil.
• After the vinegar boils with garlic, add the tomato sauce and some salt and pepper to taste, then add the cumin. Bring the mix to boil on high heat, then lower heat after it boils.
• Put the rest of the oil, should be plenty, in another skillet and heat it up, then add the chopped slice onions and stir until it is brownish. Take it out of the oil and leave it aside.
• Take a little bit of the oil used with the onions and out it on the macaroni and stir it until the macaroni gets the onions flavor.

Serving:

To serve it like an Egyptian; here is how to do so.

(Please keep in mind that you can always mix all the layers)

•          Put a layer of rice and lentils.
•          A layer of macaroni.
•          A layer of the special sauce.
•          A layer of the boiled chickpeas.
•         A layer of fried onions.

 

Awamat (Lebanese Donuts)

Recipe Source 

Ingredients: Donuts: 2 cups Flour 1 cup Plain Yogurt 1/4 teasp Yeast 1/4 teasp Salt Oil for deep frying Syrup: 1 1/2 cup of white sugar 1 cup water 1 teasp lemon juice Directions: Dissolve yeast in a little warm water. Add yogurt, flour and salt and mix well with electric mixer until thick and creamy. Put mixture aside and let rise about 45 minutes. Heat oil well and drop mixture by teaspoonful. Take out of oil when golden brown and drain on paper towels. Making the syrip: Put sugar, lemon juice and water in a small pot and simmer for 5 minutes, then leave to cool 1 hour Drizzle with syrup on then donuts and serve.

Nigerian Zobo Drink

For this recipe, please watch the following short video. Enjoy!
 

South Indian Chicken Biryani

Recipe Source

Ingredients:

2 cups Basmati Rice
3/4 kg Chicken Pieces
1/2 cup Milk
1 cup Yogurt (curd)
3 sliced onion
1 tsp Ginger Paste
1/2 tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Green Chilli Paste
1/2 cup Tomato Puree
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
1/2 tsp Green Cardamom Powder
Saffron a pinch
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tbsp Green Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
7 tbsp Oil

 

Directions:

• Mix tomato puree, yogurt, ginger garlic paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, coriander powder and salt. Stir well.
• Marinate the chicken with this mixture and keep aside for 3-4 hours.
• Heat oil in a pan. Fry the onions until golden brown.
• Add the marinated chicken and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add 4 cups of water to the rice. Mix saffron in milk and add to it.
• Add cardamom powder. Add the chicken pieces.
• Pressure cook the rice. Mix gently.
• Garnish with green coriander leaves and serve hot. 

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~MH

Going Global: Part 1

Ahlan!

It's been a while since my last post, and for that I apologize. Midterms are a harsh mistress. To make up for it, I'm going to take a page out of Billy Mays' playbook and give you two posts for the price of one! And just this once, I'll even toss out the usual S&H charge ;) But I digress ...

Last week, I had the unique opportunity to visit four continents in just two days. And I'm not even jet-lagged. In fact, I never left campus. Enter Global Day.

 
Each spring, over 5000 students, representing 84 distinct nationalities, turn AUS's marble-clad main plaza into a global village of sorts, complete with intricately decorated pavilions and samples of traditional dishes and drinks. The displays take weeks to plan and construct, and the end result is quite spectacular. But that's not all. Global Day also includes an evening program in which campus cultural clubs perform songs and dances that embody the spirit and traditions of their heritage. This year marked the 15th installment of the beloved festival and showcased 30 countries, including the UAE, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Armenia, Pakistan, Lebanon, Bangladesh, Palestine, Libya, India, Sudan, Russia, and Egypt, among others.

Words really don't do this event justice, and even photographs feel hollow, lacking the full spectrum of sights, sounds, and smells that I took in while wandering through the pavilions and watching the performances. Nonetheless, here are some of the highlights of my Global Day 2013 experience, complete with pictures. Enjoy!

Iraq

A replica ziggurat complete with a fountain (a temple built by ancient Mesopotamian civilizations) was the highlight of the Iraqi pavilion.

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi cultural club presented a traditional sword dance for the evening show (shown above), and their pavilion had samples of Arabic sweets, free copies of the Qur'an, and a booth where visitors could try on the local head scarf in addition to displays featuring Saudi arts and crafts. Rumor has it that one of the Saudi princes was a part of the performance ...

Syria

The Syrian pavilion (my personal favorite, design-wise).

Yemen

The Yemeni pavilion offered jewelry and trinkets for sale, and the hosts all wore traditional dress complete with Janbiyas (the curved daggers seen in the back of the above photo).

Somalia

While the decorations were cool, the best part of the Somali pavilion (other than saying hi to my Somali friend Rukia of course!) was the tea. I don't know what they put in this stuff (though Rukia has offered to make some for me in the future) but it tastes and smells absolutely amazing. There's a subtle hint of cinnamon to offset the herbal complexity, and if you truly want to appreciate the sensory experience, a single cup just won't suffice :)

Japan

I can't remember what these sausage-filled dumplings are called (they're similar to Gyoza but aren't made with wonton wrappers), but the chef at the Japanese pavilion had them down to a science. My taste buds left the booth of the Rising Sun quite happy. If I track down a recipe, I'll be sure to share it with you all!

EDIT: Google has informed me that the Japanese snack pictured above is called takoyaki.

India

The Indian pavilion sold biryani and fresh fruit juices and also offered free henna tattoos while you listened to a performance of traditional music, seen above. Good food, and good entertainment? Count me in!

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I could go on and on about each of the 30 countries represented at Global Day, but in the interest of brevity, I'll spare you. If you want to see more pictures from the event, check out my photo album on facebook. That said, I promised you a 2 for 1 post, so head on over to "Going Global: Part 2" for more reflections on Global Day, this time with an emphasis on the culinary arts. If you aren't hungry now, you will be soon ... It's RECIPE TIME!

~MH

Liquid Love

 أهلاً و سهلاً!

In previous posts, I promised I'd get around to writing about some of the various beverages and dishes that form the backbone of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region's culinary and cultural tradition. To squeeze everything into a single post would be quite tedious, however, so I've decided to start by introducing you all to the various beverages you can find throughout the UAE and its regional neighbors. In later posts, I'll write about the many different cuisines one can find in the Emirates in addition to sharing some recipes so you can taste the magic for yourselves :)

So ... beverages. Where to begin? Well, in a country where temperatures average 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and can reach 130F in the midst of the summer months, one might guess that ice cold drinks are the preferred antidote to the harsh rays of the equatorial sun. However, you might be surprised to know that several unique hot beverages are actually what many consider to have the most cultural significance from a historical perspective. With this in mind, I present to you the two hot drinks that are most commonly associated with Arabic/Middle Eastern culture: Coffee & Tea.

(Don't worry, I'll share some of my favorite local cold beverages at the end of this post as well!)

قهوة Qahwah (Coffee)

If you're a caffeine junkie like me, you might be familiar with the term "Arabica" as a designation for a certain species of coffee bean that is prized 'round the world for its distinct flavor profile. From this name, you might deduce that coffee is a very important part of Arabic culture. And you would be correct in that assumption. In fact, coffea arabica, which originated in Ethiopia, has been cultivated in Arabia for over 1,000 years. Today, each country has its own take on the classic beverage, but in most places there are two distinct preparations that reign supreme. And just so you know, if your idea of coffee is a triple shot skinny grande white chocolate mocha from that corporate giant hipsters love to hate, prepare to have your world shattered ;)

Arabic (Saudi) Coffee

As you can see from the picture above, Saudi-style coffee is much lighter in color than the coffee most people are used to seeing. This is because Arabic coffee comes from beans that are roasted very lightly, giving the liquid a unique flavor profile as well as its hallmark caramel appearance. But what makes this drink so divine, in my opinion, is that spices (almost always cardamom, but sometimes saffron, cloves and/or cinnamon) are added to the steaming hot liquid before it it served. Another factor that makes this drink so unique is how it is traditionally served. If you visit an Arabic home, you will most likely be welcomed with coffee and dates. The coffee will be served by the host from an ornate pitcher, and you will receive a tiny cup full of the aromatic liquid, which you should hold in your right hand according to custom. After you finish, the host will refill your cup, and will continue in this fashion until you shake the cup from side to side to signal that you've had enough. Pretty neat, eh?

Turkish Coffee (Kahve)

The above image illustrates the second major type of coffee in the Middle East: Turkish style. Compared to Arabic coffee, Turkish coffee is much more "intense." Its flavor and texture result from the process by which it is brewed. Dark roasted beans are finely ground then boiled in a pot with a little bit of sugar. The dark, robust liquid is then served into a small teacup, and the grounds are allowed to settle to the bottom (unlike the coffee we make, which is filtered before serving). The presence of the grounds gives the drink an amazing level of boldness and a heavier mouthfeel, which I absolutely love.

شاي Chai (Tea)

Due to its proximity to tea-producing regions of the world as well as its heritage of British influence, tea is nearly as ubiquitous as coffee in the MENA region. It comes in all sorts of varieties, from minty Moroccan to bitter black, English Breakfast, and Earl Grey, but the most famous (at least in the UAE) is a concoction called Chai Karak (shown above). I've never been much of a tea drinker before, but after trying this beverage, I'm hooked. In fact, I'm fairly certain my veins are like 90% karak at the moment ...

Although karak is best experienced through the mouth rather than by reading words on a computer screen, this article does a good job of explaining the beverage phenomenon. And it even includes a recipe (which I've re-posted here for your convenience) so you can make your own!

1. Combine a teaspoon of loose black tea and crushed cardamom with a cup of boiling water and boil for a couple of minutes.
2. Remove from the heat; add milk till the tea becomes a creamy brown colour and sugar to your taste.*
3. Place back on the heat and boil for a further two minutes.
4. Serve hot!

*Note: Some recipes use sweet condensed milk instead of regular milk and sugar to get an even richer taste. To intensify flavor, you can add a few saffron threads, ginger or any other of your favorite spices.

Cold Beverages

Walk into almost any restaurant in the UAE and you'll likely find a wide selection of juices on the drink menu, made from all sorts of familiar as well as exotic fruits. Pomegranate, mango, guava, strawberry, passion fruit, lime, lemon ... even avocado! In addition to the large selection of flavors, what makes these juices special is that they're blended and served fresh. As a result, they have a lovely creamy texture due to the pulp that remains. And, on top of the freshness, you can ask for a ton of combinations, from the familiar (e.g. strawberry/mango) to the bizarre (e.g. avocado/lime). Among all of these juices, my personal favorite is lemonade blended with fresh mint. On a hot day, you simply can't beat this ice cold refreshment. As you can see from the picture below, the green color is unmistakable, and I should also mention that it just so happens to pair nicely with the local cuisine (lamb + mint anyone?).

Well, that's it for this post. I apologize for any thirstiness or cravings that may have resulted from reading. And speaking of cravings ... I just might go get myself a steaming hot cup of karak from my favorite place down the street this very instant ...

~MH