The Saudi Culinary Arts Commission announced on Wednesday that it has chosen jareesh as the national dish of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and maqshush as the country's national dessert, "in honour and celebration" of these dishes that are intrinsic to Saudi households and paying ode to authentic Saudi cuisine.
The selection of jareesh reflects its popularity since ancient times, the ministry said, as references to the dish have been made in Arabic heritage books over centuries. The process of making jareesh traditionally involves grinding wheat by hand, using a coarse mill.
Maqshush is a dessert typically served for breakfast in Saudi households, and comprises wheat flour, ghee and honey or sugar.
In addition to their popularity, authenticity of flavours and significance in Saudi culture, jareesh and maqshush were chosen for their ease of preparation and widespread availability of ingredients.
The announcement is part of the continuing National & Regional Dishes Narratives initiative, which seeks to identify and celebrate popular local dishes in Saudi culture.
The drive, which is part of the collective effort of the Culinary Arts Commission and the Saudi Ministry of Culture to showcase the country's culture, will continue to research and identify the dishes that best represent the 13 regions of the kingdom. The additional dishes will be announced later this year.
The Culinary Arts Commission aims to "celebrate the dishes regionally and internationally, document their recipes for posterity, and highlight them through competitive programmes and incentives to raise awareness around key ingredients of each dish".
Saudi and other Arab chefs often add their own twists to the dishes, which are popular in both homes and restaurants across the kingdom and the region at large. For instance, Douha Al Otaishan, Saudi Arabia's first female head chef, makes jareesh with red crushed wheat and says it's a dish most popular among her patrons.
She even cooked jareesh in the style of Saudi Arabia's Najd region for more than 500 delegates at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2018, under the theme "Saudi voyage".
Meanwhile, experimental Bahraini chef Tala Bashmi serves a shrimp jareesh with orange butter sauce at Fusions by Tala in Manama.
Blonde
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Race card
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
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The Details
Kabir Singh
Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series
Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga
Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa
Rating: 2.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
MATCH INFO
Watford 2 (Sarr 50', Deeney 54' pen)
Manchester United 0
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
More from Aya Iskandarani
The biog
Favourite book: You Are the Placebo – Making your mind matter, by Dr Joe Dispenza
Hobby: Running and watching Welsh rugby
Travel destination: Cyprus in the summer
Life goals: To be an aspirational and passionate University educator, enjoy life, be healthy and be the best dad possible.
Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
