The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Saudi Foods. If you manage to be in an Saudi restaurant or you are visiting Saudi Arabia, I recommend the following:
1. Martabak
Martabak is a stuffed and fried pancake similar to roti that is often served as a popular street food in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Indonesia and Malaysia. Although fillings can vary, some of the most popular include ground meat, eggs, garlic, onions, peppers, curry and ghee. Fresh herbs such as coriander and mint are often used for additional flavour. Today, when martabak is not served fresh at street stalls, it can be found in numerous shops in its finished form, while sweet varieties called martabak manis are especially popular, filled with chocolate, peanuts and sugar.
2. Shawarma
Shawarma is one of those dishes that are eaten with pleasure in countries with different gastronomic traditions, whether to eat on the go or to enjoy seated, with the calm of a leisurely tourist or the routine of an office worker at break time. Basically, it is a meat sandwich in pita or Arabic bread, which can be served stuffed or as a roll. As for the meat, it can be goat, lamb, turkey, chicken and the most classic, which is beef. It is a very complete and balanced food as it contains wheat through the flour, meat, vegetables and dairy products through the sauce.
3. Kabsah
It is made from rice with chicken. What makes kabsa special is the many flavours you taste in one bite. There are many variations of kabsa, but all of them allow you to feel the different textures of the rice with it. It usually has sultanas, onions, ginger, raw almonds and chicken. When it comes to spices, typical Saudi Arabian dishes may include black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves or dried lemons. When you try it, you may find tomatoes, carrots, bay leaves and even chopped celery. In any case, you won’t regret trying this culinary wonder.
4. Ma'amoul
Ma’amoul is an ancient biscuit filled with fruits and nuts such as dates, walnuts and pistachios. The biscuits are traditionally made for Easter, festivals and celebrations, and are usually shaped like balls or domes. To differentiate the biscuits, the nut version is usually dome-shaped with a round top, date ma’amoul are dome-shaped with a flat top, while pistachio ma’amoul have an elongated, oval shape. It is not uncommon for the biscuits to be coated with icing sugar for extra sweetness, and they are often served with coffee or tea.
5. Jalamah
Jalamah is traditionally lamb prepared in the Asir region of Saudi Arabia. It consists of several pieces of very young lamb cooked with butter, onion and a mixture of Arabic spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, coriander and black pepper. This dish is usually served with rice or bread to soak up the delicious sauce. This speciality is usually prepared on festive occasions such as Eid.
6. Jereesh
This dish is one of the oldest in Saudi Arabia. And it has been favoured by the people of Saudi Arabia for hundreds of years. The ingredients of this dish are boiled bulgur, rice, onion, vegetables or broth. The heavenly taste of this dish is truly unforgettable. It is also a popular dish during Ramadan.
7. Saleeg
Saleeg is a traditional Saudi Arabian rice dish consisting of creamy, porridge-like short-grain rice and grilled meat. Chicken is the most common meat and is usually boiled in water with spices before roasting. This dish uses a combination of the broth in which the meat has been cooking, hot water and a tear of optional mastic to boil the rice. The boiled rice is combined with milk and lard or butter and cooked to the desired consistency.
8. Harees
It is also called jareesh, areesa and Harissa, depending on the country of origin. Harees is a wheat-based preparation mixed with ground meat and cooked to the consistency of porridge. Wheat is the most common ingredient that must be soaked the day before cooking. The meat is often lamb or chicken, but there are varieties that use lamb that is cooked on the bone and then the boneless pieces are mashed into a mashed meat and mixed into the meal.
9. Arekah
This easy-to-prepare dish consists of a liquid dough that is grilled on a sheet of iron, then served on a plate, with butter and honey poured in the middle and seasoned with dates around the edges.
10. Hininy
Hininy is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish consisting of dates, butter and wholemeal bread. The whole mixture is then seasoned with spices such as saffron and cardamom. This dish is a specialty of Najd and is usually prepared in winter. This is a very traditional sweet dish; the best part is saffron, a medicinal plant with important effects on the body.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional Asian Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.