What to eat Qatar? culinary specialties and gastronomy

Although Qatar's climate is overall extremely hot and arid, with little arable land, local farmers have always managed to grow crops near oases. One thinks of course of the date palm, the only agricultural plant growing naturally in the region, but also of cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers, onions, carrots, etc. This agriculture was strongly modernized at the end of the 20th century, with a systematic use of desalinated water. Rice, very common in Qatar, is of course imported. As for meat, goat, sheep and poultry - more rarely beef - are on the menu, without forgetting fish, seafood and various game. The dromedary is rarely touched, as it provides milk, hair for weaving, combustible excrement and a means of transport in the desert. The milk of the camels is very appreciated and is used to make many products (yoghurt, ice cream, butter, etc.). Ghee, or clarified butter, is also widely consumed.

Qatari cuisine makes generous use of spices although it is not very spicy. Among the most common mixtures is bizar a'shuwa, which includes black pepper, coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves, dried ginger, cardamom, red pepper and turmeric. Daqoos

is both a mixture of spices and a tomato puree flavored with the same spices, namely cracked wheat, cumin, toasted and ground sesame seeds, coriander seeds, red chili, garlic cloves and salt.

Islam plays a central role in the daily life of Qataris. The Qur'an is very strict about "haram" foods, such as pork and alcohol, although these products can be found in specialty stores and hotels. In addition, all meat consumed by locals must be halal (ritually slaughtered). Also noteworthy is the traditional eating with the right hand.

The date of Ramadan, the month of fasting, depends on the lunar calendar and changes every year. During the month of Ramadan, every healthy Muslim is expected to fast from sunrise to sunset.

This policy is much more flexible for non-Muslims and it is possible to eat without any problem during the day, especially in large establishments. However, do not hesitate to go off the beaten track to taste the delicious Qatari street food

in the street stalls and restaurants of the souks that can be found in the old quarter of Doha for example. The structure of meals is quite flexible in Qatar, compared to France. The hours and composition of the menus can also be more variable than our typical starter-main course-dessert. With the oil boom that Qatar experienced from the 1960s onwards, the country developed rapidly from a poor society, whose main activity was fishing and pearl trading, to one of the richest countries in the world. This sudden enrichment in one or two generations has driven Qataris to consume in a frenzy, and this of course includes food, which must be abundant and ubiquitous. This trend, coupled with a naturally rich cuisine and an immoderate taste for sugar, has popularized overflowing food tables and buffets, but has made Qatar one of the most obese countries in the world, with 35% of Qataris suffering from obesity (at the same level as the US). Programs in partnership with the Al Jazeera channel have been launched to teach children and parents the basics of healthier eating.

Many dishes common in the Persian Gulf are found in Qatar, known by specific names. One example is machbūs, known as kabsa in Saudi Arabia, where it is the national dish. This very tasty complete dish consists of a spicy rice base filled with vegetables and meat (chicken, mutton or lamb) with dried fruits, which is not unlike biryani, from South Asia. We can also find the ghoozi or quzi, a dish probably originating from Iraq, composed of lamb sometimes whole, sometimes cut up, served on a bed of spicy rice with lots of raisins, almonds and pine nuts. This dish is sometimes called shuwaa. Kousa mahshi

is zucchini stuffed with minced meat.

The khobz rougag occupies an important place. This flatbread made of flour, water and salt is also used in other dishes such as thareed, a stew of meat or poultry with vegetables, which is simmered in a broth. It is then placed on a bed of bread, which soaks up the broth. Khobz rougag is also used in the preparation of the famous shawarma

, filled with strips of marinated and grilled lamb or chicken, lettuce, tomato and onion.

Madrubah is a spicy Qatari porridge made with rice - deliberately overcooked - chicken and a host of spices: turmeric, cumin, cardamom, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, garlic and black pepper. It is usually served hot and is not unlike harees. The latter, common during Ramadan, is made of ground wheat grains mixed with ghee, which is cooked for a long time to give the dish a porridge-like

texture. It is garnished with meat or poultry.

However, it is difficult to give a complete picture of Qatari cuisine without mentioning the fact that Qatar has become one of the most prosperous countries in the world in just a few decades, attracting people from all over the world to work in various sectors. As many as 80% of Qatar's inhabitants are non-citizens and come from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, as well as from Africa, the Middle East and, to a lesser extent, Europe.

As a result, the culinary offerings in Qatar go far beyond the Persian Gulf cuisine, and there is of course a significant presence of specialties from South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka), such as biryani, chapatis, naans, tandoori, samoussas

and various curry recipes. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Filipino and Indonesian restaurants are also common. A multitude of establishments - rather upscale - offer of course European cuisine, especially French and Italian. Iranian cuisine is also popular, known for its meat and vegetable dishes, richly seasoned with fresh herbs, saffron, pomegranate juice, and garnished with dried fruits and rice. The penetration of Levantine cuisine (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine) is strong in Qatar and it is common to find hummus (chickpea puree with tahini or sesame cream), tabbouleh (salad of chopped parsley and mint with green onion, tabbouleh (a salad of chopped parsley and mint with green onion, tomato and a little semolina, very different from our industrial "tabbouleh"), labne (very thick yogurt served with a drizzle of olive oil) or moutabal (grilled eggplant puree with tahini and yogurt, or without yogurt, which becomes baba ganoush) These dishes are called mezzes in Arabic, which means "appetizers".

The most common sweets in Qatar are typical of the Middle East, with an abundance of syrup, honey, almonds, pistachios, rose water and orange blossom water. For example, luqaimat, small ball-shaped doughnuts flavored with saffron and cardamom, are soaked in a honey syrup, sometimes with a touch of cinnamon. The khabees is a porridge made of roasted flour mixed with sugar, oil, butter, saffron, cardamom and rose water.Assida is a sweet pudding made of flour, oil and sugar, originally from the Maghreb but very popular in Qatar. It is often served with a drizzle of rub and date syrup. Very surprisingly, balaleet

is a dessert of sweet noodles, flavored with cinnamon, saffron and cardamom, topped with a sweet omelet. It is commonly served for Eid el-Fitr, at the end of Ramadan.

Arabian coffee or kahwa is THE national drink. Always flavored with a hint of spices (usually cardamom or saffron), kahwa

is served black and without sugar, accompanied by a few dates to reduce its bitterness. It is the drink that Qataris systematically offer to their guests, as a sign of respect and welcome, and this offer is always accompanied by a ritual that must be respected. In general, local politeness demands that one drinks three - small - cups of coffee. One shakes one's cup slightly when one does not want any more.

Tea is an Anglo-Indian heritage and is quite important in the Arab culture and is therefore consumed regularly in Qatar. Karak, also known as "milk tea", is reminiscent of chai latte

but stronger. This richly spiced mixture contains cardamom, saffron and sugar, which is simmered with the tea and evaporated milk.

Like their neighbors in the Persian Gulf, Qataris love fresh juice, which is consumed day and night. Indeed, fruits, imported by plane from India, Africa or California, are common here. However, we find this love for sweetness with an abundance of sodas. However, try without hesitation the excellent mint lemonade, limonana, from " limon " and " nana

", lemon and mint in Arabic, democratized by Lebanese restaurants and becoming very popular in the Middle East. Strictly forbidden to Muslims, alcoholic beverages are increasingly available in 4-star restaurants and in almost all 5-star restaurants and sports bars. For reasons related to their location or the owner's choice, some bars in large hotels are " dry bars ", i.e. without alcohol. Make sure you find out in advance to avoid disappointment.