United Arab Emirates – Manakish

Introduction

Manakish is the local cuisine of the United Arab Emirates. People here like to eat this dish as it is a tasty as well as a delicious dish. Manakish is a kind of flatbread that contains many nutritional facts. You can add any kind of vegetables, chicken, cheese, and your choice of spices on the top of it. It is also known as Manoush and Manakish in other countries. This dish is baked in the oven and it has a topping just like pizza. You can decorate it with your own choice. Manakish has become one of the tastiest and important cuisines of Lebanese. The topping of this dish is very important for the taste and deliciousness of this dish. As I have said earlier that it’s up to you, how you decorate the topping and which ingredients you are using in its topping. Some people use minced lamb, mutton, and beef but I suggest you follow the ingredients given below and follow the steps which I have written and your delicious dish will be ready. This dish is easy to make. Anyone can make this dish at home, You just have to follow some steps which are as follows and your delicious Manakish is ready to eat.

Origin of this dish

This dish is originated from Levant and other neighboring countries of Levant. It is also found in centers of Levantine emigration.

History and culture

Talking about the history of this dish, let me tell you that it is a historical dish and it has a great significance in the history. In order to make bread people in the past would make stone wheels and crush wheat into flour. In the past women made the dough in the morning and baked it in an oven. They make some small portions of the dough and then for the topping they use eggs and cheese to give to the family for breakfast.

Traditional Dish

Talking about the Traditionality of this dish , this dish is tasty and traditional. As we know that in past women bake dough in a communal oven, the motive for this baking was to provide their family with basic daily needs of the bread, they prepare the dough with different kinds of toppings for breakfast. As the people in the past would like to eat this dish in breakfast. Many traditional restaurants in United Arab Emirates offer this dish which shows that it has a great traditional significance.

Ingredients

• (Instant yeast) 2 tsp
• (Sugar) 1 & ½ tbs
• (Sesame seeds) 2 tbs
• (Salt) 1/4 tsp or to taste
• (Black pepper powder) ½ tsp
• Sumac powder 3 tbs
• Dried thyme 2 & ½ tbs
• Dried oregano 2 & ½ tbs
• (All-purpose flour) sifted 3-4 tbs or as required
• Olive oil ½ Cup
• (Lukewarm water) 1 Cup
• (Salt) ½ tsp or to taste
• Olive oil 1 & ½ tbs
• (All-purpose flour) sifted 2 Cups

Steps to make

• First of all, take a frying pan and in that frying pan, add 2 tbsp sesame seeds in it and roast it until it becomes fragrant.
• After that take a mortal & pestle, add roasted sesame seeds in it and crush it coarsely.

• Now take a bowl and, add coarsely grounded sesame seeds, 3 tbsp sumac powder, 2 & ½ tbs dried thyme, 2 & ½ tbs dried oregano, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, and 1/2 cup olive oil, in it and mix it well and set aside.

• Now take a small jug, and add 1 cup lukewarm water, 2 tsp instant yeast, 1 & ½ sugar in it then mix it well cover it and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

• Now take a bowl, and add 2 & ½ all-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 & ½ olive oil in it and mix well.
• Now add a mixture of yeast in it, then mix it well and knead it until the dough is formed.

• After kneading it now grease the dough with olive oil then cover it, and let it rest for at least 1 hour.
• Now sprinkle some flour on it and, knead it again, and then divide that dough into 4 parts.

• Make a ball of one part of the dough, and roll it out with the help of a rolling pin just like how you make chapati.
• After rolling it now place it on a baking tray that is greased already then make holes in it with the help of a fork.

• After all, these steps now spread the above-prepared sesame seeds mixture on its surface.

• And after applying the mixture on its surface now bake it in a preheated oven for 6-8 minutes at 180 C.

• Your delicious Manakish is ready to eat, cut it in slices and serve it.

Time required

Cooking time: For cooking it requires only 20 minutes. As it is cooked in oven so it does not take much time.

Preparation Time: It requires 40 minutes for the preparation of this dish. You just need to follow the above steps and it won’t take much time for its preparation.

Additional Information

Taste: It has a normal taste. Not much spicy, yet it is delicious in taste.

Cooking level: Its cooking level is moderate. Not much difficult.

Servings: 3-4 People.