The Expats’ Guide to Qatari Cuisine

A special blend

Spices are a staple of Qatari cuisine. The most popular spices are cardamom, cumin, cloves and saffron. Many families make their own spice blends to use in main dishes and drinks. In fact, Shams Al Qassabi, owner of Shay AlShomous Café, started her career by blending special spices for private clients from home. As Shams says, “Everyone has their own touch but the basics are the same. Some people like to add more or less spices or different types of vegetables.”

Of course, the Arabian Gulf provides Qatar with an abundance of seafood, so it’s no surprise that fish is a popular ingredient in Qatari cuisine. At the fish market on the Corniche, daily catches of fresh seafood can be seen arriving in little boats during the early morning. Many of the older generations still buy hammour, safi fish, blue swimmer crab and shark straight from the dock rather than supermarkets.

Qatar is also fortunate to have a long and propitious farming season. Some family farms are a cornucopia of homegrown delights, producing plenty of dates, honey, fresh herbs, vegetables and fruit. Lamb and other meats, such as camel, are purchased locally from farmers’ markets such as Al Mazrouah Yard.

During the winter months, some Qatari families may go out truffle hunting or picking indigenous plants. Noor Al Mazroie, a Qatari cuisine recipe developer, explains, “After the winter rain we all go searching for truffles, known as fagaa, from under the sand. You can see little pops on the surface of the earth and usually, you’ll find a truffle. White truffle is the most precious and most delicious!”

Family connections

The most important meal of the week is prepared after prayers on Fridays when extended family, including cousins, aunts and uncles, gather for a communal feast. Traditional meals include dishes such as machboos, which is served on a large platter with three or four other main dishes, including harees, hammour saloona, and safi fish, along with sweet rice and fresh, simple salads of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce dressed with lemon.

Of course, there is more to eating than just the food. Meals are also an important way of bringing families and loved ones together. Friday lunch is an important time for everyone, particularly family elders, to catch up on the news of the week. In Khaled Al Rayes’s family, this means no distractions like mobile phones during the family meal. His grandmother insisted on it. “When we arrived at her house, my grandma would hand around a basket to collect all mobile phones. No phone calls or text messages were to be made or answered,” he says.

Typically each family has its own unique and special recipe for dishes such as machboos. Some family recipes are secret and only to be passed on to the next generation. Isra Aljefairi, owner and founder of Al Manchab Restaurant says, “In our culture, we don’t write [down] the recipes. The women teach cooking to family members in the home and this tradition has stayed with us.”

Guests first

Steeped in Qatari heritage, food customs and etiquette reflect important social values, respect and beliefs. They also provide a framework for community relationships and social behaviour. At mealtimes, the guest is served first and must always be the first to eat. Traditionally a whole lamb is served on a bed of rice with a selection of simple salads and eaten with the right hand only—the fingers are used as a makeshift fork and food is scooped up into little tasty bite-sized morsels.

Qatari coffee, or qahwa, is a golden-hued blend of lightly roasted coffee beans, saffron and cardamom. Some families serve qahwa and dates to guests upon arrival, and it’s common for families to always have a pot brewing during the day. However, there is a special etiquette for pouring qahwa into the thimble-sized cups. Noor Al Mazroie remembers learning how to pour a proper cup of coffee: “When I was very young, my grandpa gave me a test one day. He asked me to pour the qahwa into a cup. I did as I was told, and then he looked at the amount and split the coffee into two cups, showing me that this was the right amount.” Qahwa cups must also be held in the right hand. When finished drinking, the cup must be shaken before returning to the owner, to indicate that no more coffee is wanted.

In Qatari homes, the guest is always treated with respect and it’s a sentiment shared by Isra Aljefairi: “Qatari hospitality is very welcoming… if you serve food to people it means that you love them.”

Past, present and future

As Qatar experiences rapid economic growth and social development, the taste buds of the nation are changing too. Isra says, “Our culture is moving so fast especially in the food industry. Our menu used to be purely traditional Qatari food. But my clientele has asked for a twist, so we have adapted our recipes. Now people want vegan and organic options. I wanted to create a concept that people would be proud of—Qatari food with a modern twist. I love my culture and I wanted to create a place with true Qatari hospitality and food.”

As Shams Al Qassabi says, “Our people try a lot of Western food, Chinese, Thai, you name it. But at the end of the day, something will always pull them to their roots. What’s better than traditional food? It’s home-made with love [and meant to be shared] with family.”

Where to eat

From home-style meals to five-star fusion, there are plenty of restaurants offering their take on traditional Qatari cuisine. Special thanks to Qatari foodies Khaled Al Rayes, Al Annod Al Thani, Ahmad J Al Hamadi and Fatma Al Tamimi for their recommendations. Check out their picks here:

Shay AlShomous

Traditional Qatari breakfast

Tucked away in the beautiful Al Bidda Boutique Hotel, Shams Al Qassabi’s café is a favourite of royals, visiting politicians and celebrities. The walls are proudly decorated with her personal photos of the rich and famous.

Try the balaleet, rogag, aseeda and margouga

Location: Al Bidda Boutique Hotel, Souq Waqif
Contact: 5551-5561, 7750-5048
Hours: Saturday to Friday 08:00–13:00 and 18:00–23:00, closed for Friday prayer (Timings are subject to change, so call ahead to confirm)

Popular Qatari Dishes

• Machboos: A popular family favourite, similar to Indian biryani, made from meat, rice and spices such as cardamom, cloves, turmeric and allspice. It is often topped with raisins, nuts or fried onions. Pickles or chilli may be used as an accompaniment
• Balaleet: This delicate and fragrant pasta dish is made from fine vermicelli noodles, sweetened with sugar and topped with an egg. Can be eaten for breakfast or dessert
• Harees: A thick and silky porridge made from soaked split wheat and meat, which is slowly cooked with butter and then ground together. It is commonly served during Ramadan
• Thareed: This stew is made with meat and vegetables and served on a bed of bread which soaks in the juices
• Saloona: A curried broth with tomato, meat and vegetables such as eggplant, carrots and potato. It is served with white rice
• Qahwa: Coffee made from lightly roasted coffee beans, saffron and cardamom
• Rogag: An unleavened, thin bread similar to a pancake, stuffed with a variety of ingredients including egg, vegetables or meat
• Aseeda: A porridge-style dish made from wheat or corn
• Margouga: Spicy meat and vegetable stew served atop Arabic bread
• Madrooba (or mathrooba): A creamy porridge-style dish made with meat, beans, butter and spice
• Karak: A strong, sweet, milky tea with hints of spice such as cardamom, similar to Indian chai