Three ladies went home Dh3,500 richer and the audience went home with a greater appreciation of the UAE's traditional food on Saturday night as the first day of the Traditional Cooking Competition organised by the Dubai Summer Surprises office came to an end.
Sponsored by and held at the Bin Souqat Centre in Rashidiya, the Traditional Cooking Competition is being held over five days until Wednesday, with each day focusing on a different main dish or dessert. The focus of the first day was harees, a paste-like delicacy of beaten meat and wheat that takes considerable time to prepare.
Maitha Gobash, supervisor of the competition, said that more than 20 women from around the GCC entered Saturday's competition and displayed a lot of creativity and flair in presenting their dishes.
Winners
A five-member judging panel from the Dubai Summer Surprises Office critiqued all the entries for their taste, presentation, decoration and quality of ingredients. Three winners were chosen from the group.
Amnah Al Shirawi received a Dh2,000 voucher, Fatehia Hassan got a Dh1,000 voucher and Salma Saeed Al Ameri received a Dh500 voucher, all from Bin Souqat Centre. Other participants got token prizes from the mall.
Hamad Bin Souqat, owner of the Bin Souqat Centre; Saeed Al Naboudah, Chief Executive Officer of DSS and other officials presented the awards on a stage built for the contest.
"We had very good attendance on the first night, and we are sure this will only increase as the week progresses," Gobash said. "Everyone was eager to know the results, not only the competitors but the audience. After the judging, the dishes were distributed to members of the public who wished to try some."
Skilled cook
Amnah Al Shirawi, who came first, had participated in the traditional cooking competition last year and has long been recognised as a skilled cook. Fatehia Hassan, who came second, said her entry had been prepared by her mother, but she was encouraged by the success and hopes to follow in her mother's footsteps.
Her serving platter, elaborately decorated with a mini-camel figurine, woven palm fronds and replicas of palm trees, received high praise from judges.
Salma Saeed Al Ameri, who came third and won in last year's traditional cooking competition, credited her mother for teaching her how to cook, and said she was very pleased to see so many people of different cultures taking an interest in the competition. She also thanked DSS organisers for giving her an opportunity to show her skill.
The competition continued last night with a focus on Aseeda a sweet dish made from semolina, saffron and sugar. On Monday, the focus will be Balaleet a dessert made with vermicelli, sugar, saffron and eggs.
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