Thareed or tharid, also called Salona, is a tasty dish that is similar to a stew but with more flavour. Made up of meat, potatoes and vegetables plus Arabic spices. The dish has a rich Islamic history, as it was the favourite meal of Prophet Muhammad and is popular to serve for Iftar during Ramadan.
Although this is the Emirati-style version, many dishes are shared across the gulf with slightly different variations in terms of the spices or ingredients used. Thareed is also popular in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries.
This dish is such a good comfort food on colder nights and perfect for iftar. As it’s light enough for an empty stomach while still leaving you full for a long time. I’ve cooked it many times during Ramadan.
What kitchenware and utensils do I need?
You really don’t need many items to make Thareed. You’ll need the following:
- A large pot
- Heat-resistant spoon for stirring
- Knife
- Chopping board
- Food processor (if blending tomatoes yourself)
If you’re fed up with buying new pots or pans every few years, then I highly recommend to invest in a pan from Le Creuset, which offer a lifetime guarantee on their range.
Their Dutch oven, in particular, is ideal for stews, as you can easily transfer it to the stove after cooking the meat first.
How to serve Tharid
The UAE way to serve Tharid is with a crispy thin Emirati bread called regag. You can also use Arabic bread that has gone a little hard and is a great way to use bread you’d normally throw out!
Alternative recipe ideas
It’s very popular in Dubai and the Emirates to use lamb instead of chicken; however, you can use any meat of your choice.
If you prefer lamb, you’ll need to increase the initial cooking time before adding the potatoes and vegetables so the lamb comes out tender. Alternatively, you can pre-cook the meat also.
I have an electric pressure cooker, similar to an Instant Pot which I highly recommend, that I use for cooking meat. It takes only 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the cut, for the meat to become soft in a pressure pot.
If you’re going to do a lot of Arabic cooking, a pressure pot is essential!
Why not beef? Beef isn’t eaten very often in the Gulf except for beef burgers. You can do beef if you like and another popular meat in the region is goat. Both will need extra cooking time like the lamb.
In terms of veggies, you really can add any vegetables you like. Some choose to add chickpeas or add chilli to make it spicy.
The history of Thareed / Salona
As I mentioned in the introduction, this is a dish that has been enjoyed in the region for a very long time. As far back as Prophet Muhammed (may peace and blessings be upon him) 1400 years ago and likely even earlier
During the month of Ramadan, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) used to enjoy thareed for many days. Sometimes spelt tharid. This is due to it being a meal that is light on the stomach after hours of fasting but not so light that it leaves you feeling hungry only a short while later!
The dish is popular across many parts of the Middle East and even in North Africa where it has evolved into other similar dishes. It is an especially popular Ramadan recipe for Iftar, when Muslims break their fast
For more information on what Ramadan is like in Dubai or what it was like fasting for the first time, check out my previous articles
I hope you enjoy this recipe and you can rate it in the comment section below!
Emirati Chicken Thareed
Equipment
- 1 large pot
- 1 heat resistant spoon
- 1 knife
- 1 chopping board
- 1 food processor (optional)
Ingredients
- 1/2 chicken (or 500g chicken thighs)
- 1 small red onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1/4 inch fresh ginger
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large potato
- 1 medium courgette
- 1/2 small cauliflower
- 1/2 tin of tomatoes (or 2 regular tomatoes blended)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ghee (or oil of your choice)
- 4 cups water
Spice Mix
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (or half stick)
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 black lemon
- 1 bay leaf
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Dice the onion, crush the garlic and mince the ginger1 small red onion, 3 cloves garlic, 1/4 inch fresh ginger
- Warm the pan on a medium heat and add the ghee1 tbsp ghee
- Once melted, fry the onion and the garlic until slightly soft
- Add the chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper1/2 chicken, salt & pepper to taste
- Allow to brown on one side before flipping it to the other side to brown
- Once browned, add the ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin and cinnamon, giving it a stir. Allowing to cook for a couple of minutes1 tsp tumeric, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Add the blended tomatoes and tomato paste1 tbsp tomato paste, 1/2 tin of tomatoes
- Add the water, give it a stir and bring to the boil4 cups water
- Crush the cardamom pods lightly and add to the pot2 cardamom pods
- Add the bay leaf and black lemon1 black lemon, 1 bay leaf
- Allow to cook for 10 minutes on a medium-low heat
- Wash, chop and peel the potato and add to the stew1 large potato
- After another 10 minutes, add the cauliflower, carrots and courgettes1 large carrot, 1 medium courgette, 1/2 small cauliflower
- Cover with a lid and let it cook for another 20 minutes
- Remove the bay leaf, black lemon and cardamon pods
- Pull the chicken off the bone and mix the meat into the broth
- Serve in a bowl with regag bread or Arabic bread
Notes
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