Ro-be-yann nashif is a magical dish from the United Arab Emirates where plump shrimps cook slowly with loads of exotic spices, bezar, loomi and curry leaves.
It’s time for the MENA (Middle Eastern & North African) Cooking Group. This monthly group has for goal to help us discover the culture and cuisine of the countries found in these parts of the world. The host of the month will choose two savory and a sweet dish from the country and the members pick one dish to make. This month we are off to United Arab Emirates where we will savor Ro-be-yann nashif, or Shrimp Fried with Spices.
The United Arab Emirates, often referred to as the UAE, is a federation of seven emirates on the eastern side of the Arabian peninsula, at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. It has coastlines on the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, with Saudi Arabia to the west and southwest, and Oman to the southeast. It is a country rich in history and culture. You can find everything here, from the extraordinarily modern malls with crazy entertainment centers in Dubai, to the magnificent desert dunes on the edge of the Empty Quarter.
Emirati cuisine is a blend of many Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. The traditional food of the United Arab Emirates uses a lot of meat, grain, and dairy. Vegetables are easy to grow in some areas, and are strongly featured in the diet. Traditional dishes include Ma’louba, Margooga, Harees, Machbous, Frsee’ah, Fireed, Jisheid, and Mishwy. Camel milk is highly so camel meat is normally reserved for special occasions. Saffron, cardamom, turmeric, and thyme are the core flavors used in Emirati cookery.
I made a popular main course meal called Ro-be-yann nashif, which is basically fried shrimps in a fabulous spice paste. This is super flavor packed and the kitchen smells wonderful. The onions are fried in quite a bit of oil, the spices are added and cooked until fragrant, and finally the shrimps are cooked in the onion mixture on low heat. The shrimp remains so moist and have taken on all the flavors. And it is a very quick dish to make. Serve with rice and some veggies.
Ro-be-yann nashif (Shrimp Fried with Spices)
Ingredients
- 1 lb 450gr fresh shrimp, cleaned
- 2 large onions sliced
- 1/2 cup corn oil
- 1 tablespoon bezar
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- pinch of ground fennel seeds
- 2 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tablespoon loomi
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 6 curry leaves or kaffir leaves
- 1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a sauce pan and fry onion in oil until brown.
- Add all remaining ingredients except the shrimps. Cook on low-medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add shrimp and a little water, mix well. Turn heat to low and cook for 12-15 minutes, stir frequently.
- Serve immediately with rice and/or vegetables
Bezar, or Bzar, is a Emirati spice mix in the garam masala family. I made a small quantity but here is a full recipe of the spice mix from Saveur: Mix and grind in a spice grinder:
1/4 cups black peppercorns
1/4 cups cumin seeds
1/4 cups coriander seeds
1 tbsp. cloves
1 tbsp. green cardamom pods
3 dried chiles de arbol, stemmed
2 sticks cinnamon, broken in half
1 whole nutmeg, broken into pieces
1 1/2 tbsp. ground ginger
1 tbsp. ground turmeric
This Ro-be-yann nashif recipe can be found at Fahad. Thank you to MENA Cooking Club and to our host this month, Tamar.
I love exotic spices, the more the better 🙂 Not really, but it comes close. Your recipe looks just great, worth a try. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Cecilia, I am sure this recipe will be a winner for you then 🙂
That’s a gorgeous plate of shrimps! So exotic with all those spices yet very doable.
Very doable indeed, nothing to exotic but just playing spices in new quantities, and voila new taste 🙂
I don’t like spice but I love shrimp so I think I would want to try this anyway.
He he well I am sure if you take out some spices it will still taste awesome.
Evelyne, I love that you are one of the only people to introduce me to foods I’ve never heard of! While I don’t eat shrimp, I can certainly appreciate how amazing that seasoning must taste 🙂
Why thank you Viviane for that comment, it’s words like that which really make me smile 🙂 The recipe would be great with chicken too.
I’ve been to Dubai for business purposes last fall and it is such a pitty that traditional kitchen is served in only couple of places. These shrimps are divine!
I read that, Dubai is 80% ex-pats so little authentic food to be found. But a beautiful city to see.
FRY ME UP SOME SHRIMP!!! Oh yum! I love that crunchy sweet shell fish!
Ditto, it’s the best when well done. And no you are a marathon, more the running one without training ha ha.
Wow Evelyne, these shrimps sound and look fabulous…I love the spices in it…and yes, my mouth is watering over these shrimps.
Hope you are having a great week 🙂
Thanks Juliana, so glad this dish is making you salivate, it is so good. Have a great week too.
Love shrimp. Love spice. Love them together. 🙂 Never heard of this dish (not unusual — so many new things int he world to explore!), but it looks terrific. Good job — thanks.
I know there are so many dishes to discover, can we ever get through them all? If you love spices and shrimp you will adore this recipe John!
Great shrimp dish and I love all those spices. It looks delicious!!!
Thank Pam, it is totally flavor spice packed 🙂
How lovely and exotic! I can see lots of flavors in it. Very delicious!
It is jammed packed with flavors for sure Nagi, just delicious!
I am so glad you made Ro-be-yann nashif! Someone tried the seafood which is staple to UAE! Looks yum, we usually eat shrimps but off late we kinda stopped and where I live now, I hardly get fresh ones. Yours looks so hot and spicy! Yum!
Thanks Famidah for your comment. I love seafood it was an easy choice for me lol. I used frozen shrimp and it turned out great so go for it.
Wow I never knew the Middle Easter cuisine have those, at first it looks South East Asian to me.
I would love a plate of that now, looks so delish!
Funny you say that Raymund, I had a similar reaction lol!
That sounds divine Eve!! I love shrimp too so I should give this a go 😀 I’ve never heard of Bezar before!
Bezar was new to me too and I am sure you will love it if you try the recipe, pretty kickass flavor 😀
This looks and sounds spectacular!!
Thanks Krista 🙂
Most of them seem to have ditched the prawn dish… but you have made it so beautifully… I am sure it tasted amazing as well… Love the deep color of the prawns…
I am surprised too I think I am the only one who did the shrimp. No regret it was one of the best discoveries from this group thus far.
Oh, that looks so exotic. I bet it tasted fabulous.
Oh does it ever taste great Serina, thanks for your comment.
This looks incredible. The description of the history and culture adds so much to the recipe. Even though I may not know many of the spices you’ve mentioned, it looks simple to make and very healthy. One word…YUM!
Thanks Rosemary, always fun to play with new spices, hope you give some a try in dishes. And highly recommend this dish 🙂
This dish would translate rather beautifully for a vegetarian or even vegan feed too I think, love the spices you’ve used, so aromatic. Cant wait to give it a whirl.
Yes it could be great with just veggies or tofu for sure, great comment Anna!
Wonderful seafood dish, authentic to the Arabian Gulf and very well loved.
Thank you Maryam 🙂
I’m glad someone tried the seafood dish, as you know seafood is very popular in UAE. It looks fulls of flavour, I really wish I liked seafood more.
I will make up for your dislike of seafood, I love it lol. I am sure the mix would work great with chicken too.
I love all the spices that you used in this shrimp stirfry and am very sure it tastes wonderful.
The spices were perfect I must say, great dish that I will make over again and again 🙂
This looks great, thanks for being part of MENA. Did you like it? I love seafood, but it’s hard to get it fresh here in KSA, so I usually don’t 🙁
My pleasure love MENA. OMG it was amazing Noor, so good. I used frozen shrimp and it turned out great so go for it 🙂
If I wasn’t allergic to shellfish, let me tell you I’d be all over this dish. The flavors seem to burst off the screen. I love this Evelyne.
They do, I am sure it your taste great with chicken and fish too Kia, give it a try.
Thanks for sharing the bezar recipe. I shall have to give this a try sometime ?
Glad I did Tandy, if people don’t like shrimp they should still not miss out on that one, I can see it in so any recipes, right?
This looks and sounds absolutely delicious. Will try it out! Thank you for sharing.
It really is very good Rosemarie if you like lots of flavors