Imad Ghennouni was born in Bahrain. He relocated to Detroit, Michigan in the United States with his family at the age of three, where he remains to this day. For the past 15 years, Imad El Atiki El Mohammed has worked as a motivational speaker, traveling across the United States and internationally with his work.
Having learned from his mother, Imad El Ghennouni enjoys cooking in his spare time with a focus on the cuisine of his homeland. Imad Gennouni’s specialty is Machboos, Bahrain’s national dish, a fragrant, delicately spiced dish cooked with chicken broth, chicken or lamb and toasted nuts.
In this article, we run through a selection of Imad El Atiki El Ghennouni’s favourite Bahraini dishes.
Bahrain has been settled since as early as 7000 BC, the first record of the country contained in the epic Gilgamesh, the oldest story in history which was written in 2000 BC. Translating from Arabic to English as “two seas”, Bahrain is a relatively small country composed of 33 separate islands, with a population of around 1.4 million. Its capital, Manama, boasts a growing population with malls, parks and an ever-expanding skyline.
Rice is a staple in Bahrain that is available at virtually every mealtime. In addition to Machboos, which can be made with chicken, mutton, or fish, Biryani is another popular rice dish in Bahrain, consisting of heavily seasoned rice cooked with lamb or chicken, the dish’s origins lying in the Indian subcontinent.
Popular during festive occasions such as Ramadan, Harees is a savoury porridge featuring wheat and either chicken or lamb, and simmered slowly for hours until the meat melts in the mouth. Jireesh is another authentic Bahraini dish made with crushed wheat and either chicken or lamb that is seasoned with fragrant spices and topped with ghee. With a similar porridge-like texture to Harees, it is often served with a side dish of buttermilk.
Qoozi is a celebratory dish consisting of roast lamb stuffed with a mixture of meat, rice and spices that is often served on special occasions. Muhammar is a sweet rice dish that incorporates dates, sugar and various spices and is often served with fried or grilled fish, its sweetness offsetting the savoury flavours. Similar to the Samosas served in other countries, Samboosas are a popular snack in Bahrain, the deep-fried pastry appetiser filled with a mixture of vegetables or meat, onions and spices.
Balaleet is a sweet savoury dish made with vermicelli noodles infused with spices and served with a side of fried eggs. Popular throughout the Gulf, Balaleet incorporates fragrant spices like cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and saffron that were introduced to the region by Indian merchants. The addition of vermicelli came during the Middle Ages when Middle Eastern cooks began experimenting with pasta and noodles. Balaleet may be served cold as a dessert or warm for breakfast.
Halwa Showaiter is a traditional Bahraini dessert made from ghee, sugar and cornstarch with various flavourings like rosewater and saffron. With a dense, jelly-like consistency, it is often garnished with nuts. Ma’amoul, meanwhile, are small, filled pastries popular during festive seasons. Ma’amoul come with an array of different fillings, popular choices being nuts, figs and dates. These delicate pastries best enjoyed accompanied by aromatic Arabic coffee.
In such a small country, there is little room left for livestock, meaning that Bahrain relies heavily on surrounding countries for meat imports. Most Bahraini people eat fish daily, with grouper the most popular species. Fish and chips, a British favourite, remains popular here having been introduced during the century-long colonial rule.
Chicken, beef, goat and lamb are popular types of meat in Bahrain, the country’s traditional dishes commonly flavoured with onions, garlic, tomatoes, rosewater and dried limes, with squash, cucumbers and citrus fruit also widely available.
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