Join The National and Table Tales on a culinary journey around the Middle East to savour the quintessential dishes that embody the spirit of Ramadan. From table staples to family favourites, this series of recipes – one for each day of Ramadan – pays homage to the holy month and the home cook alike.
Much like the sambousa, a culinary cousin of India's samosa and East Asia's gyoza, popular Tunisian dish brik bears comparison to another Asian staple: the spring roll.
Tunisian brik is typically triangular, but I make mine tube-shaped, which are called asabe Fatima (Fatima's fingers)
Swapping Asian vegetables and spices for parsley, coriander, caraway, cinnamon and turmeric, with the option of chilli, these deep-fried pockets are typically stuffed with tuna, egg and onion. This recipe elevates the dish with the addition of shrimp.
It is also thought that the dish can be linked to bourek, originating in Ottoman kitchens.
“This dish is a must at a Tunisian Ramadan iftar table,” says recipe contributor Najet Hadriche. “Tunisian brik is typically triangular, but I make mine tube-shaped, which are called asabe Fatima (Fatima’s fingers).
“Back home, we make the brik with malsouka or warka, paper-thin wrappers which are not available in the UAE. I instead use Chinese egg roll or Filipino lumpia wrappers, which are thinner.”
Najet Hadriche's Tunisian brik with shrimp
Makes 20 to 25
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 1 potato, cut into small squares and boiled
- 1 cup parsley, finely chopped
- 500g shrimp (deshelled, cleaned and deveined), chopped medium
- 100g tinned tuna, drained
- 1 tbsp capers, chopped
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground caraway
- ½ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp chilli powder (optional)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 packet small spring roll wrappers, frozen
- Cooking oil for frying
Method:
- Place the onion, cooked potato and parsley in a medium-sized bowl and mix with a masher, until well combined.
- Add the shrimp and tuna to the potato mixture and combine. Sprinkle in all the spices, salt and pepper, and mix. Add the egg and stir until all the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Take one sheet of the wrappers and place on a flat surface. Remember to cover the remaining sheets so they don't dry out. Place a tablespoon of the filling diagonally in the centre of the wrapper, then fold one corner over the filling to cover. Roll it while folding in the edges, like a cigar. Seal the tip of the wrapper with a drop of water.
- Place the roll on a tray and repeat the process until all the filling is finished. Note: the brik rolls can be frozen at this stage and defrosted for 15 minutes before frying.
- When ready to serve, heat a frying pan with four to five centimetres of cooking oil over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, work in batches to fry the brik for five to six minutes, turning them halfway, until golden brown on all sides.
- Remove the cooked brik and place on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. Continue frying the remaining brik.
- Place on a serving dish, garnish with lemon wedges and eat immediately.
This dish has been brought to you by Najet Hadriche and curated by international recipe hunter Hanan Sayed Worrell, author of Table Tales: The Global Nomad Cuisine of Abu Dhabi. The Table Tales concept celebrates the people and stories that give flavour to recipes of the Middle East.
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Read more:
Ramadan recipes: daily dishes to try from the 'Table Tales' series
Ramadan recipe: Zeytinyagli enginar – Turkish-style stuffed artichoke with olive oil
Ramadan recipe: hasanpasa kofte – Turkish meatballs with potatoes, tomato sauce and vermicelli rice
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000
On sale: now
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The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
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Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
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Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Rating: 1/5
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The Specs
Engine 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 582bhp (542bhp in GTS model)
Torque: 730Nm
Price: Dh649,000 (Dh549,000 for GTS)
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
