About the dish
Arabic coffee, called gahwa or kahwa, has little in common with dark Turkish coffee: the beans are lightly roasted, so the brew is golden with a slightly herbal taste, and its main aroma is cardamom, sometimes with saffron, cloves or rose water. It is made in a long-spouted pot called a dallah and poured into tiny handleless cups, a few sips at a time. The host holds the pot in the left hand and serves the most important guest first, and a guest who has had enough gives the cup a little shake. Dates are always served with it. In 2015 Arabic coffee, as a symbol of generosity, was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible heritage list at the initiative of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar.
Main ingredients
- lightly roasted arabica coffee
- cardamom
- water
- saffron (optional)
- dates to serve
Oman: In Oman kahwa is always served with dates, and often with Omani halwa.
Saudi Arabia: In Saudi Arabia the coffee is pale, strongly flavoured with cardamom and often with saffron.
More: Wikipedia (en)
