Juggling the preparation of two dishes, one savoury and one sweet, Khulood Atiq, the UAE's first female chef and author, shared recipes, tips and insight into Emirati cuisine as part of the Cookery Corner activities at the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF).

Her knowledge of the sophisticated world of Oriental spices and the right combinations left an impression on attendees who couldn't get enough from her techniques and tips. Soon, the aromas that filled the cookery corner attracted even more visitors to her demonstration.

"There are five main ingredients that mark Emirati cuisine – cardamom, saffron, rose water, dry lime and Emirati spice mixes,” said Atiq, who also shared a unique method of caramelising onions without using oil.

When it comes to healthy eating, Atiq has a theory: go back to the basics.

"Someone here asked me if I could help her prepare dishes to lose weight. I advised her to cook the way our ancestors did. Fats were not readily available then and hence were not used that frequently,” said Khulood.

"I'm very proud of Emirati cuisine, and I don't like it when people belittle it. Our ancestors were inspired by Asian spices and techniques and created dishes that are unique to the local kitchen,” she said, adding that she hopes that more people are introduced to Emirati cuisine.

She told the story of how a child wanted to take part in her TV programme and told her that he can only make pancakes.

"I told him to add cardamom and saffron and replace the baking powder with yeast, modifying it to make it more like Emirati breakfast pancakes,” she said.

Khulood started out working at Jumeirah Group before turning to the media to shed light on Emirati cuisine. Her first days were experimenting in her mother's kitchen.

"My mother would bake bread every day, and I was always there to help her. Sometimes I'd complain because my bread wasn't baking, and my mother would send me to fetch something from her room and say, ‘When you come back it will be ready'. She would then make my bread smaller so that it would cook faster, and indeed when I came back it would be ready. This is how I learnt about determination and patience in the kitchen,” said Khulood.

Khulood started her career between 2008 and 2010, where she held an Emirati-speciality chef position at Mina Al Salam, Jumeirah Group, where she helped develop the Emirati Food Menu. She also worked with the Tourism Development & Investment Company.

In her book Sarareed, Khulood shares recipes from the various regions of the UAE that are passed down through generations, as well as the history behind them, the secrets of the Emirati spice mix, and her own personal stories with insight into the Emirati language.

On Friday, Khulood held another cooking demonstration. She also held a discussion with the visitors of the Sharjah International Book Fair in the social media corner at 6.30pm

Source: The Gulf Today