Qatar National Tourism Council Celebrates Qatar National Day With Culinary Showcase

DOHA, Qatar, Dec. 17, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) will release a new culinary video, as part of a nine-part streaming series, to mark Qatar's National Day on 18 December and promote the country's diverse cuisines, connecting the international community to local Qatari delicacies.

The video introduces Qatari Chef Noor Al Mazroei as she shares her traditional recipe and insider tips for cooking Machboos, Qatar's national dish. The video is part of a culinary series, which features some of the country's most renowned chefs and gives the world an insight into Qatar's expanding food scene.

Secretary General of Qatar National Tourism Council and Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: "Working with Chef Noor Al Mazroei to celebrate Qatar National Day gives us the pleasure of showcasing a local delicacy and bringing a small but integral part of Qatar's heritage to kitchens around the world."

"Our expanding culinary landscape blends the best of traditional flavours and dishes with modern twists and we look forward to welcoming guests to Qatar to experience our rich and evolving food scene first-hand."

The rich and flavoursome rice dish, Machboos, is the national dish of Qatar. Its depth of flavour comes from a combination of aromatic spices that produce a smoky taste. Served with a variety of meats, the dish is a favourite across the Arabian Sea.

Chef Noor Al Mazroei Recipe:

Ingredients:

(Serves 2 / Prep time 20 minutes, cooking time approximately 1 hour)

1. 1 chicken

2.  2 cups of Basmati rice

3.  Half a cup of white onion, cubed

4.  Half a cup of tomatoes, roughly chopped  

5.  A quarter of a cup of chopped parsley

6.  1 tablespoon of grated garlic

7. 1 tablespoon of grated ginger

8.  2 green hot peppers

9.  4 tablespoons of Qatari bazaar (spice mix)

10. 1/4 cup of vegetable oil

Qatari Bazaar:

(Can be used for 10 -15 Recipe / Keep in an airtight jar and use as required)

1.  1 cup of cumin seeds

2.  1 cup of coriander seeds

3.  ½ cup of black lemon ground

4.  ½ cup of ginger powder

5.  ½ cup of cinnamon powder

6.  ½ cup turmeric powder

7.  ½ cup ground black pepper

8.  Tablespoon ground saffron

Method of mixing Qatari Bazaar:

1.  Roast cumin and coriander until brown

2.  Grind and mix well with the remaining ingredients until all spices are blended

3.  Remove from grinder into a container until use

Method:

1.  Prepare your ingredients: Chop the onion, combine ginger, garlic and hot peppers in one bowl

2.  Wash rice before soaking in water for an hour

3.  Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high flame and add correct spice, Qatari Bazaar, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, green pepper, lemon, salt and leave until the mixture blends and withers completely

4.  Cut chicken in half and add into the pot until the mixture has turned the chicken red on both sides

5.  Add 3 cups of boiling water and reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes

6.  Remove the chicken from the water, put it in an oven tray and cook on 190 °C / 170 Fan / 375°F for 10 minutes

7.  Remove half of the water from the pot before adding rice and leave it on a low boil for 10 minutes until rice is cooked and has absorbed the liquid. Stir every 5 minutes

8.  Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish

To cook Chef Noor Al Mazroei's Machboos recipe and watch her share her cooking tips, visit: https://www.visitqatar.qa or view the recipe above. 

For media-related inquiries, please contact QNTC's Press Office on:

+974 4499 7882 or +974 3392 4466 | pressoffice@visitqatar.qa

About Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC)

Qatar National Tourism Council's mission is to firmly establish Qatar as a place where cultural authenticity meets modernity, and where people of the world come together to experience unique offerings in culture, sports, business and family entertainment.

QNTC's work is guided by the Qatar National Tourism Sector Strategy (QNTSS), which seeks to diversify the country's tourism offering and increase visitor spending.

Since launching QNTSS, Qatar has welcomed over 14 million visitors. The economic impact of the tourism sector in Qatar is becoming increasingly visible with the government designating tourism in 2017 a priority sector in pursuit of a more diverse economy and more active private sector. 

Web: www.visitqatar.qa

Twitter: @NTC_Qatar

LinkedIn: Qatar National Tourism Council

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Chef Noor Al Mazroei - Qatari Majboos_Image 1.jpg

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