Kabsa is a rice dish that is enjoyed throughout the Gulf States of the Arabian Peninsula. Heavily influenced by Persian and Indian biryanis, kabsa makes use of the water that was used for cooking fish or meat and re-using it to cook the spiced, long-grain rice in it, perfectly blending all the flavors and spices.

The dish can be made with chicken, lamb, camel meat, fish, or even shrimps, truffles, or duck meat. The meat or fish is usually placed on top of the rice, and the whole dish is served on a large platter, meant to be shared and eaten by hands. Although it originated in Yemen, this traditional combination of rice and meat is incredibly popular in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, where it is considered a national dish. 

One of the most famous dishes from Bahrain, muhammar is a traditionally prepared sweet rice dish, usually accompanying grilled and fried fish or a roast leg of lamb on festive occasions. Just be careful not to confuse it with the similarly named muhammara, which is a Syrian red pepper and walnut dip.

Originally, it was made by pearl divers from the region, when they sweetened the rice with date syrup called dibs, as a means of restoring their energy and as an alternative to sugar. Today, honey or caramelized sugar syrup can be used instead of the date syrup. 

Khanfaroosh is a deep-fried dessert similar to doughnuts popular in Gulf countries, namely Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the Emirates. It’s made with wheat flour, rice flour, eggs, sugar baking powder, saffron, cardamom, and rosewater. These soft and spongy cakes are typically paired with tea and coffee.