Arabian cuisine is globally known for its exoticness. Well, from breakfast to dinner, you can get a classic touch in every dish in the Arabs. Well, here you can learn about Balaleet. It is one of the commonest breakfast items in the Gulf Nations.
Predominantly, it is available in UAE but you can get it in the countries like Bahrain, Kuwait, and UAE. For now, you can know about the dish and check out the traditional procedure to make it.
Balaleet: About The Dish
Balaleet is a breakfast dish of the Arabian region of the world. This dish is both sweet and salty. As you see such uniqueness is only possible as per the usage of spices.
The two main ingredients used in the case of the dish are vermicelli noodles and eggs. When cooking the Balaleet recipe at home, you can either use an omelet or scrambled eggs. For now, you can look at the ingredients.
History Of Balaleet
Its origins are in the Emirati and Gulf region, which introduced centuries back vermicelli in Persia and India trade.
It was known in Gulf families as a method of preparing known ingredients such as saffron, rose water, and cardamom, which have been valued for their flavor and aroma.
Emiratis later added a savory omelet topping to this noodle dish to distinguish it by the balance of contrasts.
- Cultural Symbolism: Serving Balaleet on Eid symbolizes Emirati cultural values of hospitality, family ties, and celebration in Emirati culture.
- Regional Variations: Sweet vermicelli does have regional variations throughout the Middle East and South Asia, but none of them serve it with eggs to such an extent.
The Balaleet dish comes from the early Bedouine culture like Manakish. It is nothing but a simple process to make and the exotic spices make this dish unique. Well, you can always get the vibe of the dish as you make it at your place.
Even you can make this dish in the evening during the month of Ramadan. The best experience of eating the dish can be in the fowala style. This is the traditional way how people eat food in the Gulf countries.
Why is Balaleet Special?
- Flavor Contrast: Salty eggs provide a flavor contrast with sweet saffron-flavored noodles.
- Middle Eastern Aromatic Base: Rose water, cardamom, and saffron lend it an aromatic Middle Eastern taste.
- Textural Balance: Soft vermicelli cut by the crunch of lightness of a golden omelet.
- Flexibility: Even though it is traditionally breakfast, it can also be served as a dessert or midnight snack.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients needed to cook the Balaleet recipe. Check them out and you can make them in the traditional way.
Main Ingredients:
- Vermicelli Noodles- 450 grams
- Eggs- 4
- Sweetening Ingredients:
- Saffron- 0.5 tablespoons
- Rosewater- 0.25 cups
- Vegetable Oil- 3 tablespoons
- Butter- 1 tablespoon
- Sugar- 0.5 cups
- Turmeric Powder- 0.5 cups
- Black Pepper- 1 pinch
- Cardamom Powder- 2 tablespoon
- Ingredients For Making Eggs
- Saffron- optional
- Cardamom- 1 pinch
- Salt And Pepper- To taste
Procedure Of Making Balaleet
In this part, you can go through the procedure of making the Balaleet Dubai recipe. Make sure you follow all the steps correctly to reach the perfect taste:
Step 1: Mix the saffron into the rosewater and let it dissolve. You can check the mixture turning yellow. It means that the mixture is fit to be used in the recipe.
Step 2: If you are concerned about how to make Balaleet, make sure you take oil and heat it. Always use a deep skillet for it. Remember, you need to toast the vermicelli.
Step 3: Make sure the noodles are boiled properly. Check if the noodles have turned soft. Add the mixture of saffron and rosewater to the noodles for getting the flavor.
Step 4: Take four eggs and whisk them well in the bowl. As a result, you can get a batter-like egg mixture. Now, to this mixture, you can add the spices mentioned above. Well, the spices can only turn the egg salty and sweet at the same time.
Step 5: Put the egg batter on the skillet. Make an omelet or you can scramble it totally. Now, once the egg is done, you need to top it on the noodles.
Step 6: Plate up the entire dish and serve hot like Al harees.
Balaleet Serving Tips
- Traditional Method: Serve hot Emirati coffee (gahwa) or karak chai.
- Celebratory Display: Top saffron strands and nuts for presentation on Eid celebrations.
- Healthier Variation: Cut down on sugar and replace butter with olive oil or coconut oil.
- New Twist: Caramelize onions or stuffed omelets to accompany fusion cuisine.
- Pairings: Fresh fruit platters, laban (yogurt drink), or mint tea go well with the dish.
Balaleet Storage Tips
- Refrigeration: Store cooled vermicelli in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container for 3 days.
- Reheating: Heat slowly on a stovetop with a splash of added ghee to recapture flavor.
- Individual Storage: Keep omelet and vermicelli separately for optimal results. Assemble before serving.
- Freezing: Not recommended, as the vermicelli will become soggy.
Balaleet Recipe
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed saucepan (to prevent noodles fromsticking)
- Non-stick frying pan (to prepare omelet)
- Whisk (to beat eggs evenly)
- Colander (to drain vermicelli)
- Wooden spatula (to stir noodles gently)
Ingredients
- 250 g vermicelli noodles
- 4 tbsp sugar (to taste)
- 2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp soaked saffron threads (in 1 tbsp warm water)
- 1 tsp rose water or orange blossom water
- 4 pcs large eggs
- Pinch of salt
- Optional garnish: pistachios, almonds, raisins, or dates
Instructions
- Toast the Vermicelli: Toast vermicelli in a dry pan over low heat until light brown. It enhances the flavor.
- Preparation of Vermicelli: Boil in water for 3–4 minutes or until tender. Drain and keep aside.
- Preparation of Sweet Base: Heat ghee in a separate pan and add saffron water, sugar, cardamom, and rose water. Mix well until aromatic.
- Mixing Vermicelli with Sweet: Toss noodles with sweet mixture until it coats well.
- Preparation of Omelet: Whisk eggs with salt and cook in pan to thin, crepe-like omelet.
- Serve and Assemble: Put vermicelli on a serving plate and top it with the omelet. Alternatively, top with nuts or dry fruits.
FAQ
Here are a few questions and queries on the topic of balaleet recipe that you too might help your understanding of the recipe.
Balaleet is a very popular breakfast choice that consists of vermicelli that is sweetened with sugar, saffron, rose water and cardamom. And it is served with an egg omelet on top that is sautéed with potatoes or onions.
Balaleet tastes equally sweet and salty. The vermicelli gives the sweet taste while the egg adds to the salty part.
The main ingredient, vermicelli, came to the Middle East with the traders in the Middle Ages. That is when balaleet was created when the Emirati people experimented with pasta.
Final Words
Balaleet is more than a dinner—it’s a cultural connection between yesterday and today, uniting Emirati families around the dinner table with flavors evoking their past.
It’s tension of sweetness and savory, and subtle fragrance of saffron and cardamom, find it among the UAE’s favorite recipes.
Whether you take it as an Eid morning breakfast celebratory treat or a family brunch festival, Balaleet won’t merely decorate your plate—it will say so much about Emirati tradition, food hospitality, and affection.
