SWEETENED VERMICELLI OMELET (Balaleet)

I was sitting in the lobby of the Marriott Hotel in Dubai waiting for a friend when I struck up a conversation about Arab food with an English expatriate. During our chat, he said that one of his choice Arab foods was Balaleet, an Emirati local favorite. The next day, when I was visiting a Canadian-Arab colleague in Dubai, I asked him about this dish. A few days later, I received an invitation to have breakfast at his home where his wife surprised me with Balaleet. The dish was excellent! An unusual but welcome change to the standard omelet, the taste lay somewhere between something slightly sweet and something slightly salty with a touch of cardamom while its appearance reminded me of an upside-down crepe. Ever since then it has been one of my cherished breakfast foods. This United Arab Emirates dish can be also found in other Arab Gulf countries. During Eid festivities boiled chickpeas and black-eyed peas may be served alongside it. Partially sweet, it is usually eaten for breakfast but can also be served with a side dish of dates and Sweet Holiday Biscuits along with tea as an afternoon or evening snack.

SERVES: 4

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOKING TIME: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 lb (250 g) dried vermicelli or very thin spaghetti
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick/60 g) butter
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon orange or rose blossom water
• Generous pinch of saffron dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
• 4 large eggs, beaten with a dash of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the vermicelli according to the package instructions. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan with a lid. Add the vermicelli and sprinkle on the sugar, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, salt, rose or orange blossom water and dissolved saffron. Cover and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, stirring a number of times.
2. In the meantime, melt the remaining butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Pour the egg into the skillet and cook until set (do not stir them), then flip over to cook the other side, as if making an omelet. Place the vermicelli on a platter then place the omelet over the top and serve warm.