Nearly all the countries I visit are based around food, chefs and restaurants I like to dine at. I love to experience new flavours and food cultures. Dubai wouldn't have been my first choice, or even second, but I'm so glad we went.
Once a desert, Dubai has grown into the largest city in the United Arab Emirates. It is on the southeastern coast of the Persian Gulf and encased by sand dunes on the city's limits.
The Atlantis Aqua-venture water park is a great way to cool down and have some fun with the kids, or head down to the fish markets and see the amazing array of fresh fish that arrives daily - but make sure you go early before it's all gone.
But once the sun goes down and the temperature drops, people come out to dine and socialise. There are lots of restaurants in the city to choose from, even Sean Connolly (Gusto at the Grand / The Grill by Sean Connolly) has a restaurant there in the Dubai Opera house.
I wanted to share where I dined and had a fantastic meal. Bu Qtair, a small local fish restaurant that came from humble beginnings more than 30 years ago.
The menu is small: well, there is no menu basically! It's a selection of the best fish from the markets that morning, sliced to the bone and marinated in a secret spice blend then deep fried whole and served with a coconut fish curry and parathas, a type of Indian flatbread. The offering and recipe has not changed since they opened.
It started out as a way to feed the local fishermen when they came back into port, it was literally a shack. Years later it became more of a solid structure to house the kitchen, located in a flat dirt lot. A few years back the restaurant relocated to a permanent structure for dining in.
I had the pleasure of experiencing Bu Qtair in its second life stage.
We queued up (pro tip: get there early or within five to 10 minutes of opening or there will be 100 people queuing!) to pick out the fish and prawns we wanted from a large stainless steel table packed to the brim with the marinated morsels, which they then cook for you.
We headed outside and waited in the dirt lot, where there were mismatched plastic chairs and pop up tables and already lots of people eating, enjoying the night stars.
At that point, we noticed there weren't any free tables or spaces. But not to worry, when the food came out so did the chairs and table, which they quickly assembled before we tucked into one of the best meals in Dubai.
Sometimes the simplest and freshest food is the best, especially in a new country.
• Mark Southon is the head chef at O'Connell Street Bistro in Auckland.
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Indian-spiced fish with Malabari curry
Serves 2
1 large whole snapper, gutted and scaled
2 tsp ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp salt
1 lemon, juiced
Dry your snapper inside and out, then slice 5-6 times down to the bone on each side.
Mix the spices, oils and lemon juice together to make a paste, then rub over the entire fish making sure you get the paste into those cuts. Marinate for 1-2 hours in the fridge.
Fill a wok with some canola oil, about 1/3 full, or enough to cover the fish when frying.
Heat the oil carefully, then drop the fish into cook until golden and crispy - approx. eight minutes on each side. Drain and serve with fresh lemon and curry sauce.
Malabari curry
Spice paste
1/2 cup grated coconut
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
In a pan, dry roast the above then grind into a fine paste.
1 tsp coconut oil
1 onion, sliced
Knob ginger, sliced thinly
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 red chillies, partly split
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chilies, sliced
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 cup coconut milk
Salt, to taste
6 curry leaves
1 tomato, diced
1 1/2 tsp tamarind extract
In a wok add the oil then onion, ginger, garlic, chillies, mustard seeds and saute for two minutes.
Add the turmeric, chilli powder and spice paste, then loosen with 2 tsp coconut milk and cook for five minutes.
Add the remaining coconut milk, salt and curry leaves. Stir and bring back to the boil before adding the diced tomatoes and tamarind extract and simmer for 4-5 minutes on low heat.
Check seasoning and add pinch of sugar if needed, serve with your fish.
