Emirati Vegetable Saloona
Vegetables in a concentrated tomato gravy, distinct from Maraq.
Preparation: 20 min · Cooking: 45 min · Total: 1 hr 5 min · 4 servings
Ingredients
- 200 g potato, peeled and cubed
- 200 g zucchini, cubed
- fresh plum tomatoes, puréed — 3
- 200 g carrot, cubed
- 200 g pumpkin flesh, peeled and cubed
- large onions, chopped — 2
- 70 g tomato paste
- 1.5 tbsp Emirati Bezar
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1.5 tsp salt
- garlic cloves, minced — 4
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
- dried black loomi, pierced — 2
- 900 ml initial boiling cooking water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- conditional boiling water, only if needed (optional)
- separately cooked white rice, optional accompaniment (optional)
Instructions
Measure the base and fourfold batch
This is a 4-serving base with 900 ml initial water; at 16 servings use 3600 ml. Keep optional separately cooked rice outside the stew water allowance. Conditional boiling top-ups have no fixed amount.
Conditional boiling top-ups have no fixed amount.
Prepare the two vegetable groups
Peel and cube 200 g each potato, carrot, zucchini and pumpkin, keeping hard potato/carrot separate from softer zucchini/pumpkin. Chop onions, mince garlic and ginger, and pierce loomi. Purée the tomatoes. Use clean tools and rinse produce under running water.
Use clean tools and rinse produce under running water.
Cook the aromatic tomato base
Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over medium heat. Sauté onions, garlic and ginger until dark golden, not burnt. Add exactly 70 g tomato paste, Bezar, turmeric and 1.5 tsp salt; cook for 2 minutes. Add puréed plum tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until reduced and thick.
Add puréed plum tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until reduced and thick.
Cook the aromatic tomato base: 300 seconds
Simmer the hard vegetables first
Pour in 900 ml initial boiling water and the 2 pierced loomi. Add potato and carrot, bring to a boil, then cover with an ordinary non-airtight lid and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until starting to soften.
Add potato and carrot, bring to a boil, then cover with an ordinary non-airtight lid and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until starting to soften.
Simmer the hard vegetables first: 600 seconds
Add squash and finish simmering
Add zucchini and pumpkin. Maintain thick gravy around the vegetables, using only conditional boiling top-ups if needed. Cover and simmer gently on low heat for about 20 minutes until every vegetable centre is fork-tender; continue if needed.
Cover and simmer gently on low heat for about 20 minutes until every vegetable centre is fork-tender; continue if needed.
Add squash and finish simmering: 1200 seconds
Check tenderness and serve
Check potato and carrot centres as well as squash: no hard cores should remain. Remove whole loomi before eating. Serve the stew hot; white rice is an optional separately cooked accompaniment, not a required unlisted ingredient.
Serve the stew hot; white rice is an optional separately cooked accompaniment, not a required unlisted ingredient.
Separate plain stew from any rice
Use clean tools to put plain stew in shallow containers promptly. Keep optional cooked rice separate; when rice is served or stored with stew, the 24-hour rice limit takes precedence over the 2-day plain-stew limit.
Keep optional cooked rice separate; when rice is served or stored with stew, the 24-hour rice limit takes precedence over the 2-day plain-stew limit.
Cool and store by the correct limit
Divide leftovers promptly into shallow containers and refrigerate within 1 hour at 4°C or colder; do not wait for a deep pot to cool to room temperature. Use within 2 days. This conservative household limit does not validate shelf life or repair unsafe handling. If rice is served or stored with the stew, use the stricter 24-hour rice limit.
If rice is served or stored with the stew, use the stricter 24-hour rice limit.
Tips
- Quantities and divided allowances in the instructions describe the base batch. Scale them with the ingredient controls, not the cooking times; use multiple comparable pans or batches for a larger yield.
Common mistakes
- Do not treat a timer, colour or aroma alone as proof of readiness. Follow the stated texture and thermometer checks.
Substitutions
- Vegetable oil is the default. The same measured amount of ghee is an optional non-vegan, milk-containing alternative. Check Bezar and bread labels for allergens; choose dairy-free bread if a plant-based version is required.
Storage
Divide leftovers promptly into shallow containers and refrigerate within 1 hour at 4°C or colder; do not wait for a deep pot to cool to room temperature. Use within 2 days. This conservative household limit does not validate shelf life or repair unsafe handling. If rice is served or stored with the stew, use the stricter 24-hour rice limit.
Reheating
Reheat at most once to 74°C throughout, checking several centres. Reheating cannot make improperly stored food safe.
About this recipe
This Emirati Vegetable Saloona concentrates tomato paste and puréed tomatoes before simmering vegetables. Its thicker gravy and measured liquid remain distinct from Vegetable Maraq.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.