Emirati Vegetable Thareed
Vegetable stew soaked through two layers of Regag bread.
Preparation: 20 min · Cooking: 45 min · Total: 1 hr 5 min · 4 servings
Ingredients
- large Regag flatbread sheets — 4 — 2 lower + 2 upper sheets; at fourfold 8 + 8. Check labels for wheat and any dairy.
- 250 g potato, peeled and cubed
- 250 g zucchini, cubed
- 250 g pumpkin flesh, peeled and cubed
- 250 g carrot, cubed
- large onions, chopped — 2
- fresh tomatoes, chopped — 2
- 50 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
- 2000 ml initial boiling cooking water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- conditional boiling water, only if needed (optional)
Instructions
Measure the base and fourfold batch
This is a 4-serving base with 2000 ml initial water; at 16 servings use 8000 ml. Divide four Regag sheets as 2 lower + 2 upper; at fourfold use 8 + 8. Conditional boiling top-ups have no fixed amount.
Conditional boiling top-ups have no fixed amount.
Prepare the two vegetable groups
Peel and cube 250 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. Chop 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 in a deep wide pot. Sauté onions, garlic and ginger until golden. Stir in chopped tomatoes, exactly 50 g tomato paste, Bezar, turmeric, 1.5 tsp salt and pierced loomi; cook the spices for 1 minute.
Stir in chopped tomatoes, exactly 50 g tomato paste, Bezar, turmeric, 1.5 tsp salt and pierced loomi; cook the spices for 1 minute.
Cook the aromatic tomato base: 60 seconds
Simmer the hard vegetables first
Pour in 2000 ml initial boiling water. 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. Keep vegetables covered with broth, using only conditional boiling top-ups if needed. Cover and simmer gently on low heat for 20–25 minutes until every vegetable centre is fork-tender; continue if needed.
Cover and simmer gently on low heat for 20–25 minutes until every vegetable centre is fork-tender; continue if needed.
Add squash and finish simmering: 1200 seconds
Soak the lower bread layer
Break 2 of the 4 Regag sheets into large pieces in a wide shallow serving bowl. Ladle hot stew sauce over the bread until thoroughly saturated and soft. Arrange exactly half the cooked vegetables over this lower bed; retain the other 2 sheets and remaining sauce and vegetables for the upper layer.
Arrange exactly half the cooked vegetables over this lower bed; retain the other 2 sheets and remaining sauce and vegetables for the upper layer.
Soak the upper layer and serve
Break the remaining 2 Regag sheets over the vegetable bed and cover with all remaining hot sauce and vegetables. Let both bread layers absorb the broth completely, then serve immediately. At fourfold each layer has 8 sheets, not 2. Remove whole loomi and avoid scalding splashes.
Remove whole loomi and avoid scalding splashes.
Cool and store by the correct limit
For this owner-selected conservative limit, refrigerate assembled bread-and-stew Thareed within 1 hour in shallow containers at 4°C or colder and use within 24 hours. Plain vegetable stew stored separately may be kept 2 days under the same prompt cooling conditions. Do not wait for a deep pot to reach room temperature.
Do not wait for a deep pot to reach room temperature.
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
For this owner-selected conservative limit, refrigerate assembled bread-and-stew Thareed within 1 hour in shallow containers at 4°C or colder and use within 24 hours. Plain vegetable stew stored separately may be kept 2 days under the same prompt cooling conditions. Do not wait for a deep pot to reach room temperature.
Reheating
Reheat at most once to 74°C throughout, checking several centres. Reheating cannot make improperly stored food safe.
About this recipe
Vegetable Thareed combines hot stew with Regag bread. This version uses equal lower and upper bread layers, both thoroughly soaked before serving, without unverified historical claims.
Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.