ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Kuwait
Five dishes to try in Kuwait, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Kuwait
Machboos مجبوس
Spiced rice cooked with chicken or lamb, dried lime and baharat.
How to have it: The national dish, served on big platters for Friday lunch with daqoos tomato sauce.
Mutabbaq samak مطبق سمك
Fried fish, usually zubaidi pomfret, served over spiced rice.
How to have it: Order it at seafood restaurants near the fish market at Souq Sharq.
Harees هريس
Wheat and meat slow-cooked and beaten into a smooth porridge.
How to have it: A Ramadan and Eid dish; topped with ghee, sugar or cinnamon.
Balaleet بلاليط
Sweet vermicelli with saffron and cardamom, topped with a thin omelette.
How to have it: A traditional breakfast, especially during Eid; served in local cafés and homes.
Gaimat لقيمات
Crunchy fried dough balls drizzled with date syrup or saffron syrup.
How to have it: Eaten hot during Ramadan and at gatherings; often sold in markets and dessert shops.
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Questions
What food is Kuwait famous for?
Machboos (spiced rice cooked with chicken or lamb, dried lime and baharat) comes first on our list, followed by Mutabbaq samak, Harees, Balaleet and Gaimat.
What is the national dish of Kuwait?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Kuwait is Machboos: spiced rice cooked with chicken or lamb, dried lime and baharat. The national dish, served on big platters for Friday lunch with daqoos tomato sauce.
Which dishes in Kuwait are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Balaleet and Gaimat. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.