A Fish Suq in the UAE Desert
A Fish Suq in the UAE Desert
by Philip IddisonI had been making regular visits to the fish market in the centre of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates for some time before I queried the origins of a well established fresh fish market in this small desert city. My trips were both to purchase food and also to research what food was available. The variety and abundance of fish throughout the year was striking and the vitality of the market confirmed a well established demand for fish from Al Ain residents. Whilst this could be expected from those sections of the expatriate populace who had a strong seafood element in their own ethnic cooking, Filipinos and Keralans for example, the observed popularity of fish for the nationals of the UAE was more obscure. Was it a development of recent years with improved transportation, relative abundance and low cost or was there a historical origin for this taste? One clue was the existence of a few dried fish traders who seemed to do relatively little business. Perhaps this indicated a redundant commodity whose taste was no longer appreciated.
Until the late 1960's, Al Ain was an isolated date palm oasis with a small resident population controlled by the semi-nomadic bedouin of the Beni Yas confederation. The leaders of these tribes had gained control of the oasis by steadily purchasing date palm gardens. The Beni Yas had their main seat of power in the coastal settlement at Abu Dhabi, west of Al Ain, and were the most important tribe in a group of oases in the Liwa area to the south west of Al Ain [1]. Adjacent to the five villages comprising Al Ain are four Omani villages forming the Buraimi part of the oasis. In distance terms the Batinah coast of Oman is as near to Al Ain as the Gulf coast. There are strong cultural ties between the two communities although the strength of tribal custom has ensured that they now belong to separate countries [2].
The journey of 160 kilometres from Al Ain to Abu Dhabi took a minimum of 3 days by camel and could take as long as 14 days for a caravan of goods. Even two days were required once the Landrover had become available. The journey to Batinah is equally difficult involving passage through the Hajar mountains along Wadi Jizzi. Until the construction of the modern road system in the late 1960’s fresh fish was out of the question in Al Ain [3].
Economic Basis of Life
Research into people’s past means of sustenance in the Trucial States [4] revealed that my conception of purely desert based nomads needed to be broadened and that the resources of the sea had a more important role in the national livelihood than I had expected.
The main economic activities to sustain the lives of the national population of the Trucial States in the early part of this century can be divided into two groups. On one hand there were subsistence occupations:-
- nomadic camel herding;
- tending date gardens and associated agriculture in the oases;
- sheep and goat herding where pasture and water supplies permitted; and
- fishing and fish drying.
Alternatively there were a limited number of trades:-
- providing land transport by camel;
- pearl diving and trading;
- trading including overseas dhow journeys; and
- activities such as charcoal burning, firewood collection, guarding and crafts such as blacksmith, dhow builder.
Many families used several of these means of support to provide a living for their family. Thus it was not unusual for a nomadic herdsman with a small palm garden in Liwa to leave his family during the date harvest whilst he spent part of the summer fishing on the coast [5].
With 540 kilometres of coastline and abundant fish resources, fishing provided a valuable subsistence resource with the potential to generate cash or barter benefits. In 1969 it was estimated that 17% of the population were wholly or partly dependent on fishing for their support and cash income [6]. During the 1950’s and 60’s annual production was estimated to be 10,000 tons of which 6,000 tons were exported. The Gulf waters of the western UAE coast are rich in fish varieties [7] particularly during the winter months when shoals of pelagic fish such as tuna, sardine and anchovy enter from the Gulf of Oman to reinforce the resident fish populations. The UAE has a shorter eastern coast bordering the Gulf of Oman which hosts an even richer sea fauna from the adjacent Indian Ocean. Current production is about 90,000 tonnes per annum and a substantial proportion is consumed in the UAE. There were 4,464 fishing boats in 1996 and there is a growing awareness of the value and potential fragility of this resource.
An account [8] of life in Al Ain and Abu Dhabi in the 1950's and 60's details a hardy lifestyle. Extended families usually had establishments in both towns with a corresponding split of economic support activities, pearl diving, fishing and trading in Abu Dhabi; herding, date gardens and seasonal cultivation in Al Ain.
Fishing along the Abu Dhabi coast was substantial and of prime economic importance [9]. The fishing rights were held by the ruling sheikh who usually licensed them out [10]. Fish was a dietary mainstay along the coast due to ready availability. In Dubai rice and fish were the standard midday food, in the hot climate there was a traditional taboo against eating fresh fish later in the day [11]. Dried fish preparation was an important industry and supplied the inland areas with food and fertilizer as well as being an export commodity. There was a separate dried fish suq in Dubai.
A variety of fishing techniques were used including traps, gargour and dubeyer, and lines and nets used either inshore or from small sailing boats, sambuk and jalbut (derived from the English naval term jolly boat). The techniques were sophisticated, making good use of both fixed and cast nets. Fixed nets exploited the natural topography, currents and fish migration routes. Such nets, hadra and sakar are still in use along the gulf shoreline. They extend out from the shore and catch fish as they travel with the longshore drift, collecting the catch in a small trap at the end of the net which needs only to be attended at low tide to collect the catch. Fish could be kept for short periods in the gargour traps if these were weighted down offshore, thus preserving the catch for later consumption.
The dried fish trade was also well developed in the Oman. Exports are recorded to places such as Ceylon, one merchant handling 200 to 250 tons of fish monthly for ten months of the year with an annual value of £100,000 in the 1950's [12]. Dried sardines were an important item of trade in Oman as they were carried inland and used as camel fodder [13].
Sardines are still dried on the east coast of the UAE at Fujairah and Khalba. They used to be dried by simply spreading them on the coastal mud flats and more recently I have seen them being dried on the asphalt surface of a redundant section of road, a resourceful idea. These fish are caught by seine netting from the beaches, a four wheel drive vehicle has now replaced human muscles for the job of hauling in the net. Silversides (Atherinidae) were also collected in significant numbers and dried but they were used as fertilizer [14].
Al Ain Fish Market
The Al Ain fish market is housed in a number of sheds arranged around the open vegetable and food market in the heart of the city. The whole market derives its popular name, suq as samak, from the fish sales. The fish are brought overnight from the coastal landing areas by truck in large ice chests. The trucks are driven into the sheds so that the fish can be heaped on benches for sale as the morning wears on and the stock diminishes. One is confronted by mounds of multi-coloured fish backed up by fishmongers wielding sharp knives gutting two kilo trevally specimens whilst vying for your attention for the next sale. The fish is invariably fresh and the customers are knowledgeable and discerning.
The choice is large and spectacular [15], heaps of silvery sardines, broomtail wrasse in exquisite colours, vicious barracuda and cutlass fish with bared fangs, lines of svelte tuna, a tangle of half-beaks, half a dozen varieties of grouper with bulging eyes, bowls of swimming crabs and prawns, rather evil looking sea catfish with poisonous spines, and a plethora of trevally and bream. Individual fish weigh from a few grams, for instance anchovies, to kingfish and amberjack weighing 15-20 Kg. each. The appendix records the technical details of this visual treat and also records local fish names gathered from the other Gulf countries.
The market is well patronised by all nationalities with the exception of Europeans and North Americans. They are perhaps too accustomed to the supermarket culture to cope with the vagaries of an open market and all its questionable characteristics; for instance the need to know about the different fish varieties; bargaining skills and the hygiene aspect.
Fish prices are low compared to the west, a kilo of sardines costs 5 Dirhams [16] and most large fish retail at 8 to 20 Dirhams a kilo. Only premium fish such as silver pomfret and the excellent large prawns break this barrier, fetching 25 to 50 Dirhams a kilo for prawns of exceptional size.
Fish Butchery
The term butchery was chosen with care as there is minimal finesse displayed when it comes to cutting up the fish sold to a customer. However the majority of fish sold in the suq are offered for sale intact. In the case of large fish such as tuna, fresh sharks and kingfish, they are usually sliced transversely into steaks. Some fish seem to be prepared as a matter of course, shaeri (emperors) are frequently displayed scaled, gutted, fins trimmed and the head removed. If the vendor cleans a fish for a local he will offer to cut it up and this offer is usually taken up. The fish is then butchered into chunks with no respect for bone structure and must be an alarming prospect to eat. However some local recipes call for the fish to be cooked and then de-boned before the flesh is incorporated into the final dish thus solving the problem.
Preserved Fish - Cheseef
A few stalls in the market sell a variety of preserved fish, called cheseef in the UAE and recalling the state of fish consumption prior to modern communications. Mal-lah is another term for dried fish.
Two natural methods of food preservation have been available in the Emirates since prehistoric times.
Sun drying is still used to preserve prawns, anchovies, sardines and shark [17]. The process is simple, effective and preserves excess supplies.
Salting is used for a number of fish varieties and these are still available in the suq. On the Gulf shore there are extensive salt flats where sea salt was naturally produced and I have seen it being collected on the sabkha salt flat between Dubai and Sharjah. There were also inland sources of salt that were collected by the bedouin and taken to the regional markets.
The most common dried fish in the Al Ain suq are anchovies, gashr. Huge bowls are piled high at half a dozen stalls in the central open area. These are sold by the kilo and are relatively cheap at 10 Dirhams. These fish do not seem to be salted and rely simply on the sun drying to preserve them.
Dried shark, awal, is the second most common dried fish and also unmistakable as the whole shark is cut longitudinally for the drying process like the structure of a giant net [18]. Apart from sale as whole pieces, a popular choice for travellers visiting the market, current practice is to cut the dried shark into pieces about 4 inches long, rejecting the less meaty portions and presenting the pieces in a plastic bag at a premium price (25 Dirhams a kilo). It is readily recognisable due to its characteristic pungent smell of ammonia. I received some domestic aggravation for bringing home awal, as the aroma readily permeated our flat in Al Ain. The ammonia smell is due to the presence of urea in the shark flesh. Sharks and rays doe not have kidneys and are hence unable to dispose of urea which builds up in their flesh.
I have also found tuna, kingfish and queenfish, salted and dried for sale as whole split fish. The tuna is also cut into smaller pieces for sale and there are whole small seabreams. The dried shrimps are quite small specimens and are intact. Dried shellfish are also on sale, khart, and were described to me as being dried oysters. I was unable to tell what species had been dried, shellfish are not common in the market despite their abundance in the marine environment. There is a religious proscription against shellfish, however given the number of oysters that had to be processed in the pearling industry, it would seem logical for some use to have been made of this abundant food.
There are also shallow bowls displaying wet salted fish which I have not yet had the courage to try.
Studying this selection of dried fish reminded me that I had seen my first genuine red herring on sale in the Kuwait suq back in 1980, displayed in a wooden box emblazoned Great Yarmouth. Herring preserved in brine in vacuum packs are a common commodity in the UAE supermarkets.
Fish Sauces - Meshawaa
Meshawaa (mehiawah in Qatar) is a product which I have not been able to track down in the UAE although I suspect that I have consumed it on bread, khamir or chebab, at a demonstration of traditional breads. It certainly had the correct salty taste. It was introduced from Iran [19] to the Gulf countries. It has not entered commercial production. Preparation is from pickled Indian oil sardines, oom, water, spices and salt. These are mixed and left to ferment in a glass bottle in the sun for one to two weeks. The contents are then mashed and mixed with roasted spices to undergo a further fermentation. The sauce is spread on flatbreads and particularly eaten at breakfast with spring onions.
Tareeh is home prepared from dried oom, again fermented with salt, cummin and red chillies. It is more concentrated than meshawaa and is diluted with water for consumption on bread with radish tops and spring onions [20].
These products bring to mind the fish sauces of eastern Asia. Charles Perry in papers to the Symposium has identified the historic near eastern taste for salty liquid seasonings and fish preserves.
Local Recipes
There are few accounts of local food published in English. Reviewing recipes that are available for traditional food in the UAE and neighbouring countries reveals several categories of fish dishes.
My definition of traditional food is the food endemic in the UAE before the advent of oil wealth and the social changes which ensued. This was already a cultural mix with Iranian, sub-continental, Iraqi and north Arabian influences [21]. It had however developed a distinctive character which is evident in the fish dishes, particularly those requiring preserved products.
Given the good quality of fish, the simple methods of frying and grilling fish, samak maqli and meshwi, are understandably popular. The ready availability of cooking oils is relatively recent and the frying medium was probably clarified butter, samn. Ovens were the clay tanoor type and do not seem to have been used for cooking fish dishes. Fish stews are well represented with spices being an essential component. The local spice mix, bezar [22], was used for meat and fish dishes.
Dried anchovies or sardines were ground with roasted fennel seeds to make a garnish called sahnah for rice [23]. Gashr are also cooked with egg and cheese and eaten with bread. In Oman red pepper and garlic were pounded with the anchovies to make a similar condiment. Awal was used for a range of dishes including stews and salads. It was prepared by soaking and boiling before being incorporated into the dish. The recipes for this product are almost all Omani and this reinforces my view that these products are falling out of favour in the UAE. Local advice is to avoid drinking milk after eating awal and other dried fish as it is likely to upset the stomach. Oman also has many recipes for salted fish, malih, and a keen general appreciation of its broadly based and historic culture.
Matharubah originates from Kuwait and is made from fish and rice which are reduced to a paste after the first stage of cooking. There are recipes for fish kebabs and fishcakes and many recipes include a stage where the fish skin and bones are removed and the fish is flaked into the dish. This could explain the fish butchery in the suq.
Some Omani recipes call for the dish to be smoked as a final cooking stage. This is achieved by placing half a lime rind on the surface of the dish, placing a little samn in it, adding a piece of burning charcoal and sealing the lid so that the charcoal smolders and flavours the food. This seems to be a particular taste of Oman.
Crustaceans were also popular food and the Gulf prawns have a well deserved culinary reputation. Swimming crabs are a common market item, the remaining coastal mangroves providing the necessary breeding environment. A national told me that they were one of his children’s favourite foods, simply cooked on the barbecue. Dugong meat was also eaten when these mammals were caught in the fishing nets and was considered a delicacy [24]. These mammals may weigh up to 500 Kg. and the flesh is like very tender beef.
Food on the pearling expeditions was dependent on fish as a source of protein to sustain the arduous work. Rice was the staple accompaniment and with dates and coffee completed the bill of fare on these voyages which lasted up to two months.
Summary
The diversity of fish dishes reflects the important role that food from the sea played in traditional life in the Trucial States as one of the main economic resources. The taste for fish has not diminished and is well served by the modern fish markets such as the Al Ain fish suq where a large variety of seafood is available. The fish market in the desert is not an anomaly.
Bibliography
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Al Taie, Lamees Abdullah, Al Azaf, The Omani Cookbook, Oman Bookshop, Muscat, 1995
Al Zayani, Afnan Rashid, A Taste of the Arabian Gulf, Ministry of Information, Bahrain, 1988
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Vine, Peter, Pearls in Arabian Waters - The Heritage of Bahrain, Immel, London, 1986
Appendix - Seafood in Gulf Markets
jash: published/recorded name
jash: identified as a market fish and hence assumed to be eaten
jash: seen in market or name confirmed
kingfish*: sampled from Al Ain suk as samak
(juv) = juvenile specimens; (ad) = adult specimens
? - indicates some doubt on local or scientific name
?? - indicates questionable edibility, e.g. many puffers are fatally toxic!
| United Arab Emirates | Oman | Bahrain | North Gulf | Scientific | English |
| Cartilaginous Fishes | |||||
| - | - | - | hayyasa | Chiloscyllium sp., Stegostoma varium |
bamboo sharks, zebra shark |
| yaruor, amat | jarjur | jerjoor | jarjur yaryoor |
Triakidae fam. Carcharhinidae fam. |
houndshark & requiem shark families |
| - | jarjur abu al graram | - | aqrun | Sphyrnidae fam. | hammerhead sharks |
| suss, sous | barbar, fanto | - | hariri balando |
Rhinobatidae fam. | guitarfish family |
| fitr-lakhmah, ruget | - | lokhma | lukhma | Dasyatidae fam. | stingrays & whiprays |
| tais gharabi ?? | - | - | thuwar ‘amir lokhmah |
Myliobatidae fam. | eagle rays |
| Bony Fishes | |||||
| bonouk ?? | far al bahar ?? | - | - | Albula sp. | bonefish |
| - | - | - | nashuj | Muraenesox cinereus, Conger cinereus | daggertooth pike conger, longfin African conger |
| ooma | uma, abed | o'om | um | Sardinella longiceps, Sardinella albella, S. gibbosa, S. sindensis, Amblygaster sirm |
Indian oil sardinella* white sardinella* spotted sardinella, Sind sardinella goldstripe sardinella |
| - | - | - | suboor sabur |
Tenualosa ilisha | hilsa shad, river shad |
| - | - | - | sawayah ? ‘um |
Ilisha compressa, Ilisha sirishai |
compressed ilisha, lobejaw ilisha |
| - | - | - | sabur | Anodontostoma chacunda | Chacunda gizzard shad |
| yuwaf | - | jawaf | juwwaf | Nematalosa nasus | Bloch's gizzard shad |
| - | - | o'om | um | Dussumieria acuta, D. elopsoides |
rainbow sardine, slender rainbow sardine |
| gashr(dried) | - | - | - | Encrasicholina devisi, E. punctifer | de vis' anchovy* bucaneer anchovy |
| jashr | - | o'om | um | Stolephorus indicus | Indian anchovy* |
| - | - | - | usbur | Thryssa hamiltonii | Hamilton’s thryssa |
| - | - | - | boefchach | Thryssa whiteheadii | Whitehead's thryssa |
| in market | sail, sulfak | hiff | huff hiff | Chirocentrus dorab, C. nudus |
wolf herrings* |
| in market | baiher | - | sheem | Chanos chanos | milkfish* |
| khin | jam, khen | chim | shim | Arius thalassinus, A. bilineatus, A. dussumieri, A. tenuispinis |
giant sea catfish, roundsnout sea catfish, blacktip sea catfish, thinspine sea catfish |
| sannuoh, ter, macarona | hasum, poleen | kassor | kasur | Saurida undosquamis, Saurida sp. | brushtooth lizardfish*, lizardfish |
| - | - | - | naghaga | Austrobatrachus dussumieri | flat toadfish |
| - | - | manchos | manshus, manchoos | Atherinomorus lacunosus | hardyhead silverside |
| hagoul, kharam | kharkhur alafa | hagool | musaffaha, hakool | Ablennes hians | flat needlefish* |
| - | - | - | hakul | Strongylura sp. | needlefish |
| hagoul kharam | kharkhur alafa | hagool | dawalmi, hakool |
Tylosurus crocodilus crocodilus, T. sp. | hound needlefish |
| sils, sil's | - | sils | sils | Rhynchorhamphus georgii, Hemiramphus marginatus |
George's halfbeak* 'yellowtip halfbeak |
| yaradah | maran, sils | jaradeh | jarada yaradah |
Cypserulus oligolepis, Parexocoetus mento |
largescale flying fish, 'African sailfin flying fish |
| - | - | - | firyala | Lepidotrigla bispinosa | bullhorn gurnard |
| wahar | - | wahar | wahara ewharah |
Grammoplites suppositus, Platycephalus indicus | spotfin flathead, Indian flathead |
| - | - | - | najil | Aethaloperca rogaa | redmouth grouper |
| hammor, hammour | hamur | hamour | hamoor (balool (juv) | Epinephelus coioides | orangespot grouper* |
| summan ? | - | - | qutwa gataw |
Epinephelus areolatus, E. bleekeri | areolate grouper* duskytail grouper |
| in market | - | burtam | burtam | Epinephelus multinotatus, E. latifasciatus | whiteblotched grouper, striped grouper |
| - | - | summan | summan | Epinephelus polylepis | smallscale grouper |
| arus, hummara | hamur | - | shenainow | Cephapholis miniata | blue spot rock grouper, coral hind |
| - | - | - | ishnainuwa | Cephapholis hemistiktos | yellowfin hind, halfspotted hind |
| naser | - | - | - | Cockeolus japonicus | bulleye* |
| hamra | deek? | - | hamra | Priacanthus tayenus, P. hamrur | purplespotted bigeye, moontail bullseye |
| - | - | zamroor | qaradhi | Pelates quadrilineatus | fourline terapon |
| baam, yali | baam, sarour | zamroor | dheeb zamrool theeb |
Terapon jarbua, Terapon puta, Terapon theraps | tigerfish, jarbua, smallscale terapon, largescale terapon |
| - | - | hassom | hasum, hasum arabi | Sillago sihama, S. attenuata, S. arabica | silver sillago slender sillago Arabian sillago |
| sichil | sikel, goada | sikin | sikn | Rachycentron canadum | cobia |
| la-zag | lazzag | - | lazzag | Echeneis naucrates | sharksucker, remora |
| in market | - | - | - | Remora remora | remora |
| anfulus | anfalus | - | - | Coryphaena hippurus | common dolphinfish mahi mahi |
| numar ? | - | - | khait | Alectis ciliaris | threadfin jack |
| numar ? | - | - | khait, othaimy | Alectis indicus | Indian threadfish |
| - | - | jinees | hammam, jinnees, jarnees | Alepes djedaba, A. melanoptera, A. vari |
shrimp scad, blackfin scad herring scad |
| - | - | - | jash | Atropus atropos | cleftbelly trevally |
| jush, jesh | butikha | - | hammam | Carangoides bajad | orangespotted jack/trevally* |
| - | - | - | hammam | Carangoides chrysophrys | longnose trevally |
| - | - | - | jash | Carangoides ferdau | 'blue trevally |
| tanna | - | - | jash hamam |
Carangoides malabaricus | Malabar trevally |
| - | sall | - | - | Carangoides praeustus | blacktip jack, brownback trevally |
| dardaman? | - | - | hammam | Atule mate | yellowtail scad* |
| yarwah | - | - | hammam kabir | Caranx ignobilis | giant trevally |
| - | haima | - | jash | Caranx sexfasciatus | bigeye trevally |
| simah, baleg | - | khedra | - | Decapterus russelli | Indian scad* |
| - | sagla, gazala | - | musallaba | Elagatis bipinnulata | rainbow runner |
| zredy zabeeb jash? |
keft, kegdar, bakes | rabeeb, kefdar | rabeeb, kefdar | Gnathanodon speciosus | golden trevally* |
| dee ai yoo | - | - | teeti | Megalaspis cordyla | torpedo scad* |
| halwayoh aredah | halwaya | imad | halwayuh | Parastromateus niger | black pomfret* |
| dhela bassar? |
habes, zareb, bashke | lehlah | dhal’a | Scomberoides sp. | queenfish* |
| - | - | baleg | balij | Selar crumenophthalmus | bigeye scad |
| - | - | seniee | seena, garfah | Selaroides leptolepis | yellowstripe scad |
| hammam halwayoh |
- | hamam | jibb | Seriola dumerili | great amberjack |
| halwayo | gazala | hamam arabi | dibsa, dabsah | Seriolina nigrofasciata | blackbanded jack, blackbanded trevally |
| zubaity | talah, raheesa | - | - | Trachinotus africanus | African pompano* |
| - | talah, raheesa | - | bu sulbukh | Trachinotus blochii | snubnose pompano |
| - | - | - | tala’ | Trachinotus mookalee | Indian pompano |
| - | - | khedra | khadra | Trachurus indicus | Arabian scad |
| - | - | - | diyayuh | Uraspis helvola | whitetongue jack |
| in market | - | - | - | Mene maculata | moonfish |
| in market (dried) |
- | - | tarashi rayasha ‘aridha |
Leiognathus bindus, L. equulus | orangefin ponyfish, common ponyfish |
| badha | - | musallakh badeh |
musallakh (juv) badh-ar rayash (ad) | Gerres oyena | common silver-biddy, blacktip mojarra |
| - | - | - | rayasha, badah | Gerres filamentosus | whipfin silver-biddy, whipfin mojarra |
| - | - | - | badh ar-rayash | Pentaprion longimanus | longfin silver-biddy, longfin mojarra |
| - | - | - | shiqra | Lutjanus argentimaculatus | mangrove red snapper |
| - | - | - | naisara | Lutjanus ehrenbergii | blackspot snapper |
| aglaah | - | - | naisara | Lutjanus fulviflamma | dory snapper, one spot golden snapper |
| - | - | - | naisara | Lutjanus johnii | John's snapper |
| nasarah, nisar | hamra | - | naisara | Lutjanus quinquelineatus | fivelined snapper, bluestriped snapper |
| hamra | hamra | - | hamra | Lutjanus malabaricus | Malabar snapper, red snapper |
| hummarah | - | hamrah | hamra | Lutjanus sanguineus | humphead snapper |
| - | - | naiser | naisara | Lutjanus russelli | Russell’s snapper |
| fadha | - | - | na’imee | Pinjalo pinjalo | pinjalo, pink snapper |
| - | andag | - | - | Pristipomoides sp. | Jobfish |
| - | lama | - | khattaf | Caesio varilineata C. lunaris |
yellowstriped fusilier, lunar fusilier |
| - | - | - | subaiti | Lobotes surinamensis | tripletail |
| - | - | - | khubur | Diagramma pictum | painted sweetlips |
| hilaly | nagroor | - | zeena | Plectorhinchus gaterinus | blackspotted thicklip |
| khuber | - | khubor frish |
fursh | Plectorhinchus pictus | painted grunt, trout sweetlips |
| - | - | - | janam | Plectorhinchus sordidus | sordid sweetlip |
| yanam | - | janam | yanam | Plectorhinchus schotaf | minstrel, grayish grunt |
| - | naqrur | - | naqrur, nakroor |
Pomadasys argenteus | silver grunt |
| - | - | - | naqrur | Pomadasys kaakan | javelin grunt |
| yimyam'h | - | jimjam | imyam | Pomadasys stridens | striped piggy |
| - | gazwan, andaq | - | basij | Nemipterus bipunctatus | Delagoa threadfin bream |
| sultan ebraheem (andak) |
- | - | basij bassi |
Nemipterus japonicus N. peronii |
japanese threadfin bream* notched threadfin bream |
| - | - | ebzaimee | ibzaimi | Scolopsis bimaculatus, S. taeniatus |
thumbprint monocle bream, blackstreaked monocle bream |
| ain-shimaloh | - | - | zarra’ | Scolopsis ghanam | Arabian monocle bream, dotted bream |
| bzemiy | - | - | hassayya | Scolopsis vosmeri | whitecheek bream |
| - | - | - | jima | Lethrinus borbonicus | snubnose emperor |
| shekhabi | sha'ri, khodair | sharee | baksheena | Lethrinus lentjan | redspot emperor |
| suli | sha'ri, khutam | soly | suli | Lethrinus microdon | smalltooth emperor |
| shaeri | - | soly | sha’ri sheiry |
Lethrinus nebulosus | spangled emperor* starry pigface bream |
| shaam aswad | - | - | sha’um’ mozaizy? | Acanthopagrus berda | picnic seabream |
| faskarah, bint al nokhatha | rababa, bint nakhza | faskar | faskar | Acanthopagrus bifasciatus | doublebar seabream* |
| kabtah | - | she'em | sha’m sheim |
Acanthopagrus latus | yellowfin seabream |
| - | - | subaity | mozaizy (juv) sobaity (ad) |
Acanthopagrus cuvieri | silvery black porgy |
| kofar farida merjan |
kawfar, da'ara | - | kufar andag |
Argyrops spinifer | king soldierbream* |
| - | - | andag | nahash | Cheimerius nufar. | seabream |
| - | - | - | battan | Crenidens crenidens | karanteen seabream |
| - | kofer | muchawah | imshawah | Diplodus sargus kotschyi | onespot porgy/seabream |
| - | - | - | andak | Pagellus affinis | Arabian pandora |
| - | - | - | qurqufan | Rhabdosargus haffara | haffara seabream |
| - | - | gorgofan | - | Rhabdosargus sarba | goldstriped seabream |
| - | - | - | imzaizi (juv) subaiti (ad) |
Sparidentex hasta | sobaity seabream |
| - | - | - | nuwaibi newaiby |
Otolithes ruber | tigertooth croaker |
| - | - | - | eshmahy | Pennahia anea | greyfin croaker |
| - | - | - | nuwaibi saghir | Protonibea diacantha | spotted croaker |
| - | - | - | sheem | Eleutheronema tetradactylum | fourfinger threadfin |
| - | - | - | ghazal | Polydactylus sextarius | blackspot threadfin |
| biyah | - | - | biah | Liza subviridis, Mugil cephalus, Valamugil pederaki | greenback mullet, flathead mullet, longfin mullet |
| be-yah | gawafa, guturana | maid beyah |
beyah biah |
Chelon macrolepis, Valamugil seheli, Liza persicus, |
largescale mullet, bluespot mullet, Persian mullet |
| - | - | - | maid | Liza abu, L. klunzingeri | abu mullet Klunzinger’s mullet |
| - | kasarmala, sultan ibrahim, hidi | - | - | Mulloidichthys vanicolensis | yellowfin goatfish |
| - | - | hamer | hummar | Parupeneus heptacanthus. | cinnabar goatfish |
| - | kasarmala, sultan ibrahim, hidi | - | - | Parupeneus macronemus | longbarbel goatfish |
| - | - | - | sultan ibrahim | Parupeneus margaritatus | pearly goatfish |
| hediy abu uwashih | - | raee | ra’I hamer |
Upeneus tragula | freckled goatfish |
| hediy | - | basej | hamer | Upeneus doriae | gilded goatfish |
| - | aum alshaba | - | - | Kyphosus sp. | blue sea chub |
| mushat | - | - | - | Chaetodon nigropunctatus | blackspotted butterflyfish |
| - | misht | - | in market | Heniochus acuminatus | longfin bannerfish, pennant butterfly fish |
| anfuz arabi | - | - | - | Pomocanthus asfur | Arabian angelfish |
| anfuz farsi | - | - | - | Pomocanthus imperator | emperor angelfish |
| anfus | - | anfooz | anfuz anfooz |
Pomocanthus maculosus | yellowbar angelfish |
| in market | ega'aisse | - | - | Abudefduf vaigiensis | sergeant major damselfish |
| yirab | mailag | - | - | Cheilinus lunulatus | broomtail wrasse |
| - | - | gain | - | Choerodon robustus | robust tuskfish |
| missan | - | - | - | Thalasomma lunare | moon wrasse |
| gin | baraya, humara, jinn | gain | gain gain masdi |
Scarus sp. | parrotfish* |
| - | - | - | wazagh terr |
Parapercis robisoni, P. alboguttata |
smallscale sandperch, bluenose sandperch |
| - | - | - | rumramai | Uranoscopus dollfusi | Dollfus’ stargazer |
| in market | kelb al bahr, khubs | - | khaufa khofaah |
Psettodes erumei | Indian spiny turbot |
| samakat mousa | - | - | hairazan | Bothus pantherinus | leopard flounder |
| - | - | - | khaufa khofaah |
Pseudorhombus arsius | argetooth flounder |
| - | - | - | khaufa mezlak |
Pardachirus marmoratus | finless sole,Moses sole |
| - | - | - | lisan, lessan, althor | Cynoglossus arel, C. bilineatus, C. carpentieri, C.kopsii, C.puncticeps | largescale/fourlined/ hooked/Kop’s/ speckled tonguesoles |
| mizliganih | - | - | lisan | Euryglossa orientalis | oriental sole |
| - | - | bangara | banqara | Ariomma indica | Indian driftfish |
| zu-bedi | - | zebaidy | zobaidy | Pampus argenteus | silver pomfret* |
| gid | aqam, qadad, gaila | dwailmee (s) jidd (l) |
kanaya edwailmy |
Sphyraena jello | pickhandle barracuda* |
| ghily, jid | aqam, qadad, gaila | dwailmee (s) jidd (l) |
duwalmi edwailmy |
Sphyraena obtusata | obtuse barracuda |
| - | - | - | qid | Sphyraena putnamiae | sawtooth barracuda |
| saifaram-do | saflac, fafdo, kharodail | - | i’saba ea'sabah |
Trichiurus sp. | cutlassfish* |
| sadah, gubab | haida, sharwa | jibab | jibab cedah |
Euthynnus affinis | kawakawa, mackerel tuna, little tunny* |
| sa'ha-wa | - | - | - | Katsuwonis pelamis | skipjack tuna |
| gar-fa, gurfa | dhala'a, karuga | khedra | khadhra bangalla |
Rastrelliger kanagurta | indian mackerel* |
| - | sagtana, marmara | - | - | Sarda orientalis | striped bonito |
| chanaad bal-jeh? |
kan'ad | khubbat (s) chana'ad (l) |
kan’ad chaniedah |
Scomberomorus commerson | narrow-barred spanish mackerel, kingfish* |
| khabat, qabed | - | - | khubbat | Scomberomorus guttatus |
spotted Spanish mackerel |
| jodar, gobab go-bob |
gaydher, sahwa | - | qibab | Thunnus albacares | yellowfin tuna |
| - | - | jibab | - | Thunnus obesus | bigeye tuna |
| in market | - | - | - | Thunnus tongol | longtail tuna* |
| khail al bahr | sansul | faras | faras | Istiophorus platypterus | sailfish |
| - | misht | - | mishit | Drepane longimana | barred sicklefish |
| in market | - | - | imad | Drepane punctata | spotted sicklefish* |
| in market | - | - | thuwar’ mishit |
Ephippus orbis | orbfish, golden spadefish |
| emad | - | - | imad | Platax orbicularis, P. teira | circular platax teira |
| - | - | - | shing | Scatophagus argus | spotted scat |
| safy | - | saffee | safi | Siganus canaliculatus | pearlspotted rabbitfish |
| safysanefi | safi, seeseege | saffee senniffee | safi | Siganus javus | streaked rabbitfish |
| - | - | - | sunaifi | Siganus luridus | dusky rabbitfish |
| in market | faridh | - | jarah al-maliki, jarah az-zarqa | Acanthurus sohal Zebrasoma xanthurum |
sohal, surgeonfish’ yellowtail surgeonfish |
| - | - | - | shalaib ad-dau | Triacanthus biaculeatus | shortnose tripodfish |
| gargumbah | - | - | humara homarah |
Abalistes stellatus | starry triggerfish |
| gargumbah | - | - | - | Sufflamen fraenatus | bridled triggerfish |
| chelebidow?? | - | - | buqumi | Stephanolepis diaspros | lozenge filefish |
| beq-mah?? | - | - | fuqul | Lagocephalus lunaris | lunartail puffer |
| Crustaceans | |||||
| rubeyan | shubas, rubyan | - | - | Penaeus indicus | Indian white shrimp* |
| in market | - | rubian | rubiyan | Penaeus semisulcatus, P. latisulcatus, Metapenaeus sp. |
green tiger prawn |
| - | sharukh | - | umm ar-rubian | Panulirus sp. | spiny lobster |
| - | - | umm al rubian | umm ar-rubian | Thenus orientalis | shovel lobster, flathead lobster |
| gabgoob | - | gubgub | saratan sabih | Portunus pelagicus | blue swimming crab* |
| Gastropods | |||||
| - | - | - | howait | Monodonta nebulosa | - |
| Bivalve Molluscs | |||||
| - | - | - | sadafi qhurut (dried) |
Pinctada margaritifera, P. radiata | black-lip pearl oyster, rayed pearl oyster |
| - | - | - | sughoa | Circentia callipyga, Marcia flammea |
Venus clam, ovate clam |
| Cephalopods | |||||
| habar | habar | khathag | subaidaj habbar |
Sepia sp. | cuttlefish |
| naggar | habar, nager, anter, dagit | - | habbar | Loligo sp. ? | squid* |
| akhkaboot al bahar | - | - | habbar akhtabuti | Octopus cyaneus | octopus |
| dowl | - | - | - | - | jellyfish |
| Mammals & Reptiles | |||||
| anfulus | - | - | - | Delphinidae fam. | dolphin |
| baghr al bahr | - | arus al bahar | - | Dugong dugon | dugong, sea cow |
| - | - | - | sulhafa khadra | Chelonia midas | green turtle |
| - | - | - | sulhafa dhat manqar as-saqr | Eretmochelys imbricata | hawksbill turtle |
| - | - | - | - | Dermochelys coriacea | leathery turtle |
| - | - | - | - | Caretta caretta | loggerhead turtle |
Sequence of listing follows Randall, also using his scientific names, updates from Carpenter et al.
Scientific synonyms omitted.
Randall’s and Carpenter’s English names used, other common names in use follow.
Some members of families marketed but with no Arabic name have not been included, for example Carangoides.
Sources:
Brock Al-Ansari, Al Ghais' fish poster, personal observations 1994-8
Friends of Oman Aquarium, Randall, Al Taie, personal observations 1996-7
Vine, Al Zayani
North Gulf Carpenter et al., Kuronuma for Kuwait, personal observations in Kuwait 1980-3
Fish Sampled From the Al Ain Souk
| Date | Fish | Weight gm. | Length cm. | Cost Dh. | Taste/Texture/Ease Recipe |
| - | kawakawa | 1500 | 50 | 10 | fillets baked, dry texture, good flavour and good cold |
| 3/1/97 | Indian oil sardine? | 1000, 16 no. | 18-20 | 5 | headed, gutted and de-boned, stuffed and baked, good strong flavour |
| 3/1/97 | 'milkfish | 500 | 35 | - | cooked but not eaten apart from a taste, too boney |
| 3/1/97 | black pomfret | 400 | 26 | - | baked, tastey but not as good as silver pomfret |
| 3/1/97 | Indian mackerel gurfa Oman UAE |
200 + 125 | 24 + 20 | - | good flavour, manageable bones, baked |
| 3/1/97 | jash - trevally | 175 | 21 | - | good flavour, no lateral bones, baked |
| 3/1/97 | queenfish | 'na | steak | free | firm texture, average taste, easy to eat |
| 3/1/97 | kingfish | na | steaks | 15/Kg | few bones, strong flavour, baked/fried/fish pie/etc. |
| 10/1/97 | shaeri spangled emperor |
1700 | 45 | 10/Kg | steamed Chinese style, excellent succulent flesh in large flakes. Often sold headed gutted and scaled in market |
| 10/1/97 | kofar, merjan, faridaking soldierbream | 500 400 250 |
25 24 20 |
15/Kg | baked, good firm white flesh, bones very manageable |
| 10/1/97 | gashr, De Vis' anchovy - dried | - | 5-7 | 10/Kg | - |
| 17/1/97 | jash, large | 1900 | 50 | 10/Kg | 850 gm. fillets, baked plain, darkish flesh, good flavour, also good cold |
| 17/1/97 | j(g)ashr, Indian anchovy | '9 each | 9-10 | 5/Kg | cleaned very easily, also easy to fillet, baked, flesh didi not have as full an anchovy taste as hamsi but good and not oily |
| 17/1/97 | no name, George's halfbeak, one specimen | ? | ?photo | - | baked with anchovies, similar flavour, backbone almost black |
| 24/1/97 | meyval, Indian scad | 80-90 | 19-21 | 5/Kg | - |
| 2/5/97 | zubaidi | 500 | 27 | '25/20 Kg | 2 good sized specimens |
| 2/5/97 | kingfish | - | - | 20 Kg | steaks as usual |
| 8/5/97 | black tuna, gubab | 1650 | 50 | 10 Dh. for one | Yielded 800 gm. of fillets for a tomato sauce dish. |
| 16/5/97 | squid (frozen) | 1 Kg | 10-15 | 7 Dh | Squid Provencale |
| ditto | awa l | '0.4 Kg | pieces | 10 Dh | - |
| ditto | dried shrimp | 0.2 Kg | small | 5 Dh. | - |
| 23/5/97 | 'cutlass fish, saifaramdo | 1 Kg + 2 no. | 80/85 | 8 Dh | in roe, cut into 3 pieces and baked, easy to eat, average taste, good cold |
| ditto | lizardfish, macarona ? | 600 gm. | 40 | 2 Dh. for one, nominal | boiled and defleshed, flesh dry but tasty, made into fish cakes |
| 6/6/97 | jid, pickhandle barracuda | 1.2 Kg +1 Kg | 65/60 | 8/15 Dh for 1/2 Kg | in roe, one male one female, yielded 1 Kg. Fillets, cooked in tahina sauce, the dark meat turned a rather visually unappetizing black colour |
| 6/6/97 | orange spotted jack, jash (small specimen) | 100 gm | 19 | free | baked, adequate flavour |
| 13/6/97 | dee-ai-yoo, torpedo scad | 700 + 850 gm. | 40/42 | 7 Dh for 1.5 Kg. | filleted with difficulty yielded 500 gm. of dark red flesh, skin very tough with scutes, baked with lime and coriander |
| 13/6/97 | galaya, young yellow tail barracuda | 70 gm. average | 20-25 cm. | nominal | headed and gutted and baked |
| 13/6/97 | gubgub, swimming crabs | small | - | nominal | not meaty enough to warrant eating |
| 4/7/97 | dardaman ?, yellowtail scad | 250/450/475 gm. | 26/34/36 cm. | 12 Dh for 1 Kg. | filleted yielded 500 gm., meat quite dark, grilled with coriander salsa, good flavour |
| 11/7/97 | gin/gun, blue barred parrotfish | 250/650 gm. | 24/34 cm. | 10 Dh. per Kg. | Massive liver, filleted, white fleshed, smaller specimen a juvenile, steamed with ginger and coriander, flesh very tender and tasty. |
| 11/7/97 | naser ?, bulleye | 900 gm. | 40 cm. | 8 Dh per Kg. | Headed and gutted, small roes, white flesh, baked plain, very firm flesh, succulent and good flavour. |
| 1/8/97 | zredi, golden trevally | 1450 gm. | 48 cm. | 20 Dh/Kg. | Filleted for pudina maach, 600 gm. of light and dark flesh. |
| 5/9/97 | shaeri, spangled emperor | 1500 gm. | 45 cm. | 10 Dh/kg. | Filleted, 600 gm. |
Market Notes
dried sardines = ooma, dried shark = awal
24/1/97 my helpful dealer tuna, large = suda, small = thibban
large 'black' tuna = gubab
given small Indian scad? = meyval
large rounded fish, uniform grey/brown/green = thaqu(v)a
hammour, bright red/blue spots + one with even golden spots
rainbow runner hammam??? dolphin fish, barracuda
zubaidi, black pomfret, hamam (rainbow runner?),quite large (25 cm.) halfbeaks - shils, barracuda - jid/jit, medium sized tuna - gubab, lots of trevally, hammour etc., kingfish prices high.
broomtail wrasse, two flatfish, barracuda, black tuna, huge meagres?, good selection of large trevallies including a silvery black one, halfbeaks, largish anchovies, sardines, hammour varieties, zubaidi, barracuda, spotted shark, mahi-mahi (1), catfish, mercan, one skate, shaeri, few prawns and crabs.
16/5/97 lots of gubab, zubaidi, halfbeak, shaeri, oom, hammour; small soles/mousa, striped tuna, cutlass fish (saifaramdo), barracuda, kingfish,
dried fish kingfish, queenfish, striped tuna all whole salted split fish
shrimp, small seabream, tuna pieces, awal pieces
triggerfish? sobaity?, needlefish/houndfish hagoul
kofer/mercan, anfalus - common dolphinfish, young queenfish, safee - dark coloured skin, gilded goatfish, sohal/surgeonfish, black spotted thicklip (nagroor?), shaeri - lots of young and redspot and spangled, khart said to be dried oyster, obviously dried shellfish
11/7/97 more than thirty varieties counted, takua large fleshy lipped greyish fish seen before, meagre/croaker??, girfa Indian mackerel with a rosey hue on the flank
10 Kg. hammam, lot of catfish, streaked rabbitfish (safi), orbfish, lot of emperor, tunas, barracuda, grouper, snapper
Additional Books
Al-Baharna, W S, Fishes of Bahrain, Directorate of Fisheries, Ministry of commerce and Agriculture, Bahrain, 1986
Khalaf, K T, The Marine and Fresh Water Fishes of Iraq, Ar-Rabitta Press, Baghdad, 1961
Kuronuma, K and Y. Abe, Fishes of the Arabian Gulf, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Kuwait City, 1986
Randall, J E, G R Allen and W F Smith-Vaniz, Illustrated Identification Guide to Commercial Fishes (of Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman), Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, 1978
Sivasubramaniam, K and M A Ibrahim, Common Fishes of Qatar, University of Qatar, Doha, 1982
White, A W and M A Barwani, Common Sea Fishes of the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, Trucial States Council, Dubai, 1971
shekaily large emperors labeled in Continent, smaller specimens were labeled as usual shaeri
Krupp
Fisher W & G
Gubanov
awal: dried shark
rubiyan: dried shrimp
gashr: dried anchovy
[1] The Liwa oasis is a true sand desert oasis and was the first economic power base of the Beni Yas which augmented their nomadic camel herding. Practically the only vegetation is the gardens of date palm which are able to survive due to deep root systems. There are a few wells but the water tends to be brackish and does not support subsidiary agriculture. In contrast the plantations of the Al Ain/Buraimi area have the benefit of continuous running water from several ancient falaj, comprising underground water collection channels which tap the ground water flows from the adjacent Hajar mountain range. This readily explains the attraction of the Al Ain date gardens when they came on the market. Not only was the date crop approximately doubled, (acknowledged by the fact that it was taxed at twice the rate for the Liwa plantations), but substantial planting could be undertaken in the shade of the date palms to provide fresh vegetables and fodder to help support sheep and goat herds.
[2] The political separation of the oasis between the two countries was quite recent, the border was agreed in the 1950’s and there are still no restrictions on movement between the two countries in the immediate area around the oasis.
[3] There are fish living in Al Ain in the falaj channels which convey water to the oases, species unknown but hardly of a substantial enough size or population to provide a source of nutrition. Conditions may have been different in the past, Gross quotes local people's claim that twigs of the mountain shrub Taverniera glabra were used to beat the surface of wadi pools thereby stunning the fish with toxic compounds in the plant. This enabled any fish to be caught readily by hand, presumably for consumption.
[4] Seven of the trucial states became the federation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971.
[5] Or more likely pearl diving during the boom period in pearl trading up to 1929.
[6] Thirty thousand out of the 180,000 population - Heard-Bey.
[7] See the appendix for a listing of the recorded seafood resources in the UAE.
[8] Mohammed Al-Fahim's account of life in the UAE when it was still called the Trucial Coast is one of the few written records by a national of life during this period and contains incidental detail on food.
[9] Shaeri, common in the market, also appear on the 5 fil coin indicating their cultural and economic importance.
[10] For instance the fishing rights from Khor Udaid to Al Hamra, a distance of 100 kilometres, were rented to Darwish bin Haddad of the Rumaithat for 350 rupees per annum in 1940. Fishermen who were not of the Rumaithat tribe traditionally paid a tax of one fifth of their catch to the holder of the fishing rights.
[11] Coles
[12] Skeet
[13] Thomas
[14] Shepley
[15] One Friday morning in July, I counted 30 different species for sale and cannot be sure that I had seen the complete range available.
[16] The Dirham is worth 17 pence or 27 cents.
[17] As well as dates and limes.
[18] There have been reports in the local press of a thriving industry collecting and drying sharks fins for export, only the fins are removed and the shark carcass is dumped at sea.
[19] Dagher and Al Zayani.
[20] Dagher
[21] The impact of trade and travel on the local food culture cannot be underestimated and has recently developed to worldwide influences with the influx of expatriates and their varied food cultures. Non-Arab food cultures with a significant market presence are Indian, Filipino and Western, although the latter is most characterised by fast foods and international hotel cuisine.
[22] Called baharat in other Gulf countries, the mix is black pepper, cummin, coriander, cinnamon/cassia, cloves, dried ginger, cardamom, chilli/dried red pepper, nutmeg and occasionally turmeric or fennel.
[23] Cross reference Charles Perry’s paper to the Symposium.
[24] In the 1970’s between 60 and 70 dugong were sold in the Abu Dhabi market each year. Occasional specimens were still being reported in the early 90’s , Heard-Bey and Emirates Natural History Group.