JEDDAH: Balila is a popular Arab dish, widely spread among Arab societies, especially in the Levant, Iraq, Egypt, and the Hijaz region of the Kingdom.
The dish consists mainly of boiled chickpeas, cumin, vinegar, pickled cucumber and other spices.
It is often sold on carts by street vendors who roam neighborhoods, or can be found near local shopping malls.
Arab News spoke to Abeer Sinan, 55, who has been making and selling the dish for around a decade.
She said balila is consumed at other times of the year as well, but the dish gains in popularity in the holy month.
“The Hijaz region is famous for balila, and it is associated with beautiful memories especially in Jeddah,” she said.
“Every year in Ramadan, the balila season really begins in Qabil Street in Al-Balad,” she added.
The vendor usually wears traditional Hijazi attire like an ommah (scarf), vest, and foutah (a garment wrapped around the hips), and chants witty phrases about the product to attract customers.
Sinan said the benefits of balila are plenty because chickpeas are wholegrain and loaded
with minerals.
“Don’t you see the Levants eat chickpeas all the time? The first thing is that these are whole grains, they are not peeled or anything. All their components in them are known to help in losing weight and reduce sugar in the blood,” she said.
“It also supports the digestive tract, contains many vitamins and minerals that give the body strength and increases energy and activity, and also improves the mood,”
she added.
She said while every balila maker gives their own twist to recipes, most do try to present it in its most traditional way.
“Of course, balila is great
when it is presented in its traditional form. It is visually pleasing. I always try to present it in its traditional way as much as I can,” she said.
Although balila’s popularity rises during Ramadan, Sinan plans to open a shop that sells the dish all year round.
Demand for local Saudi dish balila rises during Ramadan
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Demand for local Saudi dish balila rises during Ramadan
Where We Are Going Today: Alkofeia in Jeddah
- The menu is extensive, with a plethora of dishes prepared fresh
In my household, weekends are a chance to step away from mundane daily chores and unwind, which usually translates into eating out and trying something different.
And, so while driving with my husband around Jeddah’s Rawdah district, Palestinian restaurant Alkofeia caught our attention with its unusual warm rustic facade.
The interiors of the multi-story restaurant exude an old-world Middle Eastern charm, with miniature roped furniture strategically hanging from the ceiling and vintage sign boards plastered across the walls. The abstract wooden tables, chairs with traditional Palestinian embroidered covers and distinctive cutlery add a unique touch. The restaurant is spacious, with both indoor and outdoor seating.
The menu is extensive, with a plethora of dishes prepared fresh.
For starters, we ordered the beetroot hummus, which was super creamy and flavorful; and the fattoush salad — which was quite fancifully served by the waiter — was fresh, crisp and tangy with the right amount of pomegranate molasses. We also shared a comforting bowl of barley soup.
For the main course, I had chicken maqlouba, which also comprised finely sliced potatoes, cauliflower, tomatoes and toasted almonds; it was simply delicious. My husband had a traditional meat and rice dish garnished with toasted almonds; he quite enjoyed it but I did not. Different palates, I guess.
Both dishes came with a side of small bowls of plain yogurt.
For drinks, both of us had pomegranate juice, finely balanced between sweet and sour.
The prices are wallet-friendly given the prime location and generous portion sizes. We had enough leftovers to take home for lunch the next day.
The servers are friendly but could be a little more attentive considering the restaurant was not busy when we went.
This was my second visit — and surely, not my last.
