As a melting pot of so many cultures, the UAE offers a feast of cuisines that would delight any globe-exploring foodie. Yet Mexican cuisine remains surprisingly unexplored and underexposed in the capital. Enter Maria Al Hosani, a native of El Paso, Texas, who’s trying to change that.
Anyone trawling the ‘concineras’ of the UAE would be hard pressed to find the gastronomic authenticity that is characteristic of the Mesoamerican and Spanish style of cooking. Yet the Abu Dhabi based entrepreneur has found her niche not only in preparing real Mexican food, but also in delivering the food directly to her clientele.
“I can honestly say that all of my menu items in one way or another are a ‘favourite’ for my clients- it all depends on what they’re looking for at that moment. But the best seller for the past few years has been the Chipotle Enchilada.”
Looks may certainly be deceiving when it comes to Maria. The American appears Emirati in all ways – from her neatly wrapped black abaya to her fluent Emirati Arabic. The story of how she ended up in Abu Dhabi is equally intriguing.
While spending time in Fort Bliss, Texas, Maria met the Emirati who later became her husband. The two fell in love, got married and moved to the sparsely populated Abu Dhabi of 1989.
Maria says that when she first arrived in Abu Dhabi, she dressed conservatively out of respect to her Emirati in-laws with whom she stayed. But after embracing Islam she decided to don the full black abaya. And as with many married multi-racial couples in the UAE, the idea and reality of children and family life quickly hit her.
“When I first arrived in Abu Dhabi life was very simple but quite pleasant. The transition wasn’t so scary, as both El Paso and Abu Dhabi were small cities,” she said. “Adapting to Abu Dhabi wasn’t very hard, but finding friends was the most difficult part.”
After tasting Maria’s cooking, one would assume that her Mexican dishes originated from her roots in Texas, but the truth, she says, is that she learned how to cook most of items on her menu only after settling in Abu Dhabi.
“I learned all my recipes from mom, family and some trusted cook books, and overtime I added my own touches,” she said, adding that she was also fortunate enough to come across a group of Latinas who taught her how to make home-made tortilla.
As result of all the influences, Maria’s menu offers a hearty spread of salsas, tortillas, burritos, tamales and other south of the border treats.
Maria still faces some very relatable challenges when it comes to running her business; she is mother of seven and is often exhausted balancing home and work. Although technology stumped her initially she now receives orders through her successful restaurant Facebook page.
Maria loves running her own business but warns that one must be prepared to “Work, sacrifice, and work some more” – a motto has kept her steadfast through tougher times.
To order from Maria visit her Facebook Group Maria’s Kitchen.
By Warren Fox
