A whiff of the past
SUDHA UMASHANKER
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The Spice Souk in Deira offers a glimpse of a very different Dubai, a part of the past that has managed to survive the glitzy shopping malls that dot the city.
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The distinct but unmistakeable aroma of spices wafting through the air is what greets you as soon as you step into the Spice Souk.
Photo: AFP
Commerce old and new: Dubai today...
Tucked away behind the Gold Souk that Dubai, the shopping capital of West Asia is so famous for, there is yet another charming but perhaps not so well known tourist attraction that visitors must check out — the Spice Souk. Located in Deira by the side of the Dubai creek, the Spice Souk, which goes back a long time, is also known as the Deira Old Souk. The Spice Souk, which comprises numerous little shops in the lanes and bylanes in Deira, is a throw-back to the past, a far cry from the glitzy malls, the futuristic skyscrapers and the swank supermarkets of modern Dubai. It takes one back to the time before Dubai became modernised, the Dubai before oil was struck when dhows (boats ) or camel caravans from Southeast Asia, China, Ceylon and India offloaded their cargoes and the goods were haggled over in the souks adjacent to the docks.
Souk in Arabic means traditional market and the Spice Souk has withstood stiff competition from the bigger establishments and managed to survive. It has been around as long as the city of Dubai; however, according to the locals, the number of shops has dwindled over the years.
The distinct but unmistakeable aroma of spices wafting through the air is what greets you as soon as you step into the Spice Souk. The row of shops in the winding alleyways are very unpretentious, choc a bloc but spanking clean. The spices and colourful herbs, usually stored in open jute (gunny) bags at the entrance of the shops make for a very pretty and tempting sight. Other spices fill rows of draws inside the shop like back home in our own medicinal herb shops. What is interesting is the vast array of spices, some of which one possibly has not commonly seen in a country like India. Variety after all is the spice of life. From sacks of cardamom to bundles of cinnamon bark, cloves, nutmeg (known as musket ), these shops offer vanilla pods, perfectly shaped star anise, dried lemons, turmeric, different varieties of chillies, coriander, dried garlic, pepper, oregano to spice up your pasta and what-have-you. The spices are imported from different parts of the world which is why you will chance upon some that are a novelty.
Popular spice
PHOTO: V.D. UMASHANKER
Probably the most in demand is yellow saffron, both Iranian and Spanish. The shopkeepers are indeed very customer friendly and know exactly how to woo the customer. While the first one dissolved a little saffron in water for us to see (most tourists are convinced once the colour turns a golden orange yellow) others give you freebies once the deal is closed if you are one of those naïve shoppers who feel reluctant to haggle. Sometimes language is a problem; however, I was lucky to find an Iranian shopkeeper who was able to give me the exact equivalents in English for the spices.
Besides spices, the shops in the Spice Souk also offer a lot of medicinal herbs to choose from. Whether you are looking for dried hibiscus flowers (good for cholesterol), lavender or rose petals (which can be used in tea or rose water) or dried mint, there is plenty to pick from. Biblical fragrances, i.e., dark, gold coloured globules of frankincense and myrrh and very functional incense burners made of terracotta, a huge spread of dried fruits and nuts including the softest dates stuffed with almonds or coated with chocolate, pine nuts, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, pistachios make for good gifts back home. Not to forget the dried strawberries and cranberries.
There were also some surprises including deep brown, cookie shaped disks which turned out to be a nut and what’s more, a kind of Arabian Viagra, rough hewn pumice stones and extremely tempting masala powders that are bound to enhance Indian and Arabian cooking. Other possible buys are rose water, henna kits and sheesha pipes.
And after you have had your pick, almost all the shopkeepers offer you a handful of what they call very colourful rocks to taste, with a gentle reminder to mind your teeth as you bite into them. I won’t spoil the surprise by telling you what they are. I think you should find out on a visit to Dubai.
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