History

Jasheed, spelled jisheid in some sources, is listed among the dishes often eaten in the UAE, where seafood has been the mainstay of the diet for centuries. Khaleej Times describes it as an Emirati dish of minced baby shark served with rice, and a participant on a 2025 food walk recalled hearing that baby sharks were caught in plenty by fishermen and became a staple in most homes. The Michelin Guide's Emirati dishes article highlights ryba's modern take, arancini-style bites of spiced shark with saffron mayo and black lime.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Common allergens: Fish

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 30 minTotal 50 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 600g skinless firm white fish or shark fillet, finely minced
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 dried lime (loomi), pierced
  • 1 teaspoon each of ground cumin, coriander and turmeric
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 300ml water
  • Salt and the juice of half a lemon
  • Steamed basmati rice, to serve

Method

  1. Fry the onions in the oil for 8 minutes until soft and golden. Add the garlic and spices and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the minced fish, breaking it up with a spoon, then the dried lime, water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  4. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the mixture is thick and the liquid has gone.
  5. Finish with the lemon juice and serve over steamed rice.

Tip from the editors. Use a firm, fresh white fish if you cannot find shark, and mince it by hand or pulse briefly so it keeps some texture.

Where to eat jasheed

Jasheed in Abu Dhabi

ryba ★ 4.3

$$ SeafoodAl Mina

ryba is a Michelin Bib Gourmand seafood restaurant at Zayed Port in Al Mina, Abu Dhabi, from chef Faisal Alharmoodi, grilling local catch over charcoal.

OrderCharcoal-grilled local hammour, then the chocolate pâte à choux Michelin names as the signature dessert.

TipA Sunday set menu is AED 350 for two, according to tbreak's 2026 price check, and the restaurant is a short walk from the Zayed Port fish market.

Directions

Al Dhafra Restaurant ★ 3.9

$$ EmiratiAl Zahiyah

Al Dhafra Restaurant has served Emirati seafood and grills since 1993, moving from Mina Zayed to Heritage Park on the Corniche in Abu Dhabi.

OrderGrilled seafood or a mixed grill platter, the two dishes What's On picks out for Al Dhafra in April 2025.

TipThe same operator runs three floating restaurants, Liwa, Toufan and AlFalah, which its own site presents as lunch cruises on the Gulf.

Directions

All Abu Dhabi signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want jasheed covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →