Corresponding Author: Kurniawan Arif Maspul, kurniawan.arif@iou-students.com
Citation: Maspul, K.A. (2021). Emirati Gahwa Arabiya; a Review of Signature Arabic Coffee in the United Arab Emirates. Academia Letters, Article 3602. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL3655
Coffee is a crucial need for humans, which helps in meeting daily caffeine needs. Coffee has a unique history in its presentation and has become a societal identity that has been a legacy for a long time, likewise in the United Arab Emirates, where coffee is consumed in a modern way called specialty coffee. As for looking back at coffee, which is an old culture maintained by the Arabs today, it is the type of Arabic coffee whose unique presentation has become a legacy for the ancestors of the Arabs and the symbol of Arabian hospitality (Smith, 1985; Ukers, 1935).
The serving of signature Arabic coffee itself is one of the most important traditions of warm companionship in Arab society in general and Emirati society in particular and is also referred to as a symbol of generosity. Gahwa Arabiya has been an essential part of Arab culture for several centuries, and the way it is presented is characterized by Arab traditions and rituals that have been passed down from generation to generation as local wisdom of the Arabs. Gahwa Arabiya is also referred to as a symbol signifying the generosity and friendliness of the Emirati people; This makes it deeply rooted in Emirati tradition. Given the cultural importance and heritage of good Arabic coffee in the Gulf countries; The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar included Arabic coffee in 2015 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (Baycar, 2020; Meskell & Isakhan, 2020; Tai, 2019).
In its journey, coffee has various ways of serving depending on which region it is experienced. So, in this paper, the author only focuses on how local wisdom has become a culture through the Emirati Arabic coffee in the United Arab Emirates and the development of culture and market in the last decade. It describes a review of the Emirati version of Gahwa Arabiya (Signature Arabic Coffee) savoured by Arabs (bedouins) in the United Arab Emirates for generations. This paper uses a qualitative discussion by referring to relevant references and using additional instruments; specifical observation through interviews with several respondents from the X and Y generation levels and Millennials in the United Arab Emirates. By discussing through this interview, the author can draw conclusions from the concept of Arabic Coffee to the process of making and serving it. The author conducted another study method in Dubai and Abu Dhabi by observing several coffee shops and roasteries that still provide Arabic coffee in their menus (Biernacki & Waldorf, 1981; Jamshed, 2014). As for subjectively, the author has been a coffee roaster for the last four years in roasting specialty coffee to traditional Arabic coffee.
Signature Arabic Coffee in Traditional and Modern Process
In the past, Arabs used to prepare coffee on traditional stoves planted in the ground. But over time, the Arabs began to use traditional vessels, starting with mud pits with stoves made of gravel and stone. The vessel is placed in one corner of the majlis, next to a firewood box in a house or tent; in addition to that also a seat for the person who prepares the coffee. Converting coffee beans into coffee consists of several stages, starting with sorting, washing, drying and roasting the coffee beans until they turn red or brown, then grinding and brewing to get coffee with a fragrant taste and aroma. The tools used to make coffee are maamil, and use additional tools such as a mahmas (a spoon for stirring coffee beans) and iron tongs to place and distribute the charcoal on the stove.
As for today's modern era, Arabic coffee roasting still follows the traditional process. However, some coffee roasteries in the United Arab Emirates mostly use modern roasting machines to produce artisan Arabic coffee or massively in retail production, either B2B or B2C. In using modern machines, roasting Arabic coffee is the same as roasting specialty coffee or in other coffee roasting processes, which use a charge at high temperatures of 210 – 220 degrees Celsius depending on the roasting capacity of each batch. The choice of green coffee is also varied, where since people used green coffee from Yemen and Ethiopia, now it is more diverse to use Arabica or Robusta from South American and Southeast Asia, which on the specific level has a body level in the mouthfeel. The choice of green coffee is vital since the taste you want to produce in the sensory is nutty and chocolaty and clean after taste.
Several differences make it different from usual roasting for specialty coffee and Arabic coffee, including; (1) Arabic coffee uses a faster temperature drop at a temperature of 191 – 195 degrees Celsius where there is almost a first crack in roasted coffee, in contrast to specialty coffee roasting which generally uses medium and omni roast, (2) Roasting in specialty coffee is generally from 8 – 13 minutes, while Arabic coffee is longer than 11 – 15 minutes and the temperature is more flat when roasting, (3) Because it is counted as a lighter roast, the roasted coffee beans will not be stronger than the medium or dark roasts generally used in specialty coffee.
Although the United Arab Emirates and other gulf countries is a region that does not produce massively for coffee production compared to countries in Asia and South America, the United Arab Emirates, in particular, is a mecca for coffee production downstream consumers in Asia (Maspul, 2021). Some sell on-site through retail coffee shops and present them uniquely with Arab traditions; others sell through online shops, making it easier for consumers to access from anywhere. The United Arab Emirates has seven coffee roasteries spread across Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which produce specialty coffee and large production for Signature Arabic coffee, which enters the local coffee market.
Signature Arabic Coffee Serving Ethics
Dallah is also one of the most essential tools used in serving signature Arabic coffee. It is designed and decorated uniquely. There are three types used when preparing and serving Arabic coffee: dallah al khumra (which is a large pot for boiling coffee and cardamom), dallah al talqimah (which is a large pot for boiling coffee and cardamom), dallah al talqimah (which is a medium-sized vessel used to filter coffee), and Dallah Al Muzlah (which is a small vessel used for serving coffee).
In general, the amount of coffee served is different from the ratio used in specialty coffee, which is done according to the taste of the coffee maker. Roasted Arabic coffee to make the flavour soft and avoid bitterness in coffee, coarse grind size can be used. A good ratio to use is 10gr of 100ml of water, so if the person uses 600ml of boiled water, he could add 50-70gr off ground Arabic coffee. This is done to make the body of Arabic coffee extracted with hot water stronger because the roasting of Arabic coffee is very light. Then to make the aroma strong, you can use cardamom according to taste, and everything can be boiled together on a traditional stove or in another heating place 100 degrees Celsius. And it would be better to lift the taste of the coffee by holding the heat at 100 degrees Celsius for a range of 3 minutes.
The taste characteristics generally desired from the Emirati version of Arabic signature coffee are nutty and chocolaty in sensory taste with a slightly acidic taste and an aromatic blend of lighter roast coffee and cardamom. Likewise for colour, Emirati Arabic coffee will look more delicate (lighter) than Saudi Shagra Arabic coffee
Social Ethics in Serving and Drinking Arabic Coffee
In serving coffee, serving coffee is associated with an exceptional etiquette that is adhered to by servers, guests and hosts. For example, the person pouring coffee should hold the dallah in his left hand with the thumb pointing up and the cup in the right. The etiquette for the guest also stipulates that he uses his right hand to pick up the cup and return it. A quarter cup of coffee is served to the most important or older guest, and the cup is refillable. It is common practice to drink at least one cup of coffee and no more than three. Men and women prepare Arabic coffee from all walks of life and enjoy it, especially at home.
Meanwhile, it is different from how to drink coffee in general, whether from commercial coffee or specialty coffee, each of which has a structured presentation suggestion through modern machines. Signature Arabic coffee is appreciated at home or in open areas such as in the desert in winter, which has become a hereditary habit of Arabs. In addition to being a welcome sign in an assembly, the ethics of drinking Arabic coffee is also a must in a family to always provide when there is a family gathering, either relatives or from relatives.
In drinking signature Arabic coffee, of course, dates cannot be separated from the necessity of adding sweetness along with Arabic coffee. Serving three dates or an odd count in serving dates per person, inviting guests to drink and offering dates with an odd count is a recommendation since Islamic culture suggests taking an odd count in eating dates like the sweet side of Arabic coffee.
Conclusion
The assembly culture is one of the Arab cultures that will never be separated from the presentation of coffee, especially in the United Arab Emirates as an option to enjoy coffee from specialty to traditional with local wisdom that is the pride of the Arab nation in becoming coffee as one of the local heritages. Whereby distinguishing the culture deeper than a nation will make a strong connection and a unique identity that can become a world cultural heritage. Coffee will, of course, always be in demand by the world community. With the many alternatives of enjoying coffee, it is hoped that Arabic coffee will become an additional global reference in introducing hospitable and generous Arabic culture.
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