Bahraini momawash rubyan · rice cooked with dried shrimp, mung beans, onion, Loomi (dried black lime) and turmeric until it soaks up the flavor of the sea. An old Bahraini coastal dish, its nutrition values from the Bahrain tables.
Momawash is an old Bahraini coastal dish that brings together dried shrimp, mung beans and rice in a single pot. Shrimp were dried in the coastal villages to be preserved, and were cooked out of season with mung beans and rice in a filling, economical dish.
Its secret is soaking the dried shrimp to restore its softness, and giving the mung beans time before the rice. EEINA's version keeps its character, with its values from the Bahrain tables.
Soak the dried shrimp in warm water for half an hour until softened, and rinse the mung beans. Soaking restores the shrimp's softness and reduces its saltiness.
Heat the oil and stir the chopped onion until it wilts and loses its raw color, then add the turmeric and Baharat and stir until fragrant.
Add the soaked shrimp, the mung beans and the pierced Loomi and stir for a few minutes, then pour in the hot water and salt.
Leave the pot on low heat until the mung beans begin to soften, about twenty minutes, as the mung beans need a longer time than the rice.
Rinse the rice and add it, and adjust the water to cover the ingredients by a finger, then cook it covered over low heat until the water is absorbed and it is done, about fifteen minutes.
Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for five minutes, then fluff gently and serve hot.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Bahraini Momawash Rubyan, and how to fix them:
It was not soaked enough. Soak it for half an hour in warm water and change the water once, and reduce the added salt.
The rice was added too early. Give the mung beans twenty minutes before the rice because they need a longer time.
Too much water or stirring. Adjust the water to cover by a finger, and do not stir the rice while cooking.
The water evaporated before the rice was done. Add a little hot water and cover until cooking is complete.
Three days in an airtight container, sprinkle with water when reheating.
One month in an airtight container. Thaw it in the fridge before reheating.
Sprinkle with water, cover and heat over low heat. Do not leave it out of the fridge for more than two hours [2].
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried shrimp | Fresh shrimp | same weight | Lighter, less salty flavor, added at the end of cooking |
| White rice | Brown rice | same weight | Lowers the glycemic load and increases fiber |
| Mung beans | Brown lentils | same weight | An available alternative with a similar cooking time |
| Loomi (dried black lime) | Lemon juice at the end | 1 lemon | An available alternative, though Loomi is closer to the Gulf flavor |
| Number of servings | Rice | Dried shrimp | Mung beans |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 (half the recipe) | 240 g | 120 g | 60 g |
| 6 (base) | 480 g | 240 g | 120 g |
| 12 (family) | 960 g | 480 g | 240 g |
Mung beans are a legume rich in plant protein and fiber, and with the shrimp they give the dish a good mixed protein. White rice raises the glycemic load, so adjust the portion and pair it with a generous salad, or replace part of it with brown rice.
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