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DUBAI THALI MEALS authentic value for money Indian food

What are Dubai Thali Meals all about then?

UPDATE DECEMBER 2022: NEW THALI LUNCH ALERT

We really liked our Andhra (from Andhra Pradesh state) style thali in Discovery Gardens near the Jebal Ali side of Dubai. It’s called GODAVARI and serves both vegetarian and non vegetarian thalis. Be prepared to wait for a table at the weekend. Definitely worth the trip.

VEG AND NON VEG MEALS FROM GODAVARI RESTAURANT ANDHRA STYLE

Nice place to sit and super grocery shopping at the nearby Flavours supermarket! Blueberry boxes for AED 3 and Strawberries for AED 6!

Dubai Thali Meals are from India mainly. They are a complete meal served to you in separate little bowls all on one, tray style plate. Dubai Thali meals are cheap as chips but hugely authentic, and very tasty too. They’re great for hearty eaters as you can often have refills of your favourite dishes.

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Andrha Thali
Andhra Style Thali at Shree Krishna Bhavan in Karama

Quite often they’re also served on fresh banana leaves instead of china plates. Very sustainable and saves water and laborious washing up.

TIP

Do ASK for knives and forks if you need them else eat with your hands like everyone else!

TIP

In terms of timing, if you go on a Friday for lunch (much more sensible than boozy, overpriced brunches) then get to your thali place by about 12 or 12.30 pm else you may have to queue.

TIP

Rice is typically served at the END of the meal to fill you up, again you can have as much as you like IF you have room!

TIP

We like the Gujerati thali (Western India style) from Rangoli in Karama most of all. Decent place to sit and don’t forget to get some fresh eggless ice cream from Govinda’s restaurant next door after you’ve finished your spicy thali. Try flavours like guava or custard apple!

MONEY SAVING DEALS DOINDUBAI MONICA KAPILA Thali at Rangoli Karama Cafe
Gujerati Style Thali from Rangoli in Karama

If you fancy making your own easy peasy vegan ice cream with just 3 ingredients then listen to how easy it is on our vegan ice cream podcast.

Just 3 ingredient vegan ice cream

Other Thali places include Venus Restaurant (Karama) Shree Krishna Bhavan (Karama) and Saravana Bhavan branches in Al Barsha near Mall of Emirates and Karama.

If you’d like seafood then try Dhe Puttu for your thali also Karama side of town. I still suggest you call before hand and CHECK they are serving thalis when you want to go. Often the a la carte items may not be available when it’s Thali Time!

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Thali Meals Venus Karama
South Indian Thali from Venu restaurant Karama

Expect to pay between aed 10 and aed 25 or so for a Dubai Thali meal

You can also get and should try South Indian dosas as well if you’re at one of these restaurants. We like the dosas at Sarvana Bhavan with branches in Karama and Al Barsha not far from Mall of the Emirates. Or you could go to Bombay Chowpatty at Mall of Emirates itself if you’re shopping.

A great alternative Friday breakfast brunch idea for the family. VERY REASONABLY PRICED TOO so treat your family and friends but leave your designer gear at home, it’s casual and comfortable style here.

Dosa at Bombay Chowpatty Mall of Emirates

Want MORE? Then follow us on @DoinDubai INSTAGRAM for more up to the minute ideas and do check out our Money Saving Deals page that links to the Dubai Eye Podcast

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What to Do In Dubai – without spending a fortune

If you get asked the question how would you reply to What to do in Dubai?

Where would you send people to eat and drink and see some of the real city but without spending a fortune? Ideas of meals and experiences giving you more for less.

Read on for my sensible but none the less delicious suggestions of what to Do in Dubai.

Why listen to me?

I’ve been a resident in Dubai since 2006 and and run an award winning food and travel blog and a podcast channel MonicMoments

I love good, healthy food and hate wasting money. So read on and make a list of what you and your visitors could Do In Dubai!

Love Indian Street Food? Then try a TERRIFIC THALI on your What to Do In Dubai List

Indian thali meals are cheap as chips but authentic, hugely authentic and very tasty. They’re great for hearty eaters as you can often have refills of your favourite dishes.

Click the link to Terrific Thali Meals here to find out more where these thali restaurants are which is our favourite!

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Andrha Thali
Andhra Style thali at Shree Krishna Bhavan
Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Thali Meals Venus Karama
South Indian thali at Venus restaurant
MONEY SAVING DEALS DOINDUBAI MONICA KAPILA Thali at Rangoli Karama Cafe
Gujerati Style thali at Rangoli restaurant

Want some posh nosh in Dubai? Then pay a fraction of the price by trying some BUSINESS LUNCHES at top end restaurants

Business Lunches are a super way to sample Dubai’s fine dining restaurants on a budget.

Eating at lunchtime means you pay way less than you would at dinner time! Mostly available during week days, so that’s Monday to Thursday and sometimes Friday in Dubai at the moment.

See the pictures with captions below to places we really liked and would go again.

We also like the look of Fi’Lia Italian restaurant at the newish SLS hotel. A 3 course authentic looking business lunch for aed 99 with good views too.

ROKA at the ME hotel Business Bay
Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Mina Brasserie Business Lunch Four Seasons DIFC
MINA BRASSERIE Four Seasons DIFC
Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila 99 Sushi Bar
99 SUSHI BAR Address hotel Downtown

So you’re a Culture Vulture and want to chat to local Emiratis about customs and traditions of the UAE? Then try the HERITAGE EXPRESS Moving Majlis experience.

We LOVED our experience of the Heritage Express moving majlis and learnt so much about Dubai despite having been a resident for some many years!

Click the link to Heritage Express Dubai for all details including which meals you can have as part of the experience, special offers and which sites you get to see on this fascinating tour.

Heritage Express Dubai DoinDubai Monica Kapila
Grab some friends and ride the Moving Majlis
Heritage Express Dubai DoinDubai Moinca Kapila Emirati Guides Moving Majlis
Hugely informative and very friendly stories from local people
Heritage Express Dubai DoinDubai Moinca Kapila Pose with a falcon
Pose with a falcon near the Jumeirah Mosque

You love FRESH FISH AND SEAFOOD by the sea then eat well for less in a lovely setting

Fresh Shrimps
Half a Lobster
Spicy Crabs

Great value and very tasty prawns, lobsters, crabs and fish straight from the fish market brought to your table cooked Middle Eastern Style. Just look at the location of our Fish Market in Jumeirah to find the location of the seafood restaurant behind it.

Good sayadiya rice and fresh rocket salad are what we recommend to accompany. Everyone we take here LOVES this great value seafood place by the sea in Jumeirah. If you find Dibba Bay Oyster Hut in Jumeirah 2 then you’ve found Azeema seafood too! The tables are set for outdoor eating now.

Tel 050 289 8181

Money Saving Deals DoinDubai Monica Kapila Dibba Bay Oysters Happy Hour
aed 8 per oyster Sunday to Wednesday 4 to 6.30pm

By the way the oyster hut at Dibba Bay Oysters serves oysters at AED 8 from Monday to Thursday from 4.30 to 6.30pm! Their hut is air conditioned too. Call to check before hand on 054 438 8537

NEW LOCATION at the Sheraton JBR! November 2022

You love food markets and a walk by the creek? Then experience DEIRA WATERFRONT MARKET and have lunch before you leave

Plenty of fresh produce well priced
Stroll along the creek behind the market
Eat some lunch before you head home

Group of girls on a big night out? Then research Dubai’s unique LADIES NIGHTS and have some beverages without breaking the bank

Don’t know what a Ladies Night concept is? Then LISTEN to this Ladies Nights podcast to be in the know. Depending on what time of year it is, there is ALWAYS a good Ladies Night in Dubai happening somewhere!

Just ask at your favourite hotel restaurants once you know which area you want to focus on.

Want to buy some fresh fish to take home or just love fish markets then check out our Fish Market in Dubai post here.

LIFE SHOULD BE A BEACH? Then try taking walking along the quiet bit of track beyond Jumeirah fish market near the sailing club

Stunning Sunsets, sand and sea all for free, take a picnic and do some paddle boarding or have coffee and snacks there.

Great walking track and a bike track now built. Want to know more about Paddle Boarding? Read our post on Paddling in Dubai.

Fish Market in Dubai Jumeirah harbour
MONEY SAVING DEALS DOINDUBAI DUBAI FITNESS CHALLENGE 2020
Try paddle boarding in Dubai near Sunset Beach

Want MORE? Then follow us on @DoinDubai INSTAGRAM for more up to the minute ideas.

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AIR FRYER SPICY PRAWNS

AIR FRYER SPICY PRAWNS

AIR FRYER SPICY PRAWNS DOINDUBAI FINISHED DISH

Air Fryer SPICY PRAWNS Indian Style

A versatile, tasty prawn dish, cooked in minutes with barely any preparation once your prawns are cleaned and defrosted. Curry Leaves very easy and cheap to get here in Dubai.

INGREDIENTS Indian Style

medium size prawnsย 

Oil for spraying

RUB MARINADE

Saltย 

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 to 2 stems fresh curry leaves

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

AIR FRYER SPICY PRAWNS DOINDUBAI OMIT RED CHILLI POWDER IF YOU PREFER

HOW TO MAKE IT

Make sure prawns are defrosted if using frozen prawns.

We buy them from the Fish Market in Dubai and ask for them to be cleaned and for the head to be taken off. You can have them prepared as you prefer, but the prawns taste more tender if you have a little shell on and it’s a big part of the fun to lick off the spciy marinade rub with your fiingers!

Spray the base of air fryer plate twice with oil spray

Heat up the air fryer to 190 degrees C for 3 minutesย 

Mix all the dry ingredients for the marinade rub up in a medium size bowl.

Toss in the washed and patted dry prawns with shell into the dry rub and make sure each is well covered with the mixture.

Add in the oil and mix around again.

Tip into the air fryer when it’s warmed up. Set it at 180 degrees for 4 minutes.ย 

Open the drawer then shake around to move the prawns about.

Set it back on Air Fry at 190 degrees for another 2 minutes.

Check your prawns look golden and the curry leaves are crisp. Add a further 1 minute if you’d like.ย 

Take out and put on a serving plate. Squeeze over 1/4 to half a fresh lemon.ย 

Experience Finger Licking Good Air Fryer Spicy Prawns.

True Story:

We made these as an extra dish after a few drinks as the men were “still hungry”ย 

This recipe is fabulous and works even if you defrost the pawns quickly in cold water!

All air fryers work a bit differently, but I use the Ninja Air Fryer, I have one in Dubai and one in our home in London where my grown up kids live, they love it too! See the link below to find out more.ย 

Ninja Air Fryer AF100, Roast, Reheat, Dehydrate, 3.8 Litres, 1550 Watts, Grey and Black
AIR FRYER SPICY PRAWNS DOINDUBAI IN THE AIR FRYER

MORE AIR FRY RECIPES HERE IN OUR AIR FRYER RECIPE GALLERY

Keep checking back here to see all our Air Fryer recipes. and let me know in a comment what you’d like to try and cook in your air fryer.

And follow along for our ongoing AIR FRYER ACTIVITY on our dedicated AIR FRYER INSTAGRAM PAGEย  BELOW:

AIR FRYER SIMPLE.ย 

AIR FRYER AUBERGINES AIR FRYER GALLERY

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INDYA DUBAI

Indya Dubai by Vineeet Bhatia is a contemporary Indian restaurant serving good quality food in a fun setting. Not too expensive.ย 

Location of Indya Dubai

Indya Dubai is located on the ground floor of the Royal Meridien hotel in the Grosvensor House complex in the Marina side of Dubai.

The Ambience at Indya Dubai

I donโ€™t normally start with an ambience heading, but the ambience and dรฉcor of Indya Dubai is really fun.

Itโ€™s a contemporary mix of arty Indian interiors with separate bars and comfy spaces for groups.

There is a small outside terrace that wasnโ€™t open at lunchtime on the day we visited. The view from the windows inside the restaurant is towards the pool of the hotel.

We found sitting at Indya Dubai really comfortable and itโ€™s definitely a place to linger for a while. We asked for the music to be turned down a bit and they obliged immediately.

Indya Dubai DoinDubai Group Seating
nice spaces for group dining
fun bar area

Food at Indya Dubai

The food standard is good overall. The menu is divided up into vegetarian, meat and seafood options. We opted for an aloo papdi chaat to begin with, some methi paneer and seekh kebabs with parantha for mains and a kulfi falooda dessert to finish.

Indya Dubai DoinDubai mehti paneer
mehti paneer sabzi

We were intrigued by the activated charcoal element of the chaat, and understood it had been incorporated into the papdi – crispy base and the sev – shredded crispy vermicelli bit of the starter. But we asked ourselves why this had been done? Is it because activated charcoal is trendy at the moment? It felt a bit odd eating a black paapdi

Indya Dubai DoinDubai Charcoal Chaat
charcoal sev on the paapdi
Furthermore the whole dish was lavishly topped with a very deep yellow sauce that was in fact turmeric yoghurt. It looked a bit more like an eggs benedict when it arrived. But overall the taste was good, just a little too much yoghurt for us.
charcoal chaat with turmeric yoghurt

The mehti paneer vegetarian dish was excellent in terms of taste, appearance and portion size, we recommend you have this with a plain naan or rice. We also ordered seekh kebab – a North Indian staple with a parantha but were surprised to see it with a masala coating. Not what we expected.

However Chef Sachin who was in charge at the time insisted on quickly making us a portion of both seekh and chicken kebab. All was right with the world again.

Succulent, well flavoured, perfectly spiced morsels of meat. I will order this again. See main picture above.ย 

A big tick to Indya Dubai for serving local water too! Great if it was free, filtered water like they serve at Bagel Yard but at least it was Al Ain and sensibly priced.ย 

Prices at Indya Dubai

Aloo Papdi
Chaat AED 60

Mehti Paneer AED 65

Seekh Kebab AED 80

Kulfi Falooda AED 45

Is Indya Dubai worth a visit? Yes definitely. It has a good gin menu with sensible prices AED 38 for entry-level gin and house tonic, Just add AED 12 for a Fever Tree mixer. There are some Indian wines on offer too. No Happy Hours or promotions on going as yet and they are already busy at the week ends, but I suggest you opt for some drinks at a Ladies Night at Zengo or Geales and come try the food here or just come straight here. Iโ€™ll be back.

Indya Dubai website

Please show them this review if you go.

It really helps the blog.

Indya Dubai DoinDubai Fun Decor

Thank you, Monica.ย 

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