Al-Ahsa, des roses dans le désert

Until then, the surface of the water had been calm, silently mirroring the late afternoon sky. But now it rattles under the combined assaults of herons and their prey. Between the reeds, swamphens are on the move and sparrows begin to dance around the dunes, their high-pitched calls resonating under the setting sun. Surrounded by miles of desert, Al-Asfar Lake is a vivid image of the contrasts of Al-Ahsa, the largest natural oasis in the world. Here, for thousands of years, the unique sandy soil has allowed rain to soak through and fill a vast aquifer – an underground reservoir of water sealed by layers of impermeable rock. Feeding hundreds of subterranean wells, it brings life to more than 2.5 million palm trees 2 and countless farms. A national treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Al-Ahsa provides some of the Kingdom’s most precious culinary delights.

House of taste(s)
Dar Basma opened in 2019, in the centre of Hofuf, Al-Ahsa’s main city. Under the supervision of general manager Hanan Naif Alamian 4 , the restaurant offers a wonderful overview of the culinary richness of the oasis. With an emphasis on local ingredients, the dishes are a modern take on traditional recipes. The Marag, a piece of lamb cooked with typical purple okra, the grilled chicken marinated with dates and spices, the Jareesh cracked wheat in tomato sauce served with ghee, or the Mahashi stuffed vegetables are all a testimony of this creative approach. Some dishes venture into even more daring territory, adding international influences to the mix. The Italian risotto technique radically transforms Hassawi rice, taking it to a new level of sumptuous smoothness. In the kitchen, where fresh bread is continuously baked on the sides of the tandoor oven, the red variety grown only in Al-Ahsa is without doubt the star of the menu. Its only rival, in the dessert category, is the Hassawi date. The chewy delicacy reveals the full potential of its flavours in everything from Mamroos – toasted whole-wheat flour and crushed pitted dates cooked in butter with cardamom – to cheesecake with date molasses.

A handful of goodness
What makes the Hassawi red rice variety so remarkable? For Dr Ahmed Abdulwahab, an assistant professor at the Saudi Electronic University and a registered dietician, it’s first and foremost its nutritional qualities: “Analyses carried out by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority have shown that its composition is very healthy. For example, it contains 11 grams of protein per 100 grams of grain, compared with 2 to 3 grams for white rice. It is also rich in antioxidants, nutrients and fibre, with 6 grams per 100 grams. All of this makes it particularly recommended for pregnant women and people with type 2 diabetes. And because it’s so nourishing, it’s an ideal food to break the fast during Ramadan.”

DNA studies have traced the history of this unique rice back more than 2,000 years, confirms Dr Abdulwahab: “It has been indigenous to the Al-Ahsa Oasis for generations. All attempts to cultivate it elsewhere have failed. The specific combination of soil, humidity and temperature found in our region is obviously necessary for its development. It is also what gives it its unique taste and texture.” Unlike the vast majority of rice varieties, Hassawi red rice does not require large amounts of water to grow. It is not cultivated in flooded rice fields, but in dry fields. The only exception is during the germination period, between October and November, when intensive irrigation is required. Rice takes up a lot of space, so after sowing, when the shoots have grown to a sufficient size, half of them are replanted in other fields. Once harvested, the grains must be stored for a year to reach full maturity and be ready for consumption. Protected by their natural husks, they can be stocked for decades without spoiling. They can also be ground into flour, which is used in bakery products and ice cream.

Stand up for your rice
Hassawi rice is an exceptional product, but its price has historically been out of reach for most of the population. However, the product has undergone a revolutionary transformation under the influence of an innovative entrepreneur, Zaki Alsalem : “My father cultivated it on a small scale, like many other farmers, but the middlemen margins made its cost prohibitive. When I took over, I decided to change the method of commercialisation to reduce the final price for the consumer by 50%. Now everyone has access to Hassawi rice at a reasonable price. We have grown in the Saudi market, and we are starting to promote it for export. Europe and North America will be our first targets.” Zaki Alsalem represents 50% of the total Hassawi rice production, with 3 million square metres of diversified crops and three shops selling a wide range of Saudi products. “We are exploring other opportunities,” he adds. “Our aim is to exploit the full potential of the rice, for example by pressing the oil. And to give the whole world the opportunity to benefit from its nutritional qualities and incomparable taste.”

The garden under the trees
Ten metres above the ground, barefoot and secured by a rope to the trunk of a sturdy palm tree, a worker cuts the stalk of a ripe bunch of dates with precision. Wrapped in cloth to protect it from insects and birds, the heavy bundle, weighing more than 15 kilos, falls to the ground. Ripe but still yellow, the fruit needs to dry for a few days before it takes on its famous reddish-brown colour. Al-Ahsa produces more than 200,000 tonnes of dates a year and prides itself on many varieties, such as Shishi, Shabibi and Raziz, but the most famous are still the Kholas. Their mildly sweet taste, with hints of caramel and apricot, and their soft, moist flesh have made them a favourite treat throughout the Kingdom.

Palms are not the only trees grown on Abu Jawal’s farm. The main cultivation is the delicate and fragrant Rosa damascena, an intensely pink rose found in some parts of the Middle East. Sixty-three-year-old Abdul Azim Al Mutlaq is the eminent steward of these beauties: “I have spent 40 years tending and cultivating authentic local products. Rice used to be my main crop, but after a while I decided to focus on something completely different. And I fell in love with the eternal grace of the roses. We welcome families to come and visit the farm and they can even fill their own baskets with roses. The best time to pick the flowers is in the morning when the temperature is not so high. The bushes flower all year round, with a peak in the summer.” Roses are, of course, used for decoration and ornamentation, worn on clothes or in hair, at weddings or celebrations. But the petals are also an important culinary ingredient. Dried or fresh, they can be used in pastries such as knafeh or in savoury dishes such as labneh balls. With the help of his children, Abdul Aziz began to make his own rose water, another essential ingredient in some Saudi delicacies, notably the milk pudding known as mahalabia. In the sheltering shade of his outdoor salon, filled with the intoxicating scent of hundreds of flowering shrubs, the farmer prepares his favourite rose treat: lightly infused black tea with a generous dose of sugar, sprinkled with fresh rose petals. As they are slowly dipped into the hot liquid, they fade in colour, adding a hint of bitterness and a deep candied flavour to the drink.

Life always finds a way
The Qaisariah souk in Hofuf 12 offers even more opportunities to browse the wide range of Hassawi specialities. Built in 1844, it consists of 422 shops nestled under the vaulted ceilings of its numerous narrow alleyways. The stalls are a carnival of fruits, grains and spices. Sesame and sunflower seeds sit alongside rice in dozens of colours, and myriad spice jars surround large jute sacks of black lemons. A few streets away, the handicraft market is a reminder of the quality of Al-Ahsa’s craftsmanship and another testament to the oasis’s rich heritage. Lemon pickles, date butter, palm water, peeled coffee husks, dried dates, organic olive oil and, of course, Hassawi red rice… In the end, it’s in Zaki Alsalem’s shop that the story unfolds. Curating the best of regional products, the store embodies the essence of Saudi Arabian taste: pure and authentic ingredients, cultivated with care by farmers who know how to cherish the gifts of the earth. In his quest to defend Al-Ahsa’s agricultural patrimony, the dedicated farmer has had the brilliance to establish a sustainable business model: the best way to ensure access to genuine healthy products, for everyone. An oasis is the ultimate symbol of life. It is the embodiment of nature’s resilience, even in the most extreme environments. The hidden waters of Al-Ahsa have made it a jewel of the Kingdom. In the fleeting dusk, as the neon lights of the city’s shops glow, the memory of the sparrows chasing insects on Al-Afsa Lake echoes with greater depth. Outside, the silent army of palm trees keeps watch, their swaying leaves tossing the night with an invisible undertow.

By Peyo Lissarrague