Recipes for Success: Chef Mustafa Diab offers advice and a tasty lamb mansaf recipe 

Recipes for Success: Chef Mustafa Diab offers advice and a tasty lamb mansaf recipe 
Mustafa Diab is the executive chef at AlUla’s Cloud7 Hotel & Residences. (Supplied)
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Updated 21 March 2025
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Recipes for Success: Chef Mustafa Diab offers advice and a tasty lamb mansaf recipe 

Recipes for Success: Chef Mustafa Diab offers advice and a tasty lamb mansaf recipe 

DUBAI: Jordan-born Mustafa Diab is the executive chef at AlUla’s Cloud7 Hotel & Residences. 

Diab dedicated a significant portion of his 20-year career to the Four Seasons Hotel, an experience that exposed him to a wide range of cuisines. He has also successfully launched numerous restaurant branches. 

Here, he talks to Arab News about his love for good beef and his preferred management style. 

When you started out, what was your most common mistake? 

I like to challenge myself. So, when I started my career, I would take everything on my shoulders, on my own. Not because I didn’t want anyone to share with me, but because I wanted to prove to myself that I could take it. Later on, though, I realized that collaboration and delegation are the keys to success. 




Charchood restuarant. (Supplied)

What’s your top tip for amateurs? 

Master the basics. And be patient with the process. Don’t rush. You have to understand the ingredients — whether they match or not. That is the most important thing. Then after that, you have to fix the flavors and pay great attention to the seasoning. Taste as you go. Also, stay curious. Experiment and don’t be afraid of mistakes. 

What one ingredient can instantly improve any dish? 

Salt. We have so many kinds of salt, but you need to know exactly when to use which kind of salts. If I want to do homemade pickling, I use sea salt — rough sea salt, not fine sea salt. To finish off a platter of protein — fish, meat, lamb, or chicken — I prefer flaky salt. Recently, I sourced Himalayan sea-salt bricks, and I can even present my beef dishes on top of it — when it’s hot, it takes flavor from the stone itself. Wow! And I got some smaller bricks that I can grate on my meat dishes. 

When you go out to eat, do you find yourself critiquing the food? 

It’s hard not to notice the details when you work in the same industry, but I try my best to approach it with an open mind. As long as there is consistency, quality and good presentation, then it’s fine. 

What’s your favorite cuisine? 

I’m a very simple person. I just grab very simple stuff — comfortable, tasty, nicely presented with a good quality. That’s enough for me. For example, a well-seasoned piece of chicken, or a well-seasoned piece of fish with green vegetables, and I’ll be happy. 

What’s your go-to dish if you have to cook something quickly at home? 

I just grab a piece of pita bread. I slice an avocado — I love avocado — with some chopped onion, chopped coriander, chopped tomato, a drizzle of olive oil, with a squeeze of lemon juice, and that will be amazing for me. 

What customer behavior most annoys you? 

Nothing will annoy me. But let’s call it a challenge when they dismiss or don’t appreciate the effort that went into a dish. Because, you know, every dish we cook, we cook with love — it has potential, it has thought behind it, it has so many ideas in there. So, if the dish was well presented and there was nothing wrong with it, and the guest’s feedback is that it’s not good, that’s a challenge for me. If there’s something wrong with a dish, we all accept that. But when there is nothing wrong, that’s a challenge for me. 

What’s your favorite dish to cook and why?   

All cuts of beef. Especially the toughest cuts. If you don’t eat beef, don’t be a chef. If you like your beef when it’s done more than medium-well, think about it, please. To feel it and to appreciate the way the farmers bred this beef, you should eat it medium-well, not well-done. When you eat it well done, there’s no difference between Black Angus and Wagyu. 

As a head chef, what are you like?  

I try to treat people the way I want to be treated, so I treat my staff with respect. That’s a common language wherever you go in the world. When you respect your staff, they will, for sure, pay that respect back. Sometimes I’m firm when it comes to the quality and consistency, because when you cook, you should pay full attention to what you are doing. But I’m calm in the kitchen. I’m not shouting and screaming. 

RECIPE 

Chef Mustafa’s lamb mansaf 

INGREDIENTS: 

350g lamb on the bone; 1000g water; 10g black lime; 2g cardamom; 2g bay leaves; 1g black peppercorn; 30g salt; 150g short grain rice; 10g halved almonds; 10g pine nuts; 5g parsley (chopped); 30g ghee; 20g samen balady (local ghee); 1g turmeric 

For the yoghurt sauce (mansaf laban): 600g laban; 200g labneh; 200g dry yoghurt (jameed)  

INSTRUCTIONS:  

1. Wash the lamb under running water with salt for 10 minutes. Ensure all the blood is out of the lamb.  

2. Boil with the bay leaves, cardamom, black lime and black peppercorn until 80 percent cooked.  

3. Take the lamb meat out of the stock and put aside. Put the yoghurt sauce ingredients in a pan and mix on a simmering heat until boiling. Add the lamb to the yoghurt sauce and continue to cook on low heat.  

4. Wash the rice and allow to soak for 20 minutes.  

5. Strain the rice. Place the ghee in a pot on a low heat. Add the rice, salt and turmeric. Add boiling water, and allow to cook on low heat for 10 minutes.  

6. Serve. See picture for plating suggestion. 


Saudi digital artist Maryam Tariq: ‘Art became a way to communicate with the world’ 

Saudi digital artist Maryam Tariq: ‘Art became a way to communicate with the world’ 
Updated 38 sec ago
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Saudi digital artist Maryam Tariq: ‘Art became a way to communicate with the world’ 

Saudi digital artist Maryam Tariq: ‘Art became a way to communicate with the world’ 

DUBAI: Against a black background, parts of a face emerge: a chin, followed by lips, ears and eyes — at times alone and at others in unison — colored in yellow, light pink and purple, accompanied by what appear to be lines of TV static in the same colors.  

This digital work, “Memory Recall,” is the latest creation of Jeddah-based Saudi artist Maryam Tariq, which she presented in the digital section of Art Dubai in April, at the booth of Jeddah’s Hafez Gallery. Over the past five years, Tariq, who was born and raised in Yanbu, has made a name for herself with her mixed-media artworks, often utilizing light and 3D projection mapping. 

“Memory Recall” creates an alluring, dream-like environment. Tariq says it references human perception just after birth. The work was influenced by philosophical theories about early human development, particularly those of German psychoanalyst Erich Neumann.  

“I wanted to bring back the faded memory of when we were first born and our consciousness was still forming,” she tells Arab News. “It’s an abstract memory because our brain is still trying to make sense of the world; it doesn’t know the difference between an eye or an apple. 

“I feel the artwork represents a good place — a place where our ego hasn’t yet been formed,” she continues. “It’s a good place to try and be in from time to time.”  

The work offers a sense of what she calls “mystical participation,” referring to the period where a newborn has yet to identify themselves as an individual and is trying to make sense of the world around them. By prompting the viewer to delve back into such a state through the work’s dynamic interplay of light and shadows heightened with color, Tariq strives to remove the sense of “I” that dominates our collective experience.  

Tariq’s interest in creating art came early in life, she says, inspired by her father. 

“My father is an engineer and also an artist, but it’s more of a hobby for him,” she tells Arab News. As a child she would watch him sketch and paint and wanted to do the same.  

“It was our way to spend time together. As a child I wasn’t especially talkative or social and art became a way for me to communicate with the world, my friends and family,” she explains. 

Tariq studied animation at Effat University in Jeddah, and earned her diploma in visual and digital production, which she describes as being similar to filmmaking, as it has a strong focus on storytelling. 

Since then, her work has largely focused on exploring sacred geometry and the spiritual principles that shape nature, resulting in surreal works bridging the realm of digital and traditional art. 

In 2020 she launched The Golden Ratio, her own media art agency, which has since produced immersive visual experiences for music festivals and concerts alongside DJs and producers across the Gulf region and Europe.  

Her first solo exhibition, “Remembering the Future,” took place at Hafez Gallery in Jeddah in 2021, and was followed by her inclusion in the 2022 exhibition “Re-appearing Imaginaries” at the Misk Art Institute in Riyadh as well as in Noor Riyadh that same year. In 2023, she showed her work at the Sharjah Islamic Arts Festival and in 2024 she was part of the Noise Media Art fair in Vienna, Austria.  

Tariq recently completed a stint at the Artist Inn Residency in Ubud, Bali, which prompted her to embrace nature and traditional art forms while also distancing herself a little from the tech that dominates daily life.  

“I feel sometimes I get exhausted from using too much technology and feel like just going back to nature and using my hands. So that’s what I did,” she says. “I learned how to sculpt. And after I took it into the digital world. It was a nice experience to mix both. 

“I feel drawn to the digital realm because it’s fun and you can do so much with it; you can go wild with your imagination,” she continues. “But I also feel more involved with traditional (art). While technology is always being updated — always growing with new things to do and explore — I also love the traditional. I feel, sometimes, the need to strike a balance between both.” 

Through her art, Tariq hopes to offer her viewers an experience of escape, contemplation and possibly a shift in perception. 

“I want to take them to this place where they are calm and are just a baby again, experiencing the world for the first time to make sense of things,” she says of “Memory Recall.” “It’s an experience where color is new, and everything is new. I want to offer this perspective of looking at the world with pure eyes.” 


Saudi-backed ‘Promised Sky’ premieres in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section 

Saudi-backed ‘Promised Sky’ premieres in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section 
Updated 4 min 19 sec ago
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Saudi-backed ‘Promised Sky’ premieres in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section 

Saudi-backed ‘Promised Sky’ premieres in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section 

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Fund-backed feature “Promised Sky” premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival as part of the Un Certain Regard section on the event’s second day. 

Directed by Erige Sehiri, the film is among the latest international projects supported by the Red Sea Film Foundation, which champions emerging filmmakers. 

The premiere was attended by Sehiri and lead cast members Deborah Naney, Aissa Maiga and Laetitia Ky, who gathered for the film’s official screening and red carpet appearance.

“Promised Sky” follows the fate of three women, a pastor, a student and an exiled mother, whose delicate cohabitation shifts when they take in little four-year-old Kenza, rescued from a shipwreck. 


Princess Reema chooses Honayda design for Trump’s departure from Riyadh

Princess Reema chooses Honayda design for Trump’s departure from Riyadh
Updated 15 May 2025
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Princess Reema chooses Honayda design for Trump’s departure from Riyadh

Princess Reema chooses Honayda design for Trump’s departure from Riyadh

DUBAI: As US President Donald Trump concluded his visit to Saudi Arabia and departed for Qatar, Princess Reema bint Bandar, Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States, again wore a creation by Saudi designer Honayda Serafi.

For the occasion, Princess Reema chose a light pink ensemble consisting of a long, flowing dress paired with a structured overcoat. The overcoat featured a soft floral pattern, with delicate embroidery scattered across its surface. The look was completed with a matching light pink headscarf. 

The outfit followed her look from the day before, when she wore a bespoke royal blue abaya by Serafi during Trump’s official welcome in Riyadh. 

The floor-length abaya featured detailed gold embroidery. The symmetrical patterns extended across the bodice and sleeves, while smaller gold motifs were scattered throughout the lower part of the garment. The look was completed with a matching blue headscarf.

Honayda Serafi, founder of Honayda, posted a statement about Princess Reema’s appearance on Instagram, saying: “I am so pleased and deeply proud to see HRH Princess Reema bint Bandar, our remarkable Saudi Ambassador to the United States, standing as a symbol of strength, progress and leadership, as one of the first women to break barriers and champion women’s empowerment. 

“It is a special moment to see her shine as she welcomes President Trump on his historic visit to Riyadh, wearing a bespoke piece by Honayda for this significant occasion. I look forward to sharing more about the inspiration behind this design,” she added. 

Serafi is known for dressing prominent figures in the Middle East and the rest of the world. Celebrities who have worn her designs include Priyanka Chopra, Lupita Nyong’o and Princess Rajwa Al-Hussein of Jordan.  

She is a favorite of Saudi-born Princess Rajwa and dressed the royal for her henna night festivities in 2023 and for Jordanian King Abdullah II’s silver jubilee celebrations in Amman in 2024.

After leaving Riyadh, Trump is visiting Doha, Qatar, for meetings with Qatari leadership. After this stop, he is scheduled to travel to the UAE, where discussions will continue on economic cooperation, defense partnerships and regional security.


Kaouther Ben Hania and Oscar-winning producers on board to direct film on killing of Palestinian girl

Kaouther Ben Hania and Oscar-winning producers on board to direct film on killing of Palestinian girl
Updated 14 May 2025
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Kaouther Ben Hania and Oscar-winning producers on board to direct film on killing of Palestinian girl

Kaouther Ben Hania and Oscar-winning producers on board to direct film on killing of Palestinian girl
  • Film will dramatize death of Hind Rajab, five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza earlier this year, whose passing captured global headlines

LONDON: Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania will direct a new feature dramatizing the death of Hind Rajab, the five-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza last year, a Variety report said on Wednesday.

The project, which is currently untitled, is set to be shot in Tunisia and produced by Nadim Cheikhrouha (“Four Daughters”), alongside Oscar-winning producers Odessa Rae (“Navalny”) and James Wilson (“The Zone of Interest”), with backing from Film4.

Hind Rajab’s death became a global symbol of the humanitarian toll of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks.

She was one of thousands of children killed in the conflict, but her story sparked particular international outrage. In one notable protest, student demonstrators at Columbia University renamed occupied buildings in her honor.

Rajab was fleeing Gaza City with members of her family on Jan. 29, 2024, when their car came under Israeli fire, killing her uncle, aunt and three cousins.

Hind was left trapped in the vehicle for hours, speaking with the Palestinian Red Crescent Society by phone as paramedics attempted to reach her.

On Feb. 10, after Israeli forces withdrew from the area, rescuers found the bodies of Hind, the paramedics and the family still inside the vehicle.

Israel initially denied responsibility, but investigations by The Washington Post, Sky News and the research agency, Forensic Architecture, later concluded that Israeli tanks were in the vicinity and had likely fired at the car.

The same investigations indicated an Israeli tank had also targeted the ambulance sent to rescue her.

Ben Hania, one of the Arab world’s most acclaimed filmmakers, has received multiple Academy Award nominations.

Her 2017 feature, “Beauty and the Dogs,” was Tunisia’s Oscar submission, while “The Man Who Sold His Skin” (2020) was nominated for best international feature.

Her latest film, “Four Daughters,” was nominated for best documentary feature at the 2024 Oscars.


Red Sea Film Foundation announces Cannes’ ‘Women in Cinema’ gala honorees

Red Sea Film Foundation announces Cannes’ ‘Women in Cinema’ gala honorees
Updated 14 May 2025
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Red Sea Film Foundation announces Cannes’ ‘Women in Cinema’ gala honorees

Red Sea Film Foundation announces Cannes’ ‘Women in Cinema’ gala honorees

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival has unveiled its seven honorees for the annual Women in Cinema Gala.

The event celebrates the achievements of female filmmakers, creators, actors and executives who have made significant contributions to the entertainment industry.

This year’s lineup includes a mix of talent from across the world: Zambian-Welsh writer-director Rungano Nyoni, known for her critically acclaimed film “I Am Not a Witch”; South Asian actress Jacqueline Fernandez, a big name in Bollywood with a string of successful films; Egyptian actress Amina Khalil, whose performances have redefined contemporary Egyptian cinema; Saudi actress Elham Ali, celebrated for her roles in regional series and films; Thai actress Engfa Waraha, an emerging talent making waves in Southeast Asia; Syrian filmmaker Gaya Jiji, recognized for her storytelling that reflects the complexities of Syrian life; and Saudi filmmaker and artist Sarah Taiba, whose work explores the intersection of culture and identity.

The Women in Cinema Gala, established in 2022, is hosted annually by the Red Sea Film Foundation in Cannes, coinciding with the film festival. Held at the prestigious Du Cap Hotel, the event spotlights women who are making significant strides in their careers across the Arab world, Asia and Africa.

Last year’s honorees included Egyptian actress and model Salma Abu Deif, Indian actress Kiara Advani,  Thai actress, model and singer Sarocha Chankimha (also known as Freen), Saudi actress Adhwa Fahad, Saudi singer and actress Aseel Omran, and French-Senegalese director Ramata Toulaye-Sy.