Why the humble Christmas turkey is seeing growing demand in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: Christmas would not be complete without a mouthwatering traditional turkey dinner. That is why, in the run-up to the festive season, households celebrating the holiday in Riyadh are on the lookout for the best place to buy their bird.
Whole turkeys can be bought from Carrefour and Lulu Hypermarket in the Saudi capital, but preparing an entire bird from scratch can be difficult and time-consuming. Many families will therefore look for pre-prepared dishes to save on time and mess.
“Since I moved to Riyadh earlier this year, I began the search for home-made turkey for hosting Thanksgiving for my Saudi friends,” Mildred, 32, from the Philippines, told Arab News. “People told me about Yawmiyat Catering and it was the most delicious I ever tried.
“Don’t tell my mom!”
Dalal Hajj Ibrahim, a 60-year-old Lebanese chef and owner of Yawmiyat Catering, is famous for serving one of the best turkeys in Riyadh. Although she mostly sells Lebanese cuisine and other Arab-inspired dishes, her festive fare has proven especially popular.
“Our style is that we serve two special dishes daily so our guests feel like they’ve been invited to their friends’ for a warm meal,” Ibrahim told Arab News.
Ibrahim says she has been an avid reader of culinary and recipe books since the age of 20. “I’ve always loved cooking for family and friends and hosting dinners and feasts. And so I translated that feeling into Yawmiyat’s cozy family kitchen,” she said.
At first, Yawmiyat did not offer turkey on the menu. It was only after she noticed a gap in the market for Thanksgiving and Christmas catering that she made it a speciality.
“Since I opened four years ago, people kept calling me before special occasions such as Thanksgiving and Christmas asking me to prepare turkey for them,” she said.
“I did my research in the Saudi turkey market and found that only five-star hotels are serving turkey feasts and very few new restaurants.”
The majority of Yawmiyat’s customers who place orders for turkey dishes are Saudis and Lebanese, while other foreigners make up about 5-7 percent of her clientele. Indeed, many Muslim Saudis have adopted the festive meal tradition having experienced it abroad.
“I loved spending the winter season in Washington D.C. because of the festive atmosphere,” Abdullah Khalid, 28, who was a student at the George Washington University in the US, told Arab News.
“Every year, I would celebrate Thanksgiving and be invited to my friend’s house for dinner.”
Since moving back to Riyadh, Khalid has consistently celebrated Thanksgiving with his family.
Ibrahim’s Christian customers are also grateful to find a familiar flavor. Mic, a Saudi Arabia-based South African from Cape Town, told Arab News that despite being away from home, he still celebrates Christmas.
“Turkiye is pretty important on Christmas. It’s very much a delicacy. Usually you’ll settle for chicken, but that’s just not good enough for the celebrations and cozy vibes.”
Mic recalled his perfect Christmas Eve. “Family and friends, music, great company, a crispy golden turkey and just chatting into the early hours of the morning and celebrating the occasion.”
As Muslims are a large minority group in South Africa, Mic says religious coexistence is something that he appreciates about his life back in Cape Town.
“Where I am from, at the end of Ramadan, we’ll celebrate with our friends by sharing iftar with them and their families. They also look forward to sharing the joy with us on Christmas.”
It takes Ibrahim about six days to prepare a turkey for the oven. First the turkey has to defrost for three days in the refrigerator before it is brined in a sugar and salt solution with vegetables for 24 to 48 hours to tenderize and flavor the meat.
Next, the meat is injected with a blend of butter and fresh herbs.
“The fourth step is the spices, and that depends on your preference,” said Ibrahim. “My signature turkey recipe has a mixture of Arabic and American seasoning to create my personal flavor.”
Her clients seem to prefer a Middle Eastern twist, which is served with a rice stuffing, packed with spices, seasonal dry fruits and chestnuts.
As for the cooking process, the turkey is baked for one hour for every few pounds, and basted every 30 minutes. “It’s very important to cover the turkey as it bakes so it doesn’t lose its moisture and juices,” said Ibrahim.
For the final 30 minutes, the turkey is uncovered and placed back in the oven so that it gets a crispy golden exterior.
Until just a couple of years ago, almost all turkey meat was imported into the Kingdom from the US company Butterball LLC. “Luckily, Saudi Arabia now has farms for grazing turkey and that freshness truly makes all the difference in the end result,” said Ibrahim.
“Our clients understand the long process and so they order it a week before. We accept orders through calls or walk-ins.”
Ibrahim says that the best sides to serve with turkey are pumpkin soup, potatoes, carrots, ginger, cranberry sauce, gravy, and bread stuffing. “A side salad made with beetroots, pecan and pumpkin is also a great way to stimulate your palette,” she said.
“All like that time spent caring for the turkey translates into this single moment when loved ones are gathered cozily around the feast. Maybe that’s one of the reasons it’s served on special occasions, because of the love that goes into preparing it.”