If you are someone who loves shisha, there are a lot of opportunities for you to make it even better. That is by pairing it up with the right foods and beverages. Even though shisha is delectable in itself, the right foods and beverages can greatly enhance your shisha experience.
Before getting into the particulars, there are certain ground rules that you should be aware of to make the most of your session.
Firstly, with both shisha and the accompanying foods, choose flavors that complement each other well. You do not want to experience the unpleasantness that contradictory flavors bring to your palate. Secondly, consuming shisha on an empty stomach is never a good idea. It can be harmful to your health. Lastly, avoid stuffing yourself with heavy and oily foods. The best thing to do is eat light.
You can enjoy your shisha at some of the most happening shisha Dubai hangouts offering the best food and beverage pairings. You also have the option to enjoy the same in the comfort of your home. No matter what venue you choose, knowing which foods will work best with your Shisha will definitely ensure you have a good time.
Sweets
Shisha being a tradition that is primarily attributed to the eastern cultures, bring in some delicious eastern sweets to combine with your shisha. Sweets like halva, baklava, Turkish delight, and churchkhela are suitable accompaniments. Cakes, fruit desserts, jellies, sweet pies, and pastries can also serve as a suitable substitute if a comprehensive assortment of eastern dishes is not available.
Chocolate may not be the best option to go with your fruit-flavored hookahs, but it pairs wonderfully with those that include coffee flavors.
Fruits
These are the most delicious starters! Some vegetables can be a great option, too, though everyone has their own preferences in this regard. Fruits and berries are refreshing because they are light and easy on your stomach, rich in nutrients, and also quench your thirst to a certain extent.
Shisha is best enjoyed with fruit plates with different types of toppings. You can consider placing some commonly available fruits, such as oranges, bananas, and apples, on the table. What’s more, you could also add something that is more unusual, rather, more common to this Eastern cuisine.
Pomegranates, strawberries, and cherries will not only make it more flavorful but also provide you with an interesting experience. If you’re searching for something a little bit different, give melon a try. Remember to give your shisha a flavor that goes well with the fruit. Melons, pineapples, apples, bananas, grapes, and strawberries are some examples of fruits with a flavor profile that is most likely to be suitable.
Feeling Snacky?
There are plenty of options available in snacks, and it is entirely up to the individual’s preferences. Do you enjoy snacky foods such as almonds, crackers, and chips? Feel free to snack on them.
Breadsticks and other dry forms of snacks are fantastic accompaniments for your shisha sessions. They don’t provide an overpowering flavor and are also simple to clean up after. Hookah with food might not seem like the most natural combination at first, but if you choose the proper snack, it can refresh your taste and make the smoking experience more enjoyable.
How about some fast food?
Some may say this is a contradictory combination. How is it possible to enjoy shisha, an icon of tradition, with something as contemporary as hamburgers and fries? That is not the way many people look at it, and they hardly share this point of view.
A fair number of people enjoy smoking shisha while they snack on this fast food. There are many skeptics who do not approve, but after trying a hot cheeseburger accompanied by hookah smoke, they discovered that they thoroughly enjoyed the combination. As is customary, the most important thing is to avoid going to extremes.
A gourmet shisha Dubai lounge may often offer whipped cream and a variety of cheeses, including feta and parmesan, on the table. Some prefer the crunch of chips or even popcorn. As such, there cannot be any specific restrictions on consuming these foods. However, remember not to stuff yourself too much while you’re smoking hookah.
This is especially problematic if a massive quantity of fiery or fatty food is consumed. You are better off reserving that indulgence for later for your meals. Shisha smoking should primarily happen in a relaxed setting, engaging in pleasant conversations with others in your group.
Avoid Fatty Foods
Pairing hookah with fatty and heavy foods such as pizza, cheburek, or kebab, will make it difficult for you to relax and appreciate the flavor of the hookah. Additionally, there can be other issues, too, like bloated stomach and increased circulation of blood to the digestive system, making it more difficult for blood (or oxygen) to enter the head. It may result in nausea and dizziness, or loss of consciousness.
Furthermore, some tastes do not work well together since they do not complement one another. When considering what kinds of foods to eat with your hookah, you should steer clear of oily options. Consuming greasy meals can put a damper on your pleasure.
Also, when it comes to spicy foods, you should know that they can dull your sense of taste and smell. When eating items high in heat, you may find that the flavor of your shisha is diminished, particularly if it is of lower quality. Trust some of the best shisha Dubai hangout places to serve the most delicious foods to go along with your hookah.
Coffee, Milk, and Other Beverages
Coffee is a good choice of drink to combine with hookah due to its bitter and earthy flavor profile. Strong Turkish coffee or a cup of espresso can be especially delightful. It is recommended that when mixing these two, you aim for the flavor of pure tobacco leaf or flavors that are more balanced. It is difficult to get rid of the sticky and sugary aftertaste that fruit-flavored shisha leaves behind.
Then there is milk, which you may already know is ideal to wash down the aftertaste left by foods that are very hot and spicy. Smoking fruit-flavored shisha accompanied by a glass of icy milk is sure to elevate the experience to a whole new level. Even if it does seem peculiar, you should certainly try this combination if you haven’t already done so.
Alcoholic beverages are a great way to spice up your shisha experience. If you’re having beer, choose wheat beers or IPAs. If you prefer woody and intense shisha flavors, you will find that bourbon and whiskey go very well with them. You will find the best beverages at a lot of shisha Dubai lounges and bars so that you can have a blast smoking shisha with your friends.
Conclusion
Include some mouthwatering snacks and refreshing beverages in your hookah session to heighten the overall enjoyment of the activity. The healthier and more natural your snack is, the better it will be for you. The greatest foods to eat with a hookah are fresh fruit and vegetables, soft sweets (like halva, cakes, and pies), and pastries.
The worst foods are those that are too heavy and greasy (fast food). Now that you know the best food and drink accompaniments for your shisha, nothing can stop you from having an amazing shisha experience.
