Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

Bringing in the Harvest, Kuwaiti Style

Fresh seafood is one of the great blessings of living in Kuwait. Visiting Fehaheel with a friend one morning, I was delighted to see a boat docked, and fish being loaded into trucks.

You have this old old style boat, and everything they are doing is state-of-the-art in terms of hygiene. The fish are all iced as soon as they are caught, and transported with more ice. Some of the fish is delivered straight to the fish market in Fehaheel, where auctions are held almost daily.

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I am only missing Kuwaiti shrimp, which is now out-of-season, to protect the shrimp production for future needs. I am willing to sacrifice for the long-term greater good, and besides, I can still find fresh-frozen Kuwaiti shrimp in my local co-op.

Yesterday I had a new treat – hammour kufte. Have you tried it? I saw it at the Sultan Center, and decided to try it. I sauteed it gently, not sure how it would respond, until it was cooked almost through, then flipped it and cooked the other side. Total WOW. I am a believer! If you haven’t tried it, you are in for a treat. How can anything taste that good AND be good for you?

(Segue) Have you visited the Al Kout Mall in Fehaheel recently? I often take visitors there – it is SO different from Marina Mall and Sharq Mall. There aren’t the bands of teenage marauders there, children are kept under control by their caring parents, and the cafes and restaurants along the fountains are busy day and night, mostly with families and quiet people, not the people who are more concerned with being seen. The stores often have things that are already shopped out at the other malls. There is a serenity in the architecture, and the way it incorporates the waterfront location, and a feeling of everything coming together as it ought.

Sometimes I am the only Westerner I see, outside the Sultan Center.

I took a friend there who had lived in Kuwait a long time ago. She was astounded when I took her there. “This is FEHAHEEL?” she exclaimed. She was in wonder and in shock. She remembered Fehaheel as being at the end of the earth, and a dangerous place to be.

It can still be a dangerous place to be, on a Thursday or Friday night, in competition for a parking place. It will get worse, once the Rotana Hotel opens in the Manshar complex. And the signs for the Villa Moda at the Al Manshar Mall are now disappeared – is Villa Moda NOT coming to the Manshar Mall?

March 3, 2007 - Posted by | Cooking, Cross Cultural, Eating Out, ExPat Life, Family Issues, Health Issues, Hygiene, Kuwait, Living Conditions, Lumix, Middle East, Photos, Shopping, Uncategorized

6 Comments »

  1. I miss Kuwaiti Shrimps! My mom used to bring an ice-box full of frozen shrimps for me to the UK as my comfort food 😀

    ananyah's avatar Comment by ananyah | March 3, 2007 | Reply

  2. Hiya Ananya – lucky you, to have a Mom who takes such good care of you! Kuwaiti shrimp are wonderful! Did you eat them all at once, or keep them in your freezer and pull a few out every now and then?

    intlxpatr's avatar Comment by intlxpatr | March 4, 2007 | Reply

  3. Mmmmm I love the Kut mall. Its smaller scale makes it so human, and the architecture has such grace.

    Also, I love that the last time I went there with you and the khalo the parking lot was playing host to a camel, lounging on the flatbed of a pickup truck.

    adiamondinsunlight's avatar Comment by adiamondinsunlight | March 4, 2007 | Reply

  4. You’re right, Al Kout does have this serenity about it, especially at the water front.

    Elijah's avatar Comment by Elijah | March 4, 2007 | Reply

  5. This is totally awesome.. I love the smell of the fish and watching the seagulls and stuff.

    KJ's avatar Comment by KJ | March 4, 2007 | Reply

  6. Little Diamond, I wonder when we will be able to go there together again? (sigh)

    Elijah, KJ, I am glad you like it as much as I do. Someone did a great design job, I think.

    intlxpatr's avatar Comment by intlxpatr | March 4, 2007 | Reply


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