13 March 2011 – Bahrain

An Island in Protest

The focus on protests in Bahrain has come and gone in the last month, but today the activities turned violent:

World watches as Bahrain continues to churn.

Many news outlets covered the ongoing tensions between the royal family, the citizens, and growing interest from the government of Saudi Arabia:

Bahrain unrest: Manama erupts in violence (BBC)
Bahrain protesters block roads, royals push for talks (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
More than 800 injured in Bahrain political clashes (USA Today)
Bahrain protests reignited (Guardian UK)

Bahrain is a sharply divided country.  It is the playground for the rich, but currently has a high unemployment rate.  The majority of the country is Muslim with a Sunni royal family ruling over ~66% Shia population (Wikipedia).  To help discuss this island nation here are some recipes of common dishes you might find in restaurants in the capital of Manama:

Entree

Machboos – Rice and protein dish with saffron and spices. Some are saucier while others have stuffing.

Kuwaiti Machboos Lahem Ma’a Dakkous (Lamb, Food.com)
Chicken & Brown Rice Machboos Recipe (Livestrong.com)
Traditional Shrimp Machboos (shahiya.com)