RIYADH: Residents of Hail are known to enjoy a local dish, khalea, on special occasions and especially during winter because of its nutritious and calorie-rich properties.

Consisting largely of lamb fat, khalea requires tedious and lengthy preparation before it can be consumed.

Manifa Ali, a resident of Hail, told Arab News that the fat is cut into small pieces and yoghurt added as a marinade.

It is then slow-cooked over a low flame, which requires constant stirring so the fat does not burn. As the fat dissolves, the mixture is filtered, and the process is repeated multiple times until it is free of all impurities.

Turmeric can be added for color, and the fat is then fried carefully until crispy, said Ali.

It can then be enjoyed with bread or rice-based dishes.

Sarah Mohammed, another resident, said that making khalea requires “continuous practice and extreme precision because any delay in stirring the fat may lead to it being burned.”

Mohammed’s sister, Nora, enjoys eating the khalea like popcorn while watching TV.

Munif Ali, who lives with his family in a remote area east of Hail, said that khalea has ancient roots, harking back to a time when people did not have electricity.

In the past, local Bedouin communities extracted oil from sheep fat as a source of energy.