This feature has me checking out music in Dubai thanks to singer, songwriter, and producer, Dhimira. I had so much fun making delicious Falafel and have also added it to my meal repertoire with rave reviews from the family. Check out the recipe below!

Dhimira has lived in Dubai her entire life, but now she splits her time between Dubai and Boston, where she is studying at the Berklee College of Music, known for its outstanding music program. She started singing about seven years ago just to pick up another hobby and try it out. However, from a young age, she always wanted to be on stage, to be at the center of attention, with people watching her perform. She absolutely loved it. Her passion for music deepened once she discovered music production. It all started when she opened GarageBand on her laptop, where she began recording her voice and fell in love with the process. Dhimira was captivated by the ability to create her own songs using virtual instruments and piecing them together with software. She then moved on to Ableton, where she began making beats and producing music herself. She started by posting covers on YouTube, which eventually led to her producing her own original music. I was immediately pulled in by her release “Nobody Else” with her delicate, soulful voice. Then, Dhimira released “Back of My Hand” beginning of August 2024 with yet another dose of her smooth R&B vocals and I was hooked.

Her influences and genre preferences are always evolving. Most recently, Dhimira has been inspired by Kwn, an R&B artist and producer from the UK. She admires Kwn’s style, particularly how she uses drum loops, melodies, and her unique voice. Kehlani is another artist whose voice Dhimira loves, and she’s also a fan of the producer Esta. Although she listens to a lot of hip-hop, when she’s producing music or just listening for herself, she’s all about the R&B vibes.

Currently, Dhimira is working on releasing new music every two weeks while she’s in Dubai for the summer. She’s also reaching out to the local Boston music scene, particularly from the Berklee School of Music, to find hip-hop and R&B artists to collaborate with and produce for, aiming to keep up a steady flow of music. Her goal is for fans to connect with her music, feeling like it’s something they would choose to listen to, while also inspiring them. She hopes to continue working with talented musicians, pursuing collaborations, and making a successful, profitable career from her music. I can’t wait to hear more of Dhimira’s music releases and new collaborations, giving fans more R&B moments for us to enjoy. Be sure to give Dhimira a follow on IG at the link below!

Follow Dhimira on IG

Dhimira has a specific and consistent taste when it comes to food, favoring Palak Paratha for dinner. Palak Paratha, also known as Spinach Paratha, is a traditional Indian flatbread made by mixing whole wheat flour with pureed spinach and spices. This flatbread is soft, flavorful, and often enjoyed with yogurt, pickles, or various curries. Chicken is the only meat Dhimira eats with her top foods being chicken burgers and falafel wraps, particularly from places like Shah’s Halal Food in Boston. Even though she’s not big on sweets or snacks, milk chocolate is a favorite of hers specifically the Kinder Buenos. For this feature, I decided to create Dhimira’s favorite falafels. Falafel is a popular Middle Eastern dish made from ground chickpeas or fava beans, or a combination of both, mixed with herbs, spices, and onions. They are formed into balls and fried until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Falafel is often served with pita bread or flatbread, paired with fresh veggies, and topped with tahini, hummus, or yogurt. Flavors with spices like garlic, cumin, coriander, cilantro, and parsley make this a delicious anytime dish. Check out the recipe below!

Falafel Recipe

Ingredients for Falafel

1 cup dried chickpeas
1 cup parsley leaves, chopped
1 cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 teaspoon all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons water, room temperature
2 cups neutral oil for frying (canola or vegetable oil works best)

Ingredients for Tahini Sauce

4 tablespoons tahini
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons water
Salt to taste

Directions

Soak chickpeas overnight (at least 12 hours) in a large bowl covered with cold water at least two inches above the chickpeas. Do not use canned chickpeas for this recipe it will not bind properly when making the falafels, they must be dried chickpeas.
Drain chickpeas and place in a food processor and add remaining Falafel ingredients except oil.
Plus the chickpea mixture in the food process for 2 to 3 minutes on high until the chickpeas are small grains like sand.
Scoop up the chickpea mixture with a tablespoon and shape them into 1-inch balls. Then refrigerate the falafel balls for 30 minutes.
Heat the neutral frying oil in a medium-large skillet, carefully slide each ball into the oil to fry.
Cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until the falafels are golden brown and have a crust on the outside.
Set aside to drain on a paper towel while cooking remaining the falafel balls.
Prep your tahini sauce to serve by mixing tahini and lemon juice. Stir well and the mixture will stiffen. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time to loosen until desired consistency to top falafels. Salt to taste.
Serve falafels with pita or flatbread, hummus, and leaf lettuce, tomato slices, and red onion with a drizzle of tahini. Enjoy!