Traditional recipes from Oman
Omani cuisine is based on spices, herbs and various marinades. With influences from Indian, Persian, North African and Mediterranean cuisines, Omanis combine a variety of spices to create delectable dishes.
Some of the most famous Omani dishes include:
Shawarma
Shawarma is the most traditional and one of the cheapest dishes in the emirate. It's roasted meat that has been prepared on a rotisserie. After roasting, it is cut into thin noodles and put into pita bread with vegetables and dressing. There are also exotic Persian and Lebanese variants.
Ingredients
- 1/4 kg lamb cut into strips
- 1/4 kg chicken breast cut into strips
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 1/2 onion minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 6 large pita breads
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- 6 slices pickled eggplant (optional - you can substitute pickled cucumber)
- 3 serrano or jalapeno chillies, stems and seeds removed, finely chopped
- yoghurt and mayonnaise to taste
Procedure
Place the meat in a glass bowl. In another bowl, combine the spices, salt, garlic, onion, bay leaf, lemon juice and vinegar, mix well and pour over the meat. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Remove the meat from the marinade and pat dry. Grill the meat on the grill for about 10 minutes, remembering to turn regularly. Place grilled meat in pita bread (cut lengthwise) add tomatoes, pickles, chili and a spoonful of yogurt or mayonnaise.
Majboos
The base of majboos, also called kabsa, is white meat and rice. The saffron and cardamom are central to this recipe. This recipe contains a large number of ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1kg chicken
- For the marinade
- about 3/4 tsp cumin (crushed)
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves (crushed)
- 2 teaspoons of zestless mixture
- 20g cumin
- 20g dried coriander
- 20g fennel
- 15g turmeric
- 5g black chilli
- 5g red chilli
- 5g cinnamon
- about 1,5 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 crushed garlic cloves
- 3 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- juice of one lime
- salt and pepper
- 2.5 cups basmati rice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 onions (sliced)
- 3 tomatoes (chopped)
- 2 dried lemons
- 3 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 teaspoons cardamom
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 4 cups of water
- 2 cubes chicken masox
- 1 handful coriander (leaves washed and chopped)
- 2 tbsp ghee butter
- 20 medium saffron threads (soaked in 3 tablespoons boiling water)
Procedure
Mix thoroughly all the ingredients to make the marinade, add the chicken to the marinade and stir thoroughly. Allow the chicken to marinate until cooked. Rinse the rice and leave to soak for 15 minutes. Then dry and set aside. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, fry the onions until golden. Add the marinated chicken and fry on both sides until golden. Add the tomatoes, spices and lemons, season with salt and pepper. Let cook for a few minutes, add stock cubes and water. Cook until the meat is almost cooked. A few minutes before the meat is cooked, add the rice and turn down the heat. When the rice is almost cooked, add the coriander leaves, saffron water and ghee butter. Close the pan with a lid and place a kitchen towel over the lid. Cook closed for another 10 minutes, then turn off the flame and let it rest for another 10 minutes. Finally, stir and serve hot.
Khubz Ragag
Khubz Ragag is an Omani bread that is made up of only three ingredients. These are flour, water and salt. This bread is often served in Oman for breakfast with cheese and eggs.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of plain flour
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Procedure
Mix the flour and salt and slowly add the water. Use a stainless steel or metal pan when cooking this bread, non-stick surfaces are not ideal. Fry on one side of the pan until crispy. Serve hot.
Harees
Harees is a traditional Arabic dish, the first mention of this dish dates back to the 10th century. This dish is simple to prepare and is often served during Ramadan. Harres are prepared by boiling wheat in lightly salted water for several hours.
Ingredients
- 450g chicken
- 1 cup harees
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup ghee butter
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tsp crushed cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander
- salt and pepper
Directions
Place the chicken, harees and water in a pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 2 hours. Remove the foam, then stir the mixture until it forms a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl. Melt the ghee and add the cinnamon, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour this mixture into the bowl with the whisked mash, garnish with coriander seeds.
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