Cuisine of Oman

The cuisine of Oman is a mixture of several staples of Asian foods. Dishes are often based around chicken, fish, and mutton, based around a staple of rice. Most Omani dishes also contain a rich mixture of spices, herbs, and marinades. ^[1]

General Features

While Omani food varies within different regions of Oman, most dishes across the country have a staple of cooked meat, rice, and vegetables.^[2] Soups are also common, and are usually made from chicken, lamb, and vegetables (e.g., smoked eggplant). Though dishes can be spicy, typically they are not as spicy as in other Asian countries. The main meal is usually eaten in the middle of the day, while dinner is lighter. ^[3]

Typical Omani Dishes

• Harees is wheat mixed with meat.
• Kahwa is coffee mixed with cardamom powder, often served as a symbol of hospitality. It is often served with dates and Omani halwa.^[3]
• Kebabs, served with barbecued, grilled, or curried meat, chicken, and fish, along with vegetables.
• Mashual is a dish consisting of a whole spit-roasted kingfish with a side of lemon rice.
• Maqbous is a rice dish flavored with saffron and cooked over spicy meat.
• Muqalab is tripe and pluck cooked with a variety of spices including cinnamon, cardamom, clove, black pepper, ginger, garlic, and nutmeg.
• Shuwa is a meal eaten only on festive occasions. The dish consists of a whole cow or goat roasted in a special oven in a pit dug in the ground, usually as a communal activity, by an entire village. The meat is flavored with a variety of spices, then wrapped in sacks made of dry leaves, which are in turn placed into the oven.
• Sakhana is a thick soup of wheat, dates, molasses, and milk, typically eaten during Ramadan.

References

1. ^ Poniewozik, James (2002). "Traditional Omani Food". Oman Electronic Network. http://www.omanet.om/english/culture/omani_food.asp?cat=cult. Retrieved 2011-03-21. 
2. ^ "Oman Food". ushouldvisit.com. 2010. http://www.ushouldvisit.com/middle-east/oman/Oman-Food.html. Retrieved 2011-03-28. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Cuisine of Oman". gowealthy.com. 2010. http://www.gowealthy.com/gowealthy/wcms/en/home/articles/travel/food-and-beverage/Cuisine-of-Oman-1226219276625.html. Retrieved 2011-03-28.