This article was created by National Geographic Traveler (England).
How does your heritage influence your diet?
My mother was born in Zanzibar to Omani Zanzibar and Iranian Zanzibar parents. Since they were from the Swahili tribe, they cooked a lot of Zanzibari and Swahili coastal cuisine. It’s always loaded with coconut and is a very spicy food with lots of citrus flavors. Her father’s family is Omani from the capital Muscat, with ethnic Bahraini and Iraqi ancestry, so they use a lot of dried lime. I also use dates a lot. This comes from the fact that I live in the north, where date palms grow everywhere.
How would you describe Oman?
Oman is a country in the Middle East that borders other Arab countries, but is also close to Somalia, Iran, and India. And 200 years ago, there was an empire that included the Swahili coast around Zanzibar. It is very multicultural due to the different trades that take place there. Northern Oman, where Muscat is located, is very dry and hot, but has beautiful coastlines and beaches.
The western interior is very mountainous and contains the province of Ad-Dahiliyah, where the most delicious pomegranates are grown. Continuing south, you will pass through the desert and reach Dhofar Governorate. The province mimics the Swahili coastline with its blue waters, white sandy beaches and coconut palms. In August, the monsoon turns everything green and reveals spectacular waterfalls.
How does food differ by region?
Oman is a very tribal country and every community is influenced by something from somewhere. The Rawati people of the north are originally from Iran and Pakistan, and their diet incorporates many Indian flavors. They have a high tolerance for chili peppers and use a lot of spices. The same is true for the Baloch people who originated from Balochistan. [a region split between Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan]. The interior tribes would have been Bedouins who traveled throughout the Arab world. Their food is meaty and they love honey because it goes well with it. They also like to preserve things. In the south, near the sea, the people have mainly East African traditions and their food is coconut-based. There is a lot of meat in the mountains, so we dry it and take it with us on our travels. They also like to use wheat and fresh milk or camel milk.
What are the characteristics of Omani cuisine?
It’s definitely a breed. Due to the climate, I don’t eat many vegetables, but I use a lot of spices to bring out various flavor combinations. There are also many finger foods such as samosas and fritters, which are influenced by Zanzibari. From a food culture perspective, it’s very rude not to eat with someone when you visit them. No matter what time of the day you visit, Omanis are sure to join you for lunch or dinner. Men and women enter separate majlis (living rooms). As soon as you enter the store, you will be served tea or coffee and fruit. The main dishes are served on large family-style plates and laid out on the floor for everyone to sit and eat with their right hands only. Afterwards, something sweet is served. Eat halwa (made with sugarcane, ghee, spices, nuts and dry fruits) and finish with coffee.
What are Oman’s signature ingredients?
Limes are grown throughout the country. Because it has such a long shelf life, people dry it, soak it in salt water to intensify its flavor, and carry it with them wherever they go. When cooked slowly (many Omani dishes require slow cooking), it develops an intense citrus flavor. Honey is also everywhere.The date is [common too], However, upon arriving in the Dhofar Special Region, the climate becomes very humid and this stops. When it comes to spices, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves are all important, and the Lawati, Baloch and Swahili people also eat chili peppers. Although influenced by Iran, saffron is also grown in Zanzibar.
Are there any particularly popular dishes?
The majority of northerners would say that the national dish is the schwa, which is eaten during Eid. However, there are many prefectures in the inland and southern regions that have no schwa at all. It is basically meat coated with a mixture of black pepper, dried chilli, cloves, dried lime, cardamom, and cinnamon. Each family’s recipe will be different. Wrap it in banana leaves and put it in a bag made from date palm leaves. All the villagers gather, dance and sing and place the bag into a tanor (furnace) where he is boiled for 24 hours.
Recipe: spinach & coconut shakshuka
This shakshuka is based on a Zanzibar dish known as muchicha or boga, which means “spinach” or “vegetable” in Swahili. When you say these names, you immediately know that the dish is made with coconut. Coconut is the base of many Zanzibari dishes and is often used in place of water. Although muchicha tastes great, it’s not the most visually appealing dish, so I decided to use it as a base for shakshuka. This dish is best eaten with toast.
service: Four
It takes: 50 minutes
material
6 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
1 onion (thinly sliced)
2 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon powdered cumin
3 tomatoes (finely diced)
600g spinach
400ml can of coconut milk
1 green chili (optional) coarsely chopped
1 lime (with juice)
A handful of fresh coriander, chopped
4 eggs
Pomegranate seeds (for garnish) (optional)
Black olives for garnish (optional)
Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and fry for 3-4 minutes, then add ground spices and stir. Add tomatoes and fry for another 5-6 minutes. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, and sauté for 5 minutes, until all is wilted.
2. Pour in the coconut milk, add the chilli (if using) and seeds, and lime juice. Add salt to taste and simmer for 20 minutes, until the coconut thickens and only a little liquid remains. Add coriander, stir well and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
3. Add coriander, stir well and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
4. Poke 4 holes in the mixture and crack an egg into each hole. Cover the skillet and let the eggs sit for 5 minutes, until the whites are cooked and the yolks are runny (or, if you prefer, leave them longer to set the yolks).
5. If using pomegranates or olives, sprinkle on top and enjoy.
Recipe: Honeycomb bread
Kalankasho is an Omani festival celebrated on the 14th day of the month of Ramadan. Children wear traditional costumes, mothers prepare snacks and sweet baskets and open their doors to everyone. Hariat Nahal is a sweet yeasted bread known for its honeycomb shape and is only served during Ramadan, especially during Kalankasho. This recipe is found in both Oman and Yemen. Cheese is always included, but the syrup poured on top varies depending on the household. It’s best served warm, fresh from the oven, with the cheese melted, but it will keep for 1-2 days in an airtight container.
What to make: 20 pieces
takes: 1 hour plus wake up
material
400ml + 2 tablespoons warmed milk
Quick Dry Yeast 14g
Plain 650g flour
130g caster sugar
2 eggs
Sesame seeds for furikake
sea salt flakes
for syrup
200g caster sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 orange (squeezed juice)
4 cardamom pods (crushed)
for stuffing
Mozzarella cheese 200g
Soft cream cheese 200g
Method
1. Put all syrup ingredients in a pot, add 170ml of water and mix. Bring to a boil over high heat. When it starts to bubble, boil it for exactly 10 minutes, remove from heat and leave until completely cool. Do not stir while the syrup is boiling. Make sure it is completely cooled before using. The idea is to pour the cooled syrup over the hot bread.
2. Pour 400ml of milk into a bowl. Add yeast and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Combine flour, sugar, and eggs in a mixer or large bowl. Add yeast mixture and mix. Knead the dough until it is soft and smooth. It takes 10-12 minutes in a mixer and 15-17 minutes by hand. Cover with a clean damp cloth and let rise for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.
4. Once the dough has fermented, divide it into 20 equal parts and roll them. Take the first ball, press it flat and place a little bit of mozzarella and soft cheese in the center (I use about 5-10g of each to avoid overcrowding). Bring the remaining dough around the cheese and wrap it, pinching the edges to seal, then roll it back into a ball and flatten it very slightly. Repeat with remaining dough balls, mozzarella, and soft cheese.
5. Place the filled balls on a baking tray lined with baking paper (a pizza tray is ideal, as it creates a honeycomb shape). Be sure to leave a little space between each ball so that they have room to spread out as they rise. Cover with a clean damp cloth and let rise for 30-45 minutes.
6. Heat the oven to 200℃, 180℃ fan, gas. 6. When the balls are ready to bake, brush them with the remaining milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
7. Immediately after removing from the oven, pour the cooled syrup over the bowl and let it soak into the dough (if you don’t want it too much, brush the syrup on). Finish with a sprinkle of crushed sea salt flakes. If you let it cool for about 10 minutes and then warm it up, the cheese will melt and you can enjoy it deliciously.
Recipe: plantain or banana, coconut & cardamom cake
Zanzibar’s pudding is called “Ndidi Mbibu”, which is basically overripe sweet plantains stewed in coconut milk and cardamom. As a kid, I was disgusted by that look. I think I was about 20 years old when I started to understand how something so simple could create so much comfort and flavor. I have the recipe in my book, but this “prettier” version incorporates the same ingredients into the cake. I like to serve it warm, but it can also be served cold. Be sure to remove it from the mold while still warm. It can be stored for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
service: 6-8
takes: 45 minutes
material
160g pureed plantains or bananas, plus 1 slice
200g soft flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
80g caster sugar
80g brown sugar
100g dried coconut
3 eggs
Vegetable oil 185ml
10 crushed cardamom pods or 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
for caramel
100g brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Method
1. Heat the oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas. 6. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
2. To make the caramel, put the sugar in a saucepan over low-medium heat and gradually dissolve the sugar, swirling the saucepan gently so that all the sugar is evenly dissolved. Once all the sugar has melted, add the butter and continue mixing until smooth.
3. Line the bottom of the prepared pan with sliced bananas or plantains and pour in the caramel. Let’s set it aside.
4. Place the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, being careful not to overbeat. Pour the batter over the bananas and caramel. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 190C, 170C fan, gas 5 and bake for a further 25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
5. Let the cake cool in the mold for 10 minutes, then remove from the mold while still warm.
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