Joanna James
Muscat, on the Gulf of Oman, is an exciting city of all sorts and its assortments of delectable street foods are certainly something not negligible. Hit the vibrant streets of the bustling metropolis and unleash your inner foodie to savour the mouth-watering flavours the port capital has to offer.
Hailing from Yemen and relished throughout the Arabian Peninsula, Majboos is a frequent sight in all Gulf states as it is in Muscat, Oman. It is a chicken-mixed Arab dish with long-grain rice which occasionally incorporates other meat substitutes as well, including lamb, camel meat, fish, or even shrimp, truffles, or duck meat. What sets majboos, machboos, also known as kabsa, from other rice dishes is the use of the water that was being used to cook the meat being reused to cook the rice, perfectly blending all the flavours and spices.
It would be no Muscat experience without getting a taste of the Middle Eastern nation’s supposed national dish. The slow-cooked, spiced lamb dish, Shuwa, is often dubbed as the national dish of Oman and rightly so, for it packs a multitude of flavours. The quintessence of the dish lies in its unique spice blend — a combination of chilli peppers, cardamom, cloves, cumin, or coriander — in which the meat is coated to give the dish its distinct tangy flavour. While lamb is the popular choice, goat meat, beef and camel are occasional substitutes.
For those with a sweet tooth in the exotic port capital, have a Lokhemat or two, and you are sure to have your senses satisfied. The traditional deep-fried, sweet balls originating in Oman are a simple mixture of flour and yeast, flavoured with cardamom. Almost all restaurants in Muscat, including the posh and high-end offered by properties with the likes of Avani Hotel Muscat, serve the local delicacy. They are best enjoyed with a cup of steaming black coffee.
Harees is a culinary creation that alternates between a porridge and a gruel, featuring a blend of boiled, cracked wheat or bulgur, coarsely ground and mixed with seasoned meat. It is a staple that traditionally comes to life during the festive season of Ramadan, but in the aroma-filled streets of Muscat, you are sure to find a plate of steaming hot Harees on any day of the year. One spoonful of Harees, and you’d have no doubt it is one of the most satisfying dishes you’ve ever had.
The traditional gelatinous and sticky sweet is a quintessential element of any Omani wedding and is a much-favoured choice in the street food quarter of Muscat among locals and tourists alike. The recipe for Omani Halwa is pretty versatile, with ingredients varying from one halwa maker to another, but water, sugar, ghee butter, and cornflour remain the essentials, no matter the personal or regional variations of the local delicacy.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
