Joanna James
The oldest independent state of Arabia, Oman, is blessed with boundless Persian charm, never failing to delight its many visitors. Among all things fantastic about the exotic Sultanate, the nation’s authentic local cuisine is one of the most unmissable for a quintessential Oman experience.
It’s a beautiful morning in Oman. What could be more fitting than a plate of steaming hot Harees to kick off your day? Varying in consistency between porridge and gruel, the traditional dish is a popular breakfast choice among locals and travellers to the Arab nation alike. Harees, jareesh, boko boko, or harisa — unlike the rather embroiling number of monikers that all refer to the same dish — it is a quite simple dish, where boiled, cracked, or coarsely ground cracked wheat is mixed with meat and flavoured with a plethora of spices, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin being the most prominent.
Wandering the atmospheric streets of the capital city Muscat and the likes, a bite of mouth-watering Mishak is undoubtedly unmissable. The widely relished local delicacy is most popular as a traditional street snack, consisting of bite-sized beef, chicken and mutton marinated in a slew of herbs and spices, including black pepper, cloves, ginger, and curry powder, which is then skewered and grilled to give the perfect Mishkak. Removing the meat from the grill at exactly the right moment is pivotal, which gives Mishkak its intricate and distinctive succulent flavour.
Traditional Omani dishes are not always about heavy meals. Grab a small Lokhemat or two and sate your sweet tooth as you explore the atmospheric streets of Oman. The deep-fried sweetened dough balls are a delicacy relished by locals and tourists alike and make a great short snack at any time of the day. No matter where you choose to go in the Gulf country, you are never far away from a mouth-watering Lokhemat, with almost every Oman Arabic restaurant, even including the likes offered by properties such as Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, offering this delicacy.
A traditional Omani dessert to your traditional Omani meal, Halwawet Ahmad is a widely relished local delicacy combining roasted vermicelli, condensed milk, sugar, butter, almond powder, and desiccated coconut. Visually pleasing as it is incredibly delectable, coloured vermicelli is usually preferred over plain vermicelli for its mild yellow hue, which adds to the vibrancy of the dish. Halawet Ahmad certainly tops the list of the most favoured desserts and sweets of Oman, so much so its popularity is not only limited to the Arab nation but the entire Middle East.
Nothing says a traditional Omani dish like a generous platter of Majboos. The chicken mixed Arab rice dish is regarded as a national dish throughout the Arabian Peninsula, including the Sultanate of Oman. The chicken-topped, yellow-hued long-grain rice is traditionally served on a large, communal platter and is meant to be eaten by hand whilst sharing with friends and family.
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.
