Aside from Oman’s rich Islamic culture and history, one of the things they are proud of is their one of a kind cuisine. The people in Oman rarely go outside during the day because the weather is very hot. Their economy thrives on oil and the fish industry contributes as well. This article will be focusing on unique Omani food in the nation’s capital which is in Muscat. Here, the people eat shark almost every day. It doesn’t matter what kind of shark it is, as long as the shark is white meat and not dark meat, it is edible.
The shark is prepared by slicing it into cubes and seasoning it with chili powder, garlic paste, and their own special blend of seasonings. For the sauce, yoghurt, tomato sauce, and lemon juice are mixed together. The rice is then tossed into the mixture, and when it is already cooked, the casserole is flipped. The result? A rice meal topped with sautéed shark meat. This is also served with Dry Shark Salad, which is a smoked shark stir fried and mixed with lime juice (Omanis like sour food because it has a strong flavor). Prior to serving the shark, an appetizer was served first – traditional Omani bread made with wheat, salt, tea and egg and they call it Rock Hull.
A restaurant named Foodies serves another unique Omani food. Rice, lamb, and spices cooked in a pot which is buried in the ground and once cooked, it has a gooey texture and is dipped in cow fat and served with animal intestines. Another one of their specialties is the River Rock Chicken where chicken is cooked in a sauna like grill with a rock. The rocks must be flat, and they are made hot and used to cook the chicken. The chicken catches the rock’s flavor and is served on a hot plate.
Another food which is made in Oman only is the Omani Halwa. It is made of Omani cane sugar mixed with different kinds of nuts such as almonds and walnuts and Omani butter. The mixture is cooked using wood fire and not gas. This is a common greeting food and is usually served for the guests. To eat it, spoonful of halwa is scooped and picked it up with the hand then eating it.
Last but not the least is their chicken and chips sandwiches. I have mentioned a while ago that the weather in Oman is very hot, so these chicken and chips sandwiches store delivers the sandwiches right to your car. This chicken and chips sandwich is made by flattening Omani bread then spreading yoghurt all over it. Next, shredded shawarma chicken is spread into the bread and it is topped with Oman’s flavored Oman Chips. The chips are sour and chili flavored. Then, it is rolled and tossed into the sandwich toaster before being delivered straight to your car.
Oman almost never makes it to the news because their country is very peaceful, but there is so much to discover at this country; most especially their unique cuisine!
