Food & Cuisine

Blending together chicken, lamb, fish and rice dishes as well as many marinades, spices and herbs, Omani Cuisine takes influences from Asian cultures as well as Indian and Middle-Eastern regions. Typically, dinner is lighter and the middle of the day sees a larger meal.

Common dishes include Muqalab (tripe and pluck cooked with cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, black pepper and garlic), Mashuai (spit-roast kingfish with lemon rice), Kebab (barbequed, curried or grilled chicken and/or beef with vegetables), Harees (a wheat and meat mix), Maqbous (rice and spicy meat with a saffron flavouring) and Kahwa (Omani coffee mixed with cardamom and served with dates and Omani sweets).

More festive occasions often see the serving of Shuwa (a full spit-roast cow or goat flavoured with spices) and Sakhana (soup made from wheat, dates, milk and molasses). Additionally, the nation’s favourite drinks are Coffee and Laban (salted buttermilk), but a range of Yoghurt drinks are also highly popular.