EAT IN ASIA / Food destinations / Oman - omani food
MUST – Lunch in Oman with local people in a rural area
While many things might be skipped during your stay in Oman, ther is one thing that you should not exclude from your itinerary. The thing that you should consider while planning your trip should definitively be a gap in your activities when you could sit down, relax and enjoy slow moments spent with local people.
How are Omani?
That said, we also follow this idea. Every time when we have such an opportunity, we do it and we do try to chat with them, share with them our experiences and listen to their stories or opinions. It is really so nice and so educative! You even cannot imagine how many things you can learn from other cultures. And these things are not only related to their customs, to the country and to their history. Apart from discussions on politics, economy and traditions, you will learn also about local believes, life and spirituality.
If you are in Oman, as long as you are not concentrating only on you and not running from one sight to another, you will definitively have many chances to spend time with local people. They are so nice and so welcoming! It is hard to believe, but yes, they are so. That is a great nation, full of passion, love and, of what is so important nowadays – calm and relax.
In Oman, wherever you are, you will always have a chance to chat with local people. Either in a taxi, in the bus or on a street. In a restaurant or in a park. There will invite you to accompany them for some moments. That is the most typical situation, but if you are more opened and good-hearted, you might even experience something more.
A ride to Wadi Bani Khalid Pools and to the Cave
One day we decided to visit a more secluded place in Oman. Secluded does not only mean that it was not usually on a tourist map, but that it was located further from all big cities and towns.
And if you help your good luck just a little bit, then you might be awarded even double. And that is what happened to us. Just from the good heart we gave a free pick up to a young guy from Muqal. This tiny village is located close to the site of Wadi Bani Khalid Pools and the Cave. The guy was walking along the road leading to the site of Wadi Bani Khalid Pools and was trying to grab a pickup. He was tired. According to what he told us later, he was returning from the hospital where he undergo some kind of a medical treatment. That is what we heard from him during our ride and later in his family's house. So we cleared our rear seat in the rented car and let him in.
He was chatting with us all the time. He gave us some hints and tips on Wadi Bani Khalid Pools and the Cave. He also proposed that he could help us while visiting these places. apart from that he also gave us some information about these pools and the cave.
A short stay at Wadi Bani Khalid Pools
Finally, when we reached the site, we separated, and we spent our time in our own way. The guy did the same. We enjoyed observing people, drinking some drinks, and having our lunch sitting on rocks. There from it was possible to have a magnificent view over pools.
After that the guy found us again and asked if we would like to visit his house and have some coffee with him.
Spending lunch time in an Omani house
What a nice surprise for us! Such a great option to see how do local people live. To see how their houses look like, how do they serve food and how they cook.
So not thinking too long we eagerly accepted that nice invitation and gave him a pickup till his house. The visit in an Omani house started. There we would spend our coffee and lunch break.
After arriving to his place we were taken to the kitchen where he was preparing the food for all of us.
How does the kitchen look like in a traditional Omani house?
The kitchen was relatively spacious, had a lot of free space in the middle and although modestly furnished, it was cozy and functional. Apart from main utensils, fridges, sink and closets, there was some room for storing food like noodles, milk, flour, rice and cans with tomato sauce and beans. All that made this space extremely functional and with everything that is needed in the reach of your hand.
He asked us to sit down on the floor and put a foil in the middle on which the food was served. While we were chilling and skipping the heath from outside, he was preparing coffee and some snacks.
The lunch and coffee break in an Oamani house started!
Omani coffee
In the beginning, coffee was served. He gave us small cups that were filled with dark coffee. The coffee was really tasty, prepared with some herbs and spices like cardamon and cinnamon. It was delicious. It was neither bitter nor sweet. Just ideal and with these nice oriental notes. In the meantime, he brought an enormous bowl of freshly picked dates from his family’s orchard.
Omani dates from an organic orchard
These dates were so smooth, so delicate and so fresh. They were creamy, had a nice melty texture and were so sweet! The pit from the inside easily could be removed and was very soft. What was interesting for us, the boy was selecting best dates for us using his fingers and touching each of the date. Quite a surprising way of serving something to your guest in our European culture. However, we completely did not take care about all these hygienic aspects and contamination. He was handing us tens of dates, one after another! Just as these dates could be eaten with no limits! Eating so many of them without coffee might be difficult as they are really so sweet! I think that if they were not paired in that way, you could eat no more than ten of them. So we were chewing dates and enjoying sipping our coffee. And the guy was also systematically refilling our little coffee cups.
After we finished drinking coffee, we decide it would be a good moment for leaving the house. We did not want to stay there too long and not to exceed our host's hospitality. But, to our surprise we were immediately served with a home-made Omani bread (khubz ragag). This bread was served on a large plate and accompanied by a canned sour cream and dates syrup.
What is an Omani bread AKA ‘khubz ragag’?
Omani bread known as ‘khubz ragag’ is made with only three simple ingredients. This ingredients’ list includes water, flour, and salt. Mixed in a proper proportion they are baked on a hot pan.
The dough that is prepared for the ‘khubz ragag’ must have a special consistence. It should be very wet and easily sticking to your hand. It is not easy to make it at home as it requires a lot of practice. But finally, when you are a master, then you get a super thin, pancake like bread that is super natural and extremely soft.
Local families make it either every day or trice to twice a week. However, no matter when they bake it, the bread keeps its freshness for a long time. This softness and tenderness are so wonderful! And it is completely vegan too!
The Omani bread is usually served with side dishes or better to say, with some extras. These condiments might be either sweet, like a date syrup, or savoury like sour cream. Both types go very well with 'khubz ragag'.
The bread was delicious! We ate plenty of it, because our host was so generous and every time, he saw that our plate was almost empty, he was adding more and more.
Time to leave
Finally, we managed to politely thank him for his hospitality and we left.
The whole experience was really unique. Something that you cannot describe easily. It was also something that will stay in our memories for years. This special atmosphere, this guy's politeness and his hospitality. He shared with us all the best he had.
Apart from that the possibility of seeing a real rural home was awesome. If it was not sufficient, we would never forget these natural products - these delicious dates, the home-made bread and this super tasty and full of Oriental aromas, freshly brewed coffee.
Well, you have to experience it, otherwise it is rather hard to be described.
If you are interessted in our other visits in local homes or if you would like to read more on a really organic bread, check the post Have an organic bread in a moonlike landscape in Tunisia.
Author: Beti – A passionate traveler and lover of Asian cuisine, especially Thai and Japanese dishes, Bernadeta brings her culinary and cultural experiences to life in her writing. Beyond her travels, she’s an avid technology enthusiast with a deep interest in data processing, merging her love for exploration with analytical insights.
Photographer: Adalbert – An aficionado of computers and photography, Adalbert captures the essence of diverse cuisines with a discerning eye. A connoisseur of rich flavors and particularly fond of meat-based dishes, he combines his technical skills with his passion for the culinary arts in every shot.
