Omani Majboos: A Culinary Journey
Omani Majboos is often prepared for Friday family gatherings and special occasions, symbolizing generosity and warm hospitality across Omani households.
Ingredients
- For the Meat
- 1 ½ kg (or 3.3 lbs), whole or chunks Lamb, chicken, or fish
- 3 tablespoons Vegetable oil or ghee
- 2 large Large onions, sliced
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 3 large Tomatoes, diced
- 2 tablespoons Tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Omani bizar spice blend
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 2 dried Dried black limes (loomi), pierced
- 2 tablespoons, dissolved in ½ cup water Tamarind paste
- 6 cups Water
- For the Rice
- 4 cups, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes Basmati rice
- 6 cups Hot meat or fish stock
- 2 tablespoons Ghee or butter
- 1 teaspoon Ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon, soaked in ¼ cup warm water Saffron threads
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- For Garnish
- ½ cup Fried onions
- ½ cup Toasted almonds and cashews
- ½ cup, soaked and plumped Raisins
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
Method
- 1
Start by heating oil or ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Sauté the sliced onions until they turn golden and fragrant. Add the minced garlic, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, Omani bizar, salt, black pepper, pierced dried limes (loomi), and the dissolved tamarind paste. Cook this aromatic mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now, add your chosen protein (lamb, chicken, or fish chunks) along with 6 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer until the protein is tender. This usually takes around 1.5 hours for lamb, 45 minutes for chicken, or about 20 minutes for fish. Once cooked, carefully remove the protein from the pot and set it aside. Strain the rich broth through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving exactly 6 cups of this flavorful stock for the rice.
- 220 min
Drain the pre-soaked basmati rice thoroughly. In a clean pot, melt the ghee or butter over medium heat. Add the drained rice and stir gently for a minute or two to coat the grains. Pour in the 6 cups of hot reserved meat/fish stock. Stir in the ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, saffron threads (dissolved in water), and salt. Bring the liquid to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot tightly, and let the rice simmer undisturbed for 20 minutes.
- 310 min
Once the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and let it rest, still covered, for 10 minutes. This allows the steam to distribute evenly and the grains to fluff up beautifully. Gently fluff the rice with a fork and then mound it onto a large serving platter. Arrange the cooked protein (lamb, chicken, or fish) on top of the rice. Generously scatter the fried onions, toasted almonds and cashews, plumped raisins, and fresh chopped cilantro over the entire dish.