Bahari: food writer Dina Macki on Omani cuisine and Zanzibari flavours

How has your heritage influenced your food?

My mum was born in Zanzibar to Omani Zanzibari and Iranian Zanzibari parents. They came from Swahili tribes, so they cooked a lot of Zanzibari and Swahili coastal food; there’s always a lot of coconut and the food is really spicy, with lots of citrus flavours. My dad’s family are Omani — from the capital, Muscat — with Bahraini and Iraqi tribal heritage, so they use a lot of dried limes. They also use a lot of dates. That comes from being in the north, where there are date palms everywhere.

How would you describe Oman?

Although Oman is a Middle Eastern country that borders other Arab nations, it’s also close to Somalia, Iran and India. And 200 years ago, it had an empire that included the Swahili coast around Zanzibar. Because of all the trade, it’s very multicultural. In the north of Oman, where Muscat is, it’s very dry and hot, with a gorgeous coastline and beaches.

The interior to the west is very mountainous, and it’s here you have the Ad Dakhiliyah governorate, where the most delicious pomegranates are grown. As you travel further south, you pass the desert before you reach the Dhofar governorate, which mimics the Swahili coastline with its blue sea, white beaches and coconut palms. In August, the monsoon turns everything green and you get incredible waterfalls.

How does the food vary regionally?

Oman is very tribal and every community takes their influence from somewhere. The Lawati tribe in the north originally came from Iran and Pakistan, and their food incorporates a lot of Indian flavours; they have a high tolerance to chilli and use a lot of spices. The same goes for the Balochi people, who originated in Balochistan [a region split between Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan]. The interior tribes would have been Bedouins, who travelled throughout the Arab world. Their food is very meat heavy and they love honey as it travels well; they also like to preserve things. In the south, near the sea, the people are mainly of East African heritage and their food is very coconut-based. In the mountains, they have a lot of meat, which they’ll dry to travel with. They also love using wheat and fresh cow’s or camel’s milk.

What makes Omani food distinctive?

Definitely the variety. We don’t have a lot of vegetables because of the climate, but we use a lot of spices and draw on so many different flavour combinations. We also have a lot of finger foods, like samosas and fritters, which is that Zanzibari influence. In terms of eating culture, it’s extremely rude if you visit someone and you don’t eat with them. No matter what time of the day you visit, Omanis will make sure it drags into lunch or dinner. The men and the women will go into separate majlis (sitting rooms). The minute you walk in, you’ll be given tea or coffee and fruits. The main dishes, served family-style on big plates, are then laid out on the floor, where everyone sits and eats with only their right hand. After that, the sweet things are served. You’ll have halwa (made with sugarcane, ghee, spices, nuts and dried fruit), with coffee to finish.

What are some typical Omani ingredients?

Limes grow across the country. People dry them or brine them for a stronger flavour and take them everywhere because they preserve really well. Cooked slowly (and a lot of Omani dishes require slow cooking), they release an intense citrussy flavour. Honey is also found everywhere. Dates are [common too], but this stops once you get to the Dhofar region, where the climate becomes very wet and humid. In terms of spices, cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves are all important, and the Lawati, Balochi and Swahili tribes also eat a lot of chilli. Saffron is an Iranian influence, but it’s grown in Zanzibar, too.

Is there one especially popular dish?

The majority of people in the north will tell you the national dish is shuwa, eaten during Eid — although in the interior and the south there are many governorates that don’t have shuwa at all. It’s basically meat coated in a mixture of black pepper, dried chilies, cloves, dried limes, cardamom and cinnamon; each family’s recipe will be different. It’s then wrapped in banana leaves and put in a sack made from date palm fronds. Everyone in the village gets together and dances and sings as they put their sack in a tanoor (fire pit), where it’s cooked for 24 hours.

Recipe: Spinach & coconut shakshuka

This shakshuka is based on a Zanzibari dish known as mchicha or mboga, which means ‘spinach’ or ‘vegetables’ in Swahili. If you mention these names, we instantly know the dish will be made with coconut. Coconut forms the base of many Zanzibari dishes and is often used as a substitute for water. Although mchicha tastes amazing, it isn’t the most showstopping dish to look at, so I decided to use it as a base for shakshuka. This dish is best served with toast.

Serves: 4
Takes: 50 minutes

Ingredients
6 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
3 tomatoes, finely diced
600g spinach
400ml can coconut milk
1 green chilli, roughly chopped (optional)
1 lime, juiced
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped
4 eggs
Pomegranate seeds, to garnish (optional)
Black olives, to garnish (optional)

Method
1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat for 3–4 mins, then stir in the ground spices. Add the tomatoes and fry for 5–6 mins more. Add the spinach, a handful at a time, and fry for 5 mins until it’s all wilted. 

2. Pour in the coconut milk, then add the chilli (if using) and its seeds, plus lime juice. Salt to taste and simmer for 20 mins until the coconut’s thickened and there’s only a little liquid left. Add the coriander and stir well, then leave to simmer for another 3–4 mins.

3. Add the coriander and stir well, then leave to simmer for another 3–4 mins.

4. Make 4 holes in the mixture and crack an egg into each hole. Cover the pan with a lid and leave the eggs to cook through for 5 mins until the egg whites are cooked and you have a runny yolk (alternatively, leave it for longer to get a hard yolk, if you prefer). 

5. Sprinkle over the pomegranates and/or olives, if using, and serve.

Recipe: Honeycomb bread

Qaranqasho is an Omani celebration that takes place on the 14th day of Ramadan. Children dress in traditional clothing and mothers prepare nibbles and sweet baskets, then open up their doors to all. Khaliat nahal is a sweet, yeasted bread known for its honeycomb shape that’s only served during Ramadan, especially on Qaranqasho. This recipe is found in both Oman and Yemen — it’s always filled with cheese, but the syrups drizzled on top differ from family to family. It’s best served freshly baked and warm, while the cheese is melted, but it’ll keep for 1–2 days in an airtight container.

Makes: 20 pieces
Takes: 1 hour plus rising

Ingredients
400ml plus 2 tbsp warm milk
14g fast-action dried yeast
650g plain  flour
130g caster sugar
2 eggs
sesame seeds, for sprinkling
sea salt flakes

For the syrup
200g caster sugar
2 tbsp runny honey
½ orange, juiced
4 cardamom pods, crushed

For the filling
200g mozzarella
200g soft cream cheese

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients for the syrup in a saucepan with 170ml water. Set over a high heat and bring to the boil. Once it starts bubbling, boil for exactly 10 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. Don’t stir the syrup while it’s boiling, and make sure it’s entirely cool before you use it; the idea is to pour the cooled syrup over the hot bread.

2. Pour 400ml milk into a bowl. Add the yeast and leave to sit for 5 mins.

3. Combine the flour, sugar and eggs in a mixer or large bowl. Add the yeast mixture and combine. Knead until the dough is soft and smooth — this will take 10–12 mins in a mixer or 15–17 mins by hand. Cover with a clean, damp cloth and leave to rise for 1 hr 30 mins or until the dough has doubled in size.

4. Once the dough has risen, divide into 20 even-sized pieces, then shape them into balls. Take the first ball and press it flat, then place a little of the mozzarella and soft cheese into the middle (use around 5–10g of each, as you don’t want to overfill). Bring the rest of the dough around the cheese to encase it, then pinch the edges together to seal, roll it back into a ball and flatten very slightly. Repeat with the remaining dough balls, mozzarella and soft cheese.

5. Place the filled balls on a baking tray lined with baking parchment (ideally a pizza tray, so you can arrange them in a honeycomb shape). Make sure to leave a little space between each of the balls so they have room to spread as they rise. Cover with a clean damp cloth and leave to rise for 30–45 mins.

6. Heat oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas 6. When the balls are ready to bake, brush them with the remaining milk and sprinkle over the sesame seeds. Bake for 20–25 mins until golden.

7. Pour the cooled syrup over the balls as soon as they come out of the oven and let it seep into the dough (alternatively, brush the syrup on if you don’t want too much). Sprinkle over some crushed sea salt flakes to finish. Allow to cool for around 10 mins, then serve warm so the cheese is melted and delicious.

Recipe: Plantain or banana, coconut & cardamom cake

There’s a pudding from Zanzibar called ndizi mbivu, which is basically overripe sweet plantains stewed with coconut milk and cardamom. As a kid, the look of it put me off — I must have been about 20 when I began to understand how something so simple could yield so much comfort and flavour. I have a recipe for it in my book, but this ‘prettier’ version brings the same ingredients into a cake. I like to serve it warm, but you can leave it to cool — just be sure to remove from the tin while still warm. It’ll keep for 4–5 days in an airtight container.

Serves: 6-8
Takes: 45 minutes

Ingredients
160g plantain or banana, puréed, plus 1 sliced
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
80g caster sugar
80g soft light brown sugar
100g desiccated coconut
3 eggs
185ml vegetable oil
10 cardamom pods, crushed, or 1 tbsp ground cardamom

For the caramel
100g soft light brown sugar
3 tbsp unsalted butter

Method
1. Heat oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas 6. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line with baking parchment.

2. To make the caramel, put the sugar in a saucepan over a low–medium heat and allow it to gradually melt, gently swirling the pan to help ensure all the sugar melts evenly. Once the sugar has all melted, add the butter and keep stirring until smooth. 

3. Arrange the sliced banana or plantain in the base of the prepared tin, then pour over the caramel. Set aside. 

4. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, being careful not to over-whisk. Pour the batter over the banana and caramel. Bake for 20 mins, then reduce the heat to 190C, 170C fan, gas 5 and bake for a further 25 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. 

5. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then remove from the tin while still warm.