BOOKS COAST TO COAST
IN HER NEW COOKBOOK, DINA MACKI EXAMINES THE INTERTWINED BUT DISTINCT CUISINES OF OMAN AND ZANZIBAR, EXPLORING HOW THEY WERE SHAPED BY SEAFARERS AND THE OCEAN ITSELF
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.
114
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL
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.
Bahari: Recipes from an Omani Kitchen and Beyond, by Dina Macki (£26, DK)
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. Interview: Qin Xie
IMAGES: DINA MACKI; PATRICIA NIVEN; GETTY
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132
