How to Make an Omani Chicken Majboos - Tips on Preparing an Authentic Omani Chicken Majboos

As one of the most popular traditional dishes in the Sultanate of Oman, no trip to the Middle Eastern tourist hub would be complete without digging into this delicious meal. While most travellers are content with sampling this classic Omani chicken rice variety, those with a culinary flair can try their hand at preparing the dish on their own. Here are some guidelines on how to cook this savoury and flavourful chicken-infused rich dish.

Image via Image by Nrs_Kitchen from Pixabay  

 1. Do Your Homework

Those who intend to try their hand at preparing a plate of Omani chicken majboos must first foster a passion for Omani cuisine and its various influences. Omani food culture has been greatly altered over the centuries due to its interactions and trade relations with not only neighbouring Yemen and Saudi Arabia but also countries as far-flung as India, Sri Lanka, and Zanzibar. This is perhaps why Omani chicken majboos closely resembles an Indian or Pakistani biryani while also retaining some traits of Saudi Arabia's Al Kabsa.

 2. Clear Your Schedule

Although the actual preparation of the dish does not take more than ten minutes, putting all the various elements of the dish together will take time and it is necessary to cook the rice dish for at least 30 minutes; so, make sure you have at least an hour to prepare Omani chicken majboos as the process cannot be rushed unless you wish to compromise the outcome of your culinary efforts.  Amateur cooks should also remember that Omani chicken majboos is a main dish that's complete in and of itself and will not need any accompaniments when it comes to serving time.

 3. What You Will Need

Gathering quality ingredients is a must for this conventional Omani dish and we will start with one whole chicken weighing about 1.5kg cut into bite-size pieces. You will also need 4 green chillies (sliced) and 5 cloves of garlic alongside thinly sliced onions (2 onions). When it comes to spices, a tablespoon each of cumin seeds, black peppercorns, and coriander seeds must be on hand. Six whole cloves and 4 cardamom pods are also required for this recipe while 1 tsp of turmeric powder, a cinnamon stick, and a bay leaf are also needed. A dried lime and salt top off the list of ingredients although you will need a separate set of ingredients for the rice and these include 2 cups of Basmati rice, olive oil while garam masala and 4 tablespoons of almonds, pistachios, and raisins are also called for in this recipe.

 4. Step One

Take a Dutch oven and cook the pieces of chicken along with some salt in 4 cups of water.  Meanwhile, in a frying pan, add 2 tbs of olive oil and half of the quantity of onions required and fry till golden. Throw in the garlic, black pepper, green chillies, and coriander seeds along with cumin, cardamom, and cloves. Toast these spices for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. At this point, it is time to add the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and dried lime. Stir for less than a minute before the spice mix in the skillet is added to the chicken in the Dutch oven. Stir in the mixture and cook for 45 minutes. Unlike the meat elements in Thai fried rice dishes that are served in a Thai restaurant in Oman the chicken majboos at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort and other venues are not cooked on an open flame but covered by the lid.

 5. Next Step

Remove the chicken pieces from the Dutch oven. Drain the cooked rice before adding the chicken stock and cook covered on low heat for at least 20 minutes. In a separate bowl mix turmeric, garam masala, and 2 tbsp of olive oil and pour the spice paste over the meat and make sure every piece is well coated. Fry the remaining onions to serve as a garnish and toss in the almonds and other nuts to fry to perfection. Place the cooked rice on a serving dish and top off with the garnish and the chicken pieces.