During our Eid holidays, we decided to travel 270kms from Muscat to the famous and the highest Mountain range of Oman called the Jebel Shams.
Jebel Shams is to Oman, what the Grand Canyon is to the US. It is a part of the Al Hajar Mountain range in Oman which is a popular sightseeing place. When I say mountains here, they are plain rocky ones with almost no vegetation on them. In other words, they are dry and you get to see a few water falls here and there. Also, you often see the mountain goats and camels grazing extensively. The sceneries are tremendous and offer you spectacular views of the dense rocky mountain ranges spread majestically. The weather is pleasant all through the year and is heavenly during the winters.
So we had planned to travel for the day to this beautiful place as we were trying to flee hot weather from our Muscat city. And we were not very happy after reaching there as it was quite warm even on the hill. We decided to finish our lunch and then travel to the nearby cities and explore them. We had no maps, no plans. Only a drive using the directions. And then we were lucky as we drove to see the clouds gathering up quickly over the mountain range. We continued to climb on a hill that enveloped the city of Al Hamra. When we reached it, a captivating sight welcomed us. Rain !!! It rained heavily with strong thunders and lightining. Now rain is something we haven't seen since the last 6 months here and getting to see it on a holiday is something beholding.
It rained for an hour and we knew that our day was made. Our travel was worth the effort and the long distance. The place was called as Misafat Al Abriyeen. It was a water spring and we enjoyed it. Then we travelled back down the hill and entered the beautiful city called Bahla to explore it. It was 9 p.m. when we started back to Muscat.
Interiors in Oman is where you get to see the real Omani culture. It is 5 years now since I came to Muscat and I have been living here watching the locals and adopting their styles, enjoying their cuisine and culture. But when I travel to the Interiors of Oman, I get to see the actual Omani culture, their hospitality, their living styles etc etc.
We all know that Omanis are lovely, friendly and hospitable people. I have many examples which demonstrate their generosity and their loyalty. We have witnessed it on many occasions and I feel very lucky to have been given this chance to live in this amazing country. I have many good Omani friends at my workplace with whom I do spend a lot of time. We chat about everything on this earth, we share pictures of our families, we talk about our past lives and our culture, we go out together, share food, exchange recipes etc.
And this is how and why I keep trying out mostly Arabian influence dishes these days and I do it by giving it some Indian twist and we love them.
I could not contain my excitement when I found another appetizer recipe for chicken wings. It was surreal. I had found my way back to India but via the Arabian peninsula.
The below pictures will give you a fair idea of where and how I spent the Eid holidays.
Here is the tantalizing recipe for the tandoori Chicken wings:
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup tandoori curry paste
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1.5 kg chicken wings
Cucumber yoghurt
1 cucumber, grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup plain yoghurt
HOW TO MAKE:
1) To make the cucumber yoghurt: Combine cucumber, mint and yoghurt in a bowl. Season with pepper. Cover. Refrigerate until needed.
2) Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine curry paste, yoghurt and coriander in a large bowl. Add wings. Toss to coat. Transfer to prepared tray.
3) Bake for 50 minutes or until browned and cooked through. You can also grill them if you like.
4) Serve tandoori wings with cucumber yoghurt, rice, mint and lime wedges.
Jebel Shams is to Oman, what the Grand Canyon is to the US. It is a part of the Al Hajar Mountain range in Oman which is a popular sightseeing place. When I say mountains here, they are plain rocky ones with almost no vegetation on them. In other words, they are dry and you get to see a few water falls here and there. Also, you often see the mountain goats and camels grazing extensively. The sceneries are tremendous and offer you spectacular views of the dense rocky mountain ranges spread majestically. The weather is pleasant all through the year and is heavenly during the winters.
So we had planned to travel for the day to this beautiful place as we were trying to flee hot weather from our Muscat city. And we were not very happy after reaching there as it was quite warm even on the hill. We decided to finish our lunch and then travel to the nearby cities and explore them. We had no maps, no plans. Only a drive using the directions. And then we were lucky as we drove to see the clouds gathering up quickly over the mountain range. We continued to climb on a hill that enveloped the city of Al Hamra. When we reached it, a captivating sight welcomed us. Rain !!! It rained heavily with strong thunders and lightining. Now rain is something we haven't seen since the last 6 months here and getting to see it on a holiday is something beholding.
It rained for an hour and we knew that our day was made. Our travel was worth the effort and the long distance. The place was called as Misafat Al Abriyeen. It was a water spring and we enjoyed it. Then we travelled back down the hill and entered the beautiful city called Bahla to explore it. It was 9 p.m. when we started back to Muscat.
Interiors in Oman is where you get to see the real Omani culture. It is 5 years now since I came to Muscat and I have been living here watching the locals and adopting their styles, enjoying their cuisine and culture. But when I travel to the Interiors of Oman, I get to see the actual Omani culture, their hospitality, their living styles etc etc.
We all know that Omanis are lovely, friendly and hospitable people. I have many examples which demonstrate their generosity and their loyalty. We have witnessed it on many occasions and I feel very lucky to have been given this chance to live in this amazing country. I have many good Omani friends at my workplace with whom I do spend a lot of time. We chat about everything on this earth, we share pictures of our families, we talk about our past lives and our culture, we go out together, share food, exchange recipes etc.
And this is how and why I keep trying out mostly Arabian influence dishes these days and I do it by giving it some Indian twist and we love them.
I could not contain my excitement when I found another appetizer recipe for chicken wings. It was surreal. I had found my way back to India but via the Arabian peninsula.
The below pictures will give you a fair idea of where and how I spent the Eid holidays.
Here is the tantalizing recipe for the tandoori Chicken wings:
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup tandoori curry paste
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1.5 kg chicken wings
Cucumber yoghurt
1 cucumber, grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup plain yoghurt
HOW TO MAKE:
1) To make the cucumber yoghurt: Combine cucumber, mint and yoghurt in a bowl. Season with pepper. Cover. Refrigerate until needed.
2) Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine curry paste, yoghurt and coriander in a large bowl. Add wings. Toss to coat. Transfer to prepared tray.
3) Bake for 50 minutes or until browned and cooked through. You can also grill them if you like.
4) Serve tandoori wings with cucumber yoghurt, rice, mint and lime wedges.
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