Culinary Adventures with Camilla

I have some catching up to do. I've posted recipes, but not the country write up. Sorry! Last week we traveled, by tabletop, to the only country that begins with an 'O' in our Cooking Around the World Adventure : Oman. A few fun facts... Oman is officially known as the 'Sultanate of Oman'. The official language of Oman is Arabic, although English, Baluchi, Urdu, Hindi and other dialects are also spoken. Oman gained independence from Portugal in 1651. In Oman, Frankincense trees only grow in the wild. It is said that Ubar, the legendary city believed to be in control of Frankincense trade, was buried under the desert. The reason cited for this is that its wealth made people astray and led them away from religion. The highlands of Oman have raised irrigation system. Through it, water is carried from mountain streams. Known as the ' Aflaj Irrigation Systems', it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Oman is traditionally known for breed...

Inspired by The Global Table Adventure's Kofta with Zucchini Sauce post - from when Sasha and her family traveled by table to Oman - I decided to do a fast and loose version for our own Cooking Around the World Adventure . I varied the ingredients based on what I had in our CSA box and from a friend's garden. One bite in and this dish catapulted to the top of our lists and silence descended around the table as we stuffed our faces and moaned appreciatively. Yes, it is that good. For the Kofta: 1 pound 96/4 organic, grassfed ground beef 1 T parsley, finely chopped (about a handful) 1 T cilantro, finely chopped 1 T basil, finely chopped 1 t oregano, finely chopped 1 leek, trimmed and chopped 1 t ground cinnamon 1 t ground coriander 1 t ground cumin freshly ground sea salt freshly ground pepper 2 T sliced almonds Mix all of the ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Knead until all the herbs and spices are evenly distributed. Roll the meat...

In most Omani homes, a cup of this tea is an essential breakfast item. So, I obliged. I only had some black tea, so I used that. Big mistake. Riley asked, "What kind of tea is this, Mom?"  Oh, I just had some black tea. "Wait, you're giving us caffeine and sugar before we go to school?!?" Yes.  He is so my child. He is my rule-follower. Dylan, on the other hand... 3 C water 3 T organic granulated sugar 2 t loose tea 1 t ground cardamom) 1-1/2 C milk Put the water, sugar and tea into a teapot and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 2–3 minutes. Add the milk and ground cardamom. Bring it to a boil again. Then immediately remove from heat and strain into a mug. Enjoy piping hot.

In searching for Omani recipes, this breakfast one caught my eye. Sadly, though I cut the sugar and added more eggs than the traditional version, my kitchen elves did not like this. "Good try, Mom," they urged, "you can't always make a hit. This one was...well, not." Love their honesty. And it keeps my culinary ego in check. 2 C swayweih noodles, broken into 1" pieces (I had spaghetti noodles, so I used those) 2 T butter 1/2 C dried coconut 1/4 C organic granulated sugar pinch of saffron threads 1 t ground cardamom 4 eggs Saute the onion, with a pinch of saffron threads, in butter until beginning to turn translucent. In another pot, cook the noodles until done, but still al dente . Drain the noodles. Into the pan with the onions, add in the coconut, sugar, ground cardamom, and beaten eggs.  Stir with a wooden spoon to scramble. To serve, place the cooked noodles on a plate. Top the noodles with the sweet, scrambled eggs.