Mo cooks Omani Qalya

fish

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: tofu

Chicken is more affordable and tofu provides a vegetarian option.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: sunflower oil

Avocado oil is healthier while sunflower oil is cost-effective.

fresh cilantro

🥗Healthier: parsley

💰Cheaper: dried herbs

Parsley offers similar flavor and is often less expensive.

black pepper

🥗Healthier: white pepper

💰Cheaper: ground paprika

White pepper is a healthier alternative while paprika is budget-friendly.

Introduce the dish as Omani Qalya, a traditional dish for a religious holiday.

List ingredients: 3-4 cloves of garlic, 1 lemon, 1 cucumber, some tomatoes, 1 white or yellow onion, some red onions, a couple of potatoes, beef (stew or steak cut into bite-size), basmati rice, and a mixture of spices.

Prepare whole spices: cloves, black peppercorns, cardamom, bay leaves, and a cinnamon stick.

Prepare powdered spices: salt, black pepper, turmeric, red chili powder, and a mixture of cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, and cumin.

Add beef into a pot with a handful of thinly sliced onions and some garlic, then add about half a cup of water to cover the bottom of the pot without any seasonings or oils. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Place potatoes in the oven with the spice mix while the beef cooks.

In another pot, add red onions to make rice, stir, and add whole spices (cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves) and garlic until golden brown.

Add salt, black pepper, and turmeric to the onions and spices, then mix well.

Add soaked and rinsed basmati rice to the pot and toast for about 30 seconds to a minute before adding enough water to cover everything in the pot.

Once boiling, cover the lid and reduce heat to medium-low for 15 minutes.

After 20 minutes of cooking the beef, add oil to the meat mixture and stir.

After 10 minutes, add a third of the spice mix to the beef, stir, and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Once everything is ready, add the rest of the spice mixture to the meat and turn off the heat.

Plate the veggies, potatoes, rice, and meat.

Optionally, suggest making a sandwich with the meat, potatoes, and favorite sauces.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens