If you have heard of Nasreddin and his night-time adventures, you are probably already familiar with halwa. This sweet-flavoured delicacy is usually served at Omanese homes before you are offered Arabic coffee. The halwa is made of various ingredients such as eggs, sugar, starch, water, ghee, saffron, nuts and cardamom. Rose water from the Jebel al Akdhar, a mountain in Oman, is also used for the preparation of halwa.
This sweet is cooked in a mirjnl, which is a massive pot specially designed for cooking halwa. The entire cooking process will not take more than two hours. Even though halwa could be cooked on an electric stove or a gas cooker, the ideal way is by using firewood. The Omanese have their own indigenous wood, which is reputed for durability as well as its odourless properties. Although you can find halwa on the menu of most Oman restaurants, it can be hard at times to find places that do halwa really well. The best quality Halwa has a bigger quantity of rosewater, saffron, dates and other varieties of dry fruits.
Once the cooking is over, you can keep the halwa for over four months. Within that period, it does not require any refrigeration or the addition of any preservatives. The Omanese serve halwa in a big bowl. This delicacy is served mostly at celebratory occasions such as religious or national festivals. If you visit a local home during a festive season, you are more likely to be served halwa. If you want to know more about Oman’s religious or national festivals, or where to get your hands on some authentic halwa, just make an inquiry at the helpdesk of the hotel you are staying at such as Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara or any other. They should be happy to help.
Caleb Falcon is a travel writer who specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.