مطبخ أم سالم

Shuwa, harees and halwa, cooked the way my mother cooked them in Nizwa.

My story

I learned shuwa standing next to my mother on the night before Eid, wrapping the meat in banana leaves while the whole street got ready. When my children grew up and moved out, the neighbours kept asking me to cook for their weddings. Last year I registered my kitchen as a home business, and now I cook for people I have never met.

How I cook

Everything starts with the spice paste: cumin, coriander, chilli and garlic, ground at home and mixed with a little vinegar. The meat sits in it overnight. I do not rush harees either; it needs time and someone stirring it.

My signature dish

My saffron halwa is stirred for almost three hours. I make it in small pots so every batch tastes the same as the one before.