Harees

Harees is another classic Omani dish. It's made with wheat and meat (chicken) and generally served with a special sauce.

Harees is a must-eat dish on your visit to Oman. It is a popular treat during special occasions such as Ramadan, Eid, and weddings

Harees is not only a famous dish in Oman but also variations of this Omani dish are eaten in several other countries including Qatar, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb or 1 kg chicken, on the bone; 1 kg whole wheat (called 'habb harees' ) or 1 kg pearled durham wheat (called 'habb harees' ); 150g ghee (or traditional samen); salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste; water, as needed

instructions:

• Soak wheat overnight in plenty of water.
• In a large pot, place pre-soaked & drained wheat, add 1 & 3/4 liter of water & boil until the wheat is beginning to fluff up & soften - skim off any foam or scummy bits on the surface!
• Soak the lamb/chicken in plenty of lightly salted water whilst the wheat is cooking.
• When the wheat is fluffy, rinse & drain the meat.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (or special harees pot), place the wheat & the meat with a little salt & pepper and enough water to come about 5cm above the wheat & meat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid - you can place a damp cloth or aluminum foil over the pot & then place the lid over that if the lid is not a tight fit.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat & cook on a very low heat for 3 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally & skim-off froth or fat on the surface.
• Once the wheat is very soft & has lost its shape & most of the water has been absorbed, remove from heat & allow to cool a little, then remove any bones & gristle. (If all the water has been absorbed add about 3/4 cup - 1 cup of boiling water - if there is too much water but the wheat is cooked, ladle out the excess water.)
• Shred the lamb or chicken if any larger pieces remain - there shouldn't really be any as almost all of it will have 'melted' into the wheat.
• Now begin whipping the wheat & meat until it forms a homogenous, slightly elastic, pastelike consistency - add a little salted boiling water to thin it down if required. Use a large wooden spoon, or pound it with a wooden rolling pin to get the desired consistency. You could also pulse it in a food processor or use an immersion blender but if you are lucky enough, you might have a medhrab which is especially for harees.
• Check the seasoning & re-season if desired. Transfer to a warmed serving pot, cover & keep warm.
• Place the ghee in a pan & season to taste with salt & pepper (& any of the spices listed below). Gently warm the ghee & mix well.
• Pour the seasoned ghee over the harees & serve immediately.