Omani Halwa
Omani Halwa is a sticky, gelatinous sweet that, although it has become a symbol of Omani hospitality, is just as popular here in the UAE. It is served at all sorts of social gatherings, usually with coffee (gahwa), and is particularly popular at weddings, funerals, birthday celebrations and during Ramadan and Eid gatherings.
The ingredients and proportions thereof vary substantially and recipes are often fiercely guarded when it provides a livelihood for 
people. Water, sugar, ghee, and cornflour form the foundation, while cardamom, rosewater, saffron, eggs, nuts and dates are added depending on the type of halwa that is being made. It is cooked in a big copper pot, called mirjnl, for a couple of hours, and the constant stirring it requires, makes it a labour intensive process.
In the Old Souk in Al Ain, diagonally across from the fish vendors, on the corner, is an unassuming shop that makes and sells Omani Halwa that is rumoured to be the best, not just in town, but further afield as well.
You definitely need to have a sweet tooth to fully appreciate the sugary hit you get from indulging in this aromatic Middle Eastern delight, and should not complain too much about the expanding waistline either.
* Watch this video if you are interested in how its made.
Sounds yummy!
I just had Yemeni food for the first time, now I’m adding Omani to the list of things to look for…
Food certainly is the most delicious way to experience another culture.
Middle Easter food and desserts have greatly influenced Greek gastronomy. Halwa in my country is a dessert made of semolina (as they do it in Turkey), but we also have another one which looks just like this one, only has a different name. Whatever the name, it’s delicious!
I guess I should plan a trip to Greece to try out the halwa. 🙂
This looks so delicious!! I cant believe I have never tried halwa, I will have to make an effort to find and taste it sometime!
Very similar to the Halwas I have seen/had in Delhi and elsewhere in India
I have savoured this delicacy at regular intervals during my years in Muscat, jolandi. Halwa is basically an Arabian sweet, and the Arabs popularized it in India, so it is now a common feature during Indian weddings and festivals. Did you try Halwa in India on your last visit?
I, unfortunately, didn’t Raj. I guess that should be enough excuse for me to return to India. I love how cultures influence one another to such an extent that something becomes traditional in one culture, but originally came from another. I guess food in this way connects us all.
Sorry, THE sweet tooth is missing.
Kind regards,
I have tried it and thought it was delicious, but a little goes a long way! 🙂
A little definitely goes a long way, Tanja. It is far too sweet to my liking, although I also thought it delicious. But one bite is certainly enough to still a sweet tooth.
want to taste it.
Must be hard to work in such a big kitchen
Glad it is not me who has to keep stirring it!