Words not spoken, feelings never shared

Some time back, I attended a friend’s milestone birthday party where many of her friends, including myself, spoke about her.

Basically what they said was what she meant to them, some went down nostalgia lane remembering incidents where they had done things together and so on. Then of course, there were her children and grandchildren who made it more meaningful by sharing some snippets about her , along with many aspects of her personality that many people at that lunch may not have known at all.

After all these had been said, she herself took centre stage and conveyed her thoughts . What she said was something I will always remember. The essence of it was simply 

"I'm so grateful to all of you for being here today. I’m even more grateful to have been able to hear all that you feel about me . Most people are not half as lucky because all these things are only spoken about when they are no more- at their Memorial .
Which simply means that they would never have had the opportunity of hearing what was said by people who had gathered there to say their goodbyes."

                                 ( Image sourced from the net)

That set me thinking. And I couldn’t help but remember my father’s Memorial where so many people shared so many wonderful stories and insights about him. I also thought about all the memorial meetings that I have attended recently and all that I heard about people who are no longer on this earth. Wouldn’t they have loved to hear what was said?

And so I concluded, it is so much more important to share one’s thoughts about how we feel about friends, relatives and those who matter, while they are still around. Tell them what and how much they mean to you. Tell them what you enjoyed doing together, how much a particular gesture or that lovely dish they made or sent across to you meant to you.

Along with a hundred other things…

                                  ( Image sourced from the net)

That way you will never regret what you never said. Words and thoughts that should have been spoken but never were..

Do it regularly, do it today.

Memories and how food plays a really important part in relationships

Think about it for a moment and you will understand exactly what I mean. Food plays such an important role in every aspect of our life. For instance, if there's a celebration we try to come up with the best, or as might be the case, the most appropriate menu for the occasion. Alternately, if someone dies anywhere in the world, the close family and friends organise a 'wake' where good food and drink is served while people gather around in memory of the departed soul. 

Food is also something that can really taste best when eaten in company. For me, the term 'breaking bread' with someone beautifully depicts a scenario where good food tends to taste even better with good company In fact, I'd go so far as to say that even a pastry and coffee or a croissant and a coffee shared with a friend is something that becomes really pleasurable and many a time, truly memorable. Top of my head, I can recall at least ten instances when I've enjoyed the meal or coffee so much more because of the company on a particular day. Then there are some food memories which are very dear to one's heart by virtue of the fact that they centre around the food that either someone cooked for you in a way that was really special, or then it could be about a savoury or sweet dish that you cooked for, or shared with someone and they loved it exactly the way you made it.

                                    Arabic bread basket-  Shangrila Bar Al Jissah, Muscat

Which then leads me to a chain of bitter sweet thoughts. For instance, I can never eat sweet rice, or better known in Punjabi as 'Meethe Chawal' without remembering my grand mother in law, 'Beeji'. For Beeji made the best Meethe Chawal in the world as far as I was concerned. And always, always made it for me whenever I asked for it. And we were such friends- never mind that I was just married and she was already in her seventies when we first met. 

I can also never eat 'Kadhi Pakore and Chawal' ( a yogurt and gram flour based Punjabi dish) without remembering Jairam, my parents' cook for over thirty years who made the most delicious Kadhi on earth. As also my friend Amrita in Muscat who made sure that  she personally delivered a box of her special home made Kadhi to our home whenever she made  it. I can never eat a peppermint without drinking water right after it to check if my mouth really feels cool because that is exactly what my 'long lost and never found again' friend,  Christine Bose from my school in Calcutta used to do. I can never drink 'Elaichi' ( cardamom ) tea without thinking about my beautiful mother Biba Satinder who I lost some years ago, because she always drank hers that way. Or dip a Marie biscuit in that same tea without remembering how she only wanted me and not her nurses to help her drink that cup of tea when she was critically ill in the ICU.

                             ( Image sourced from the net)

I could go on and on but I find that I actually have an ache in my chest remembering some people close to me who are no more, so I think I will stop here. But not before I say that what really brought on this chain of thought in the first instance was when I was making Rajma Chawal (a North Indian delicacy made with red kidney beans cooked in thick tomato based gravy)  this morning,  when I remembered a friend of mine, Akhila, who passed away in the prime of her life some time back.

   For whenever I made 'Rajma' or 'Maa Ki Daal', I would always send her a big bowl, or better still, drop it off to her place personally because she said that it was the best she'd ever eaten.

NB - This is a repeat post, just felt it was still so meaningful 

A Life Changing experience and the influence of Lord Buddha

'Buddham Sharanam Gacchami Dhammam Sharanam Gacchami Sangham Sharanam Gacchami'

 These are among the most beautiful, appealing and thought provoking words I've heard and when I think of them even today, in fact, even as I write this piece, I remember the first time I heard them and how they influenced me. And now, to go back in time ....

 Have you ever been to a place that influences you so much that you decide to make an immediate change in your way of life and living? Many years ago, I had exactly such an experience, one which was so powerful and intense that I get goosebumps even as I think of it today. I was in Class 8 in Sophia Convent in Meerut when a busload of girls accompanied by three teachers and our Principal, went out on a school trip to Nepal via Bihar. En route, we first stopped stopped at Lucknow for the night then went on to Sarnath and Rajgir so that we could see these historic spots where the Buddha had lived, walked and attained enlightenment. It was a lovely and very memorable trip in more ways than one.

The sacred Bodhi tree -Bodh Gaya (Pic sourced from the internet) 

The photograph above is believed to be the tree in Bodh Gaya under which Prince Siddhartha Gautama meditated and attained Enlightenment on the full Moon day of 'Vaisakh Purnima.' The present version is probably the fifth succession of the original tree earlier destroyed many times by man made as well as natural calamities. The other main attraction of Bodh Gaya is the Mahabodhi temple which has been restored and rebuilt over the centuries. The Mahabodhi Temple has now been declared as a World Heritage site by UNESCO. It is believed that for six years Lord Buddha practiced severe asceticism thinking this would lead him to enlightenment. He sat in meditation eating only roots, leaves and fruit. and at other times nothing. Sadly, this did not take him anywhere. Then one full-moon day in May, he sat under the Bodhi tree ( above) in deep meditation and said. "I will not leave this spot until I find an end to suffering." During the night, he was visited by 'Mara', the evil one, who tried to tempt him away from his virtuous path. One by one, Gautama met the armies sent by Mara and defeated them with his steadfastness and virtue.As the struggle ended, he realized the cause of suffering and how to remove it. He had gained the most supreme wisdom and understood things as they truly are. From then on, he became the Buddha, 'The Awakened One' and was refereed to as 'Shakyamuni Buddha.' 

And so to where I began my story. 

That early evening, I stood under that Bodhi tree and felt something change inside me. It was almost as if I could see Lord Buddha sitting there and meditating. In my ears and possibly within me, I could hear the beautiful sounds of the words 'Buddham Sharanam Gachammi, Dhammam Sharanam Gachammi Sangham Sharanam Gachaami '.

And in those moments, something inside me changed. I felt cleansed and whole and it was a 'new' me that walked away from that tree. From that day, I turned vegetarian. I knew that Lord Buddha had said that and that was how life was going to be. I was a person who loved chicken and fish but it was over in those moments. Nothing and no one could convince me to eat it again. 

Time passed and I was happy. I grew into a confident and independent girl who could tackle almost anything after that. I did well in class as well as in extra curricular activities and in my heart I firmly believed that it was all due to that particular moment in my life. 

Did I ever go back to being a non vegetarian? I did, after about two and a half years. My brother Navtej was instrumental in that and how he managed it when no one else could is another story. 

But you see, we all think differently at different times and stages in our lives. So right after my father's passing, ( he was a RadhaSwami and vegetarian for the better part of his life but in his later years Mummy convinced him to eat fish) I changed my food habits again and have stayed with them till today.I eat only fish in the non veg category , just like Pop and am seriously toying with the idea of quitting that too one day -sooner rather than later...

Memories and how food plays a really important part in relationships

Think about it for a moment and you will understand exactly what I mean. Food plays such an important role in every aspect of our life. For instance, if there's a celebration we try to come up with the best or as might be the case, the most appropriate menu for the occasion. Alternately, if someone dies anywhere in the world, the close family and friends organize a 'wake' where good food and drink is served while people gather around in memory of the departed soul. 

Food is also something that can really taste best when eaten in company. For me, the term 'breaking bread' with someone beautifully depicts a scenario where good food tends to taste even better with good company In fact, I'd go so far as to say that even a pastry and coffee or a croissant and a coffee had with a friend is something that becomes really pleasurable and many a time, truly memorable. Top of my head, I can recall at least ten instances when I've enjoyed the meal/coffee so much more because of the company on a particular day. Then there are some food memories which are very dear to one's heart by virtue of the fact that they centre around the food that either someone cooked for you in a way that was really special or then it could be about a savoury or sweet dish that you cooked for or shared with someone and he/she loved it best just the way you made it.

                 An Arabic bread basket- At the Shangrila Bar Al Jissah, Muscat

Which then leads me to a chain of bitter sweet thoughts. For instance, I can never eat sweet rice, or better known in Punjabi as 'Meethe Chawal' without remembering my grand mother in law, 'Beeji'. For Beeji made the best Meethe Chawal in the world as far as I was concerned. And always, always made it for me whenever I asked for it. Never mind that I was a married lady and she was already in her seventies when we first met.. 

I can also never eat 'Kadhi Pakore and Chawal' ( a yogurt and gram flour based Punjabi dish) without remembering Jairam, my parents' cook for over thirty years who made the most delicious Kadhi on earth.As also my friend Amrita in Muscat who made sure that  she personally delivered a box of her special home made Kadhi to our home whenever she made  it. I can never eat a peppermint without drinking water right after it to check if my mouth really feels cool because that is exactly what my 'long lost and never found again friend,  Christine Bose from my school in Calcutta used to do. I can never drink 'Elaichi' ( cardamom ) tea without thinking about my beautiful mother Biba Satinder who I lost some time back  because she always drank hers that way.Or dip a Marie biscuit in that same tea without remembering how she only wanted me and not her nurses to help her drink that cup of tea when she was critically ill in the ICU...

I could go on and on but I find that I actually have an ache in my chest remembering some people close to me who are now deceased, so I think I will stop here. But not before I say that what really brought on this chain of thought in the first instance was when I was making Rajma Chawal (a North Indian delicacy made with red kidney beans cooked in thick tomato based gravy)  this morning,  when I remembered a friend of mine, Akhila, who passed away in the prime of her life some time back.

 For whenever I made 'Rajma' or 'Maa Ki Daal', I would always send her a big bowl, or better still, drop it off to her place personally because she said that it was the best she'd ever eaten.....

NB - This is a repeat post, just felt it was still so meaningful 

The toughest part of a diet isn't watching what you eat.

"The toughest part of a diet isn't watching what you eat. 

It's watching what other people eat."

( Image sourced from Google) 

This was a line that I posted on my social media pages some time back and was amazed at the number of comments that it generated. 

To cut the long story short, most of them were in complete agreement with the line and ruefully acknowledged that that that it was 'oh so true'. 

As someone who has been through the Yo Yo syndrome myself, I consider myself as somewhat of an authority to talk about it. 

Diets are indeed a hard act to follow through and it is the easiest thing in the world to fall off the wagon. You gain some, then decide to lose it. 

Which you do upto a point then get fed up, or just plain bored.

 And then the cycle starts all over again. 

So at this point in my life, this is where I'm at. I eat all that I want to for a few days, then do the balancing act for the next few. That way I'm able to successfully maintain at least the semblance of a status quo. 

But for all that I do or don't do, what I definitely try and do is walk off some of it away. Every day,  I set out and try and do about 45 minutes at as brisk a pace that I'm able to manage on that given day. 

It works for me and I'm fairly sure that it will for you too.

 

Apple, Fig and bread pudding, served with Vanilla ice-cream and honey - An Anytime favourite

I love baking and even more, I like to try out something which I can make and serve without much ado. So today, I'm going to tell you how to bake a delicious, golden brown Apple, Fig and Bread pudding. 

Want even more 'deliciousness'? Serve it hot, topped with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey.

So here it is, the recipe and the method. Do let me know what you think and it would be even better, if you actually try it and let me have your feedback.

Ingredients

Three slices of wholemeal/brown bread
1red apple, sliced
6 small figs
1 and a 1/2  cups  milk
1 egg
1 tsp   vanilla essence
Brown Sugar- 2  tablespoons

Method 

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees and set timer for 32 mins.

Set the three slices of bread cut evenly into squares on an oven proof glass dish which has been lined with oil/butter.

Add the figs which have been roughly chopped.

Slice apple finely and cover with the juice of one lemon to prevent dis colouration.

Soak the bread slices with the milk, egg, sugar  and the vanilla essence mix which should have been beaten with a fork to achieve a  smooth consistency.

Leave for 3-5 minutes to ensure that the slices are softened.

Decorate with the apple slices.

All set for popping into the  oven

Put into the pre-heated oven and wait till the timer pings on completion of 32 minutes.( You may want to leave it for an additional 2-3 mins if you want more of a golden brown look.)

Bake till top is golden brown

The Apple, fig and bread pudding is ready

To Serve

Cut into portions and serve in a bowl.

The best way I can recommend is to add one scoop of vanilla ice cream topped with a teaspoon of honey.

Even more delicious, topped with a scoop of Vanilla Ice cream and a drizzle of honey

Sit back and enjoy with a steaming  Cappuccino.

PS- This is a re run of an older post, but this is the festival season  and I'm sure that it could be an interesting possibility for any of you.

Fig, Orange and Lemon Biscotti- An easy to make, anytime treat

Looking for that perfect anytime treat? Even better as its the festive season. Something that can be had with your tea, coffee or best of all, easily be served up as a dessert? Then, it has to be Biscotti- easy to make at home and can be made with just about any ingredient you may have lying in your kitchen cabinets. Biscotti also known as 'cantuccini' are twice baked cookies originating in the Italian city of Prato. The biscuits are oblong-shaped biscuits, made dry and crunchy through cutting the loaf of dough while still fresh from baking in the oven.

Today, biscotti are made using many different ingredients. Almonds, figs, pistachios, raisins, cranberries, and lemon & orange zest make for great flavors in this cookie and can be mixed and matched depending on their availability. I made these with wholewheat flour, figs, orange and lemon zest, creamed with butter and sugar . Ingredients 2 cups wholewheat flour 1 and a half cups sugar 350 gms butter 3 whole eggs Figs to taste Grated zest of one lemon and orange ( each) 1 tsp baking powder. Method Put all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Combine all the wet ingredients and stir briskly. Combine the two and make into a clean oval shaped dough. Put cling film and pop into the frig for 1 hour. Bake in a pre heated oven art 125 C for 30-35 mins

Bake at 125 C for 30-35 mins Allow to rest on a wire rack. Then cut into pieces and bake for another 15 mins till golden brown. Cut into pieces and bake again for about 15 mins Dust with icing sugar and serve with tea, coffee or simply as dessert.

We tried it with whipped cream and berries- made for a delightfully decadent dessert. Try your own variations and let me know too. PS -I'm just repeating this post to re start my blog as Ive been off the grid for some time. I promise to be more regular from now on...

Memories and how food plays a really important part in relationships

Think about it for a moment and you will understand exactly what I mean. Food plays such an important role in every aspect of our life. For instance, if there's a celebration we try to come up with the best or as might be the case, the most appropriate menu for the occasion. Alternately, if someone dies anywhere in the world, the close family and friends organize a 'wake' where good food and drink is served while people gather around in memory of the departed soul. Food is also something that can really taste best when eaten in company. For me, the term 'breaking bread' with someone beautifully depicts a scenario where good food tends to taste even better with good company In fact, I'd go so far as to say that even a pastry and coffee or a croissant and a coffee had with a friend is something that becomes really pleasurable and many a time, truly memorable. Top of my head, I can recall at least ten instances when I've enjoyed the meal/coffee so much more because of the company on a particular day. Shared with family and friends. Then there are some food memories which are very dear to one's heart by virtue of the fact that they centre around the food that either someone cooked for you in a way that was really special or then it could be about a savoury or sweet dish that you cooked for or shared with someone and he/she loved it best just the way you made it.

Which then leads me to a chain of bitter sweet thoughts. For instance, I can never eat sweet rice, or better known in Punjabi as 'Meethe Chawal' without remembering my grand mother in law, 'Beeji'. For Beeji made the best Meethe Chawal in the world as far as I was concerned. And always, always made it for me whenever I asked for it. Never mind that I was a grown up married lady and she was already in her seventies when we first met.. I can also never eat 'Kadhi Pakore and Chawal' ( a yogurt and gram flour based Punjabi dish) without remembering Jairam, my parents' cook for over thirty years who makes the most delicious Kadhi on earth.As also my friend Amrita in Muscat who makes sure she personally delivers a box of her special home made Kadhi to our home whenever she makes it. I can never eat a peppermint without drinking water right after it to check if my mouth really feels cool because that is exactly what my 'long lost and never found again; friend Christine Bose from my school in Calcutta used to do. I can never drink 'Elaichi' ( cardamom ) tea without thinking about my beautiful mother Satinder who I lost recently, because she always drank hers that way.Or dip a Marie biscuit in that same tea without remembering how she only wanted me and not her nurses to help her drink that cup of tea when she was critically ill in the ICU...

I could go on and on but I find that I actually have a pain in my heart remembering some people close to me who are now deceased, so I think I will stop here. But not before I say that what really brought on this chain of thought in the first instance was when I was making Rajma Chawal (a North Indian delicacy made with red kidney beans cooked in thick tomato based gravy) this morning specially for my daughter Neha, when I remembered a friend of mine, Akhila, who passed away in the prime of her life some time bck. For whenever I made 'Rajma' or 'Maa Ki Daal', I would always send her a big bowl, or better still, drop it off to her place personally because she said that it was the best she'd ever eaten.....

Food For Thought -On Mummy and how she shaped my life

Its been a very long time since I wrote a piece for this blog Food For Thought and when I look at the last entry, its dated 11th September 2017. For all those who have enquired or wondered, the answer is a straightforward and sad one. I lost my beautiful mother Satinder Serna on the 17th of October 2017 and life changed forever. I know it may be hard for some people to understand the logic behind these words but it really is so very simple. I was a different person when my mother was alive and I feel like a completely different person after she has left us.

There is a hole in my heart which hasn't been filled almost six months later. While I've been involved in a wide range of other things, all I could do was think about how it would have been if I could see, touch and hear my lovely mother Satinder. Most days, there are two parallel streams of thought running through my head at all times of the day- one, the real world where I have to participate in day to day activities and in many cases, initiate them. The other, thoughts of my mother and everything she meant to me. In a word, 'indescribable'. Every day, I realise, more and more, how much she shaped so many different aspects of my life and along with that so many, many others, including my father and brother's. Small things pop up in my head- just regular everyday things that my mother did for us. Coming home from school was always a pleasure - simply because we knew that Mummy's smiling face would greet my brother Navtej and myself . This was followed by a glass of fresh orange juice and after we had washed and changed, Mummy always had lunch with us. Never mind if it was almost 3 pm, she always sat and ate with us. This was accompanied by peals of laughter, hers more than ours as we shared the days stories and planned for the evening ahead.Sports and extra curricular activities were encouraged almost as much , sometimes even more than academics by Mummy and the old adage, 'All work and no play. makes Jill/Jack a dull boy/girl .." was frequently used by her in order to keep us active and motivated.

A student of Loreto Convent Tara Hall Shimla , Mummy was both Head Girl and Games Captain in er final year and a top notch scholar to boot. Little wonder that she was the best example for us to emulate and boy, dd we try! After school Mummy went to Lady Irwin College, New Delhi for her BSC in Home Science and learnt the best and most current ways to run a home as well as a professional kitchen or hotel as she may have chosen to apply it. As it happened , she met and married my father, HS Serna at a very young age of 19 and from then on this was a firm and happy partnership which lasted for 58 Golden years.

I could go on and on and I do plan to- but that is for another place and time. I have started work on Mummy's biography and even if I can do the slightest bit of justice to her towering personality, I would feel a real sense of satisfaction. Stories like hers, deserve to be told and I hope I can do it with inputs from my father, brother and many, many people whose lives she touched and influenced in countless ways. And here are some personal resolutions -I am now going to live my life more and more the way that my mother would have wanted me to. On a day to day basis, as well as on a longer term too. I am going to be thankful for the fact that she was a part of my life till October 2017 and encouraged and enthused me to become the person that I am today. Just 21 years older to me, my mother, Satinder, was a pillar of strength for all of us at different stages of our life. Most importantly, her strength and fortitude in dealing with her own ailments, particularly through 2017, will serve to remind us forever that true courage has many forms, but for for us, it was in the form of Mummy. And so, I am striving to go through 2018 with my mother as my guiding star and my angel who watches above us from somewhere up above. And if I fail, I will try, then try again and finally, try some more. For that is exactly what Mummy would have wanted me to.

End of an era as Darcy's Kitchen ( MSQ branch) shuts down in Muscat

I follow select social media pages and one of them is our all time favourite cafe Darcy's Kitchen. About 10 years ago, the cafe culture of Oman received a real shot in the arm as a charming cafe called Darcy's Kitchen came up in Madinat Sultan Qaboos. While they already had a branch in Shatti Al Qurum, this cafe in Madinat Sultan Qaboos soon became the number one spot for an anytime break from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Be it a coffee, breakfast, brunch or tea- we could pop in anytime be assured of great food, ambience ad top quality service with a very personal touch.Home away from home- the thought that popped into my head every time I was there... Given all the above, imagine my dismay when, I saw this post from Darcy's Kitchen come up on my newsfeed late last night "Dear D’Arcy’s customers! Sadly, after 10 successful years, our MSQ branch has closed due to the landlord’s redevelopment of the entire area. We would like to thank each & every one of you for your loyalty & friendship. We are aggressively working on our new location and will inform you as soon as we have an opening date.' The flood gates of memory opened up as I sat remembering all those times hat we had spent there. Looking through my blog I found this post and decided to share it here again. We all have a place that we love to head towards time and again. A place where we can just sit and have a chat with friends over a cup of tea, coffee or enjoy a quick meal. Or if you will, sit out in the sun, basking in the warmth of the venue, but even more, the sheer pleasure of being in a place where each member of the staff is keenly attuned to your individual preferences and greets you like a long lost friend. Darcys MQ, Quaint, beautifully decorated and serving the best coffee.

I've got exactly one such place and its probably where I spend the most amount of time, outside my own home. This charming little cafe is called 'Darcys Kitchen' and its located at Madinat Qaboos (MQ) in Muscat.

'My Take' with a Cappuccino While I'm fairly engrossed in my book, magazine or newspaper if I'm alone here, or chatting animatedly with friends or family in other situations, I do take a look around and nod at a familiar face every now and then. Most of the customers are regulars just like me and over a period one gets to know them somewhat too.

But then there are the other faces that seem somewhat out of place and that is exactly the reason why they stay in the mind. Every other time that I'm there, I see a 35' ish local man, who has a slight limp- and if one looks at him closely, doesn't seem to be entirely normal. Now I don't know why that is so, but one generally avoids making eye contact with him, for fear of...? I really don't have the answer here, but am just sharing my thoughts. And believe me, I'm not the only one there who does this, its probably the majority of others present too.As for the staff, I've noticed that they sat him in a quiet corner where he's served a cup of tea and a small bite and after a short respite, he's off and on his way.. But last weekend saw a departure from the norm. My husband and myself were sitting outside and having our scones and tea and this man walked out.It was evident that he'd finished and was leaving. But here's the real surprise. Just as he reached the small gate which serves as the exit and entry point, he stopped, looked directly at us and waved goodbye. I too waved back instinctively. I really don't know what it was about that simple gesture, but it touched me a great deal. For all the times, I'd thought of him as 'not exactly normal" he'd been seeing and focusing on me as a person who he'd learnt to recognize. Then one day, he actually reacted and how! I find myself thinking of him every now and then. And have made up my mind that I will have a real conversation with him when I see him next.

Just one more reason to head back to Darcy's!! And while I have many photographs of the exterior, Im choosing to use the pic that Darcy's Kitchen used to make this announcement of shutting down

Goodbye Darcy's Kitchen MQ- we will always cherish those beautiful and incomparable memories....

Omani Halwa, for the 'real' taste of Oman

I still remember the first time I tasted the famous Omani Halwa. As part of shooting an advertising film for a local cooking oil, some of us from my agency had gone to a local Omani gentleman's home and the shoot lasted for the better part of the day. It was a very interesting assignment for me in more ways than one, for not only did we get to use his home, which in turn created a fabulous ambience for the film, but I also learnt a great deal about Omani culture, food and traditions from his wonderful wife and elder daughter. The fact of the matter is that a trip to Oman is incomplete without trying some of its delicious local delicacy, the famous Omani 'Halwa' .This halwa is considered as the ultimate symbol of Omani hospitality and is traditionally served with Omani Kahwa (coffee), at homes as well as all kinds of restaurants.Its popularity spikes up exponentially on special occasions such as weddings, birthday celebrations, Ramadan and Eid. The recipe is usually a closely guarded family secret and comes in different flavours and colours..In fact, each local resident here seems to have their own personal favourite, and the different tastes and flavours can prove to be a most interesting topic of conversation , particularly if accompanied by numerous cups of Kahwa.

The yellow coloured halwa is made of saffron and different kinds of dry fruits whereas the black coloured Halwa is made of Omani dates.Broadly speaking, the ingredients used to make Halwa are eggs, red and white sugar, corn flour and fat. These items are combined to produce a gelatinous sweet, which is then flavored with spices such as cardamom and saffron. Fresh rosewater, usually from the Jebel Akdhar region is used to give the sweet a light rosewater fragrance.

Watching him measure out a portion for a customer

Spoilt for choice Twenty plus years later, I'm still hooked on the delicious Omani Halwa..