Chicken Moussaka

FROM THE CHEF

This dish needs a lot of patience to make but all the efforts will be worth it. A favourite dish to prepare in my home country, moussaka is simply a layered casserole dish made of bread, onion and chicken. I am sharing this to everyone so you can have something to surprise your family with. Make sure to maximise the taste of the ingredients and the secret is making sure that you have that delicious smell of onion on the chicken.

Ingredients

1 kg of chicken cut with bones

1 kg onion julienne

150 gr sumac

100 ml Olive oil

5 pieces of Arabic bread

3 pieces of cardamom

1 piece bay leaf

Salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat the pan then add the olive oil.

Add the onion and keep mixing it for 2 minutes. Make sure to lower down the fire so it will not instantaneously caramelised. Add the sumac and spices to mix.

Add the chicken and little of water.

Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Keep cooking for 25 minutes. (It is important to

check every 7 minutes.)

Arrange the Arabic bread in the tray and add the cooked onion on top of the bread.

Seam all the 5 pieces of bread with onions and stack over each other.

Put the chicken pieces on top of the last layer and cook it in an oven at a temperature of 160 until it becomes red.

Add the nuts on top and serve with yoghurt cucumber.

IN THE KNOW

Situated at the heart of the Sultanate’s largest urban development project, Madinat Al-Irfan, JW Marriott Muscat is now open to provide a new kind of luxury and experience. The flagship property is directly connected to the Oman Convention & Exhibition Centre, lending itself to the country’s growing events sector. Look a little closer and it’s clear that the first five-star hotel in the development, and with 304 keys, one of the biggest hotels in Muscat, has an appeal that extends far beyond the corporate.

Developed by Omran, the executive arm of the Sultanate for tourism development, the first JW Marriott in the Sultanate is a sustainably-driven addition to Oman’s hospitality industry and a breath of fresh air for those who want to nurture that work/life balance. Boasting a central location, ample gathering space, out-of-the-box dining concepts, and a service approach that focuses on the enrichment of the mind, body and soul, it’s not hard to see why it’s already garnering a reputation for being the place-to-be in Muscat.

“It is with great pride that we have opened the first JW hotel to Oman as we continue to expand the brand’s footprint. We are not only bringing new and exciting experiences to Muscat, but we are supporting the country’s tourism drive, particularly in the burgeoning business events sector,” said Giuseppe Ressa, General Manager.

“Based on our ‘Mindful and Present’ philosophy, we are focused on nurturing a healthy life balance, helping our guests boost their productivity and supporting their overall happiness and well-being, while immersing themselves in the culturally authentic experiences of this enchanting city, “ he added.

Chef Ahmad Zighan is currently Chef de Cuisine at JW Marriott Muscat. A veteran of the hospitality industry, his 15-year career has taken him across some of the region’s most prestigious five-star hotels, including five years at the Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal. Landing in Oman, he dove straight into his role at the JW Marriott Muscat on October of 2019, assisting the Executive Chef in the supervision of the kitchen, ensuring the team are aligned with the company’s standards, and creating and implementing new menus.

Jordanian-born Ahmad holds a Diploma (2 years) in food production from Experimentations & Vocational Training Institute in Amman and speaks both Arabic and English.