Omani paplou soup is a fish or seafood soup. It is often made with tuna and sometime tuna roe, however shellfish and other types of fish can also be used.
This dish is loved in the coastal regions of Oman.
This soup is made with a dried lime and fresh lime juice. You will first want to soak the lime and then poke it with a knife or fork. The dried lime should be removed and not consumed before serving.
If you are interested in buying some dried limes there is a link at the bottom of this post. It is an affiliate link so I do make a small commission if you do however it does not affect the price you pay.
It has a wonderful citrus flavor the counter balances the heat
It also has a wonderful paste made from garlic, ginger and cilantro.
Chilies are optional however I added one to the paste and it was spicy goodness.
There is just something special about using a mortar and pestle. Alternatively you could use a food processor.
The soup is served over a heap of basmati rice and garnish with cilantro and lime wedges.
We all loved it, you will too. Adjust the chili and cayenne to your heat tolerance.
Omani Paplou Soup (Fish Soup)
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
- 1 chili jalapeno or serrano, minced
- 1 dried lime
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper ground
- 1 plum tomato cored and diced
- 1 small or ½ medium red onion diced
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 pound tuna steaks cut into bite size pieces
- Cooked basmati rice for serving
- Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- Using a mortar and pestle, make a paste of the garlic, ginger, ¼ teaspoon turmeric, salt, cilantro,chili 1 ½ tablespoons water; set aside.
- Soak the dried lime for a few minutes in water to soften the skin.
- Make a small hole by piercing it with a paring knife or fork.
- Bring 5 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat
- Add the black pepper and the remaining ½ teaspoon turmeric and cook 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato, boil 5 minutes, then add the onion, and cook 5 minutes more.
- Stir in the lime juice, garlic-ginger paste, cayenne, and dried lime; cover, decrease the heat to medium-low, and cook 15 minutes.
- Remove the dried lime
- Add the tuna and gently stir, cover and simmer until the fish is cooked through,
- minutes more.
- Serve over cooked basmati rice
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.
