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[Win Some Lose Some]

I use extra virgin coconut oil a lot. For all of my cooking and for acne-prone skin.

Is it easily and cheaply obtainable in Oman or should I bring a 1.6 liter plastic jar ordered from iHerb.com with me when I come there next week? The coconut oil isn't available at my current location either but ordering from iHerb includes very cheap shipping rates and incredibly fast service to my present location.

I realize that this item may not be one that you folks are familiar with, but thought I'd ask just in case any of you are.

Thanks.

P.S. What about extra virgin olive oil? Duh. Even I can pretty well guess that this is easily available in such an olive grove part of the world. Coconut and olive are the 2 primary oils I use the most. Coconut for any cooking and olive for any non-cooking food dishes such as salads.

Balsamic vinegar, anyone?

I will be living in the desert city of Ibra with a population of 35,000, I think it is. So, food shopping options short of traveling Muscat are, I'm guessing, going to be extremely limited unless the options are part of the traditional Omani diet in that locale.

[veiledsentiments]

I don't believe that there are any olive groves in Oman. Maybe down around Salalah? But, I'd assume that it is available in the super markets.

But, it's easy enough to stock up on the more "exotic" stuff in Muscat once a month or so if necessary. Haven't a clue about coconut oil of any experience level...

VS

[Win Some Lose Some]

[bmfus]

It would be wise to bring some coconut oil with you as I haven't seen it on any of the supermarkets shelves here in Oman....I have an interest in Thai cooking and can get most things I need at the supermarket chain Lulu's, but coconut oil isn't one of them.

Don't worry about olive oil (including extra virgin) as it is widely available. Balsamic vinegar is also available at the major supemarkets (Lulu's, Carrefour) but it's wise to grab it while it's there on the shelf.

[Win Some Lose Some]

Thanks for all the replies on this subject (including the PM I received today).

So, what about fresh coconut? Though the locals here have little experience with it, there are a very few grocery stores here that do carry it. Coconut water is a favorite drink of mine. Very pleasant and refreshingly sweet.

And coconut meat is a favorite snack of mine. The meat has a very mild flavor by itself and is really more of a texture experience than a flavor experience. But it is kind of risky of cuts until you get the technique for extracting it from the shell down.

Since I try as much as possible to eat low carb, coconut meat makes a good low carb snack.

[It's Scary!]

Did someone mention "coconuts"?

[bookworm2]

After a year in Ibra, I would recommend engineering a move down to Salalah. There's a wonderful little road snaking through the coconut plantations dotted with coconut stalls. Just wind down the windscreen and order...

[Middle East Beast]

[PattyFlipper]

Coconut oil from India was available in some of the little cold-stores in Muscat. Basically just the one brand (the name of which escapes me at this time and distance), packaged in a blue plastic bottle. Often on the same shelf as the hair oils, rather than the cooking oil.

[madrileno]

If you'll be living in Ibra, I can tell you for a fact that there is NOWHERE in town you'll be able to buy coconut oil.

You'll need to go to Muscat, and as you want Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, your only options will be either Carrefour or Sultan Centre. Lulu's Hypermarket may have it, but I never shop there, so I can't be certain.

[eslbear]

Also, the new mega -Lulu has opened in Nizwa which is closer than Muscat. It is a huge structure and will be the social and shopping hub of Nizwa and possibly the entire Sharqiya region !

eslbear

[lizziebennet]

Hey Far East,

Don't bother to bring that sort of stuff with you. I don't know where you lived in Asia but when I was in Korea I struggled to find a number of things. Oman is different. Muscat has everything.

You will arrive in Muscat. If you ask the company they can take you to a store. I am sure they would be kind enough to do that before driving you to Ibra. If you arrive very late at night they might put you up in a hotel for a night before you leave so you can make your way to city centre on your own. If you are north American I would recommend Sultan Center as it has every American product imaginable. If you just want normal things like coconut oil Carrefour in Seeb city centre (near the airport) should do fine.

You can get to both those places in the cheap van taxis that the third world workers take. Both places are just off the main road which is full of those taxis. You could also take a normal taxi but be careful they don't rip you off.

I went to Sultan Centre and stocked up on enough taco kits and things we assumed I couldn't get in Ibra. When I got there I was glad I did because they don't sell taco kits, ingredients for gumbo, wasibi paste, misu soup etc.

Hope that helps!

Lizzie

[Sleepwalker]

Was just in Carrfour - lots of different brands of coconut oil in the male hair products section - beside the other hair oils.

Coconut oil also in the cooking oil section beside the ghee.

[Space Teacher]

Does anyone know where I can get some extra virgin yak fat?

[Win Some Lose Some]