DISH RESEARCH · Main dish
Arsia
Also known as: عرسية
Omani chicken-and-rice preparation with ghee and a tamarind-raisin tarsha sauce.

About Arsia
Chef Muneer Al Balushi shares this Omani chicken arseya with tarsha through UN Tourism. Chicken and rice form the thickened base, presented with Omani ghee and a separate sauce.
Cinnamon and cardamom season the rice. Tamarind and black raisins give the tarsha its fruit character beside tomato, garlic, ginger, cloves and black pepper; chicken liver is optional.
The base combines shredded chicken with thickened rice, contrasting with the separate tarsha. Ghee supplies the finishing richness across the chicken-and-rice portion.
Allergens in this recipe
Contains: Milk.
Other allergen details are unconfirmed.
Ingredients vary by restaurant. Confirm your allergens with staff before ordering.
Ingredients in Arsia
Chef Muneer Al Balushi’s Omani chicken arseya with tarsha.
- Whole chickenProtein
- RiceBase
- Cinnamon sticksSeasoning · Chicken arseya
- Cardamom podsSeasoning
- Omani gheeFinish
- SaltSeasoning
- WaterLiquid
- PepperSeasoning · Chicken arseyaIngredient page not linked
- Powdered cinnamonSeasoning · Tarsha sauce
- GarlicAromatic · Tarsha sauce
- Black pepperSeasoning · Tarsha sauce
- Clove budsSeasoning · Tarsha sauce
- Chicken liverProtein · Tarsha sauce · Optional
- Tomato pasteSeasoning · Tarsha sauce
- Fresh gingerAromatic · Tarsha sauce
- Black raisinsBase · Tarsha sauce
- Tamarind pasteSeasoning · Tarsha sauce
Ingredient details & uncertainties
Allergen information is incomplete. Unconfirmed details do not establish that an allergen is absent.
- Whole chicken: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main whole chicken and sauce method-only chicken identity consolidated; tarsha chicken portion/provenance unreported, no second whole bird invented.
- Rice: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Cinnamon sticks: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Cardamom pods: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Broader cardamom identity; actual pods in both components consolidated.
- Omani ghee: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Milk source-confirmed. Listed ghee served with base; full supplier formula unspecified.
- Salt: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Both base and tarsha seasoning consolidated.
- Water: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Explicit main chicken water reused as its own rice stock, tarsha explicit water option selected over separate chicken stock.
- Pepper: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Main method-only unqualified pepper, not forced to sauce black-pepper identity.
- Powdered cinnamon: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Tarsha listed ingredient has no method incorporation stage; broader cinnamon candidate.
- Garlic: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Black pepper: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Clove buds: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Chicken liver (optional): Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. List explicitly optional although method says liver; optionality preserved.
- Tomato paste: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Fresh ginger: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed
- Black raisins: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Broader raisin candidate; actual black type unmodified, no sulphites inferred.
- Tamarind paste: Recipe-specific ingredient evidence; Allergen details unconfirmed. Prepared paste complete formula unknown.
Origins & food traditions
Countries
- Oman
- OmanCatalogue link pending review
- United Arab EmiratesCatalogue link pending review
Cuisines & regions
- Omani Cuisine
- Omani CuisineCatalogue link pending review
- Emirati CuisineCatalogue link pending review
AI-generated illustration of one possible presentation. Recipes and ingredients vary; the image does not establish allergen content.