Asida is traditionally eaten in a communal bowl

Mediterranean food historian, Clifford Wright, writes of one of the earliest accounts of the aseeda making process in the Maghreb:

“cAṣīda was known in the Rif, the mountainous region along the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, where flour made from lightly grilled barley was used. The famous Arab explorer Ḥasan al-Wazan, who was known as Leo Africanus (c. 1465-1550) in the West, who journeyed into Africa, gives a recipe: Boil water in a large pot, add the barley flour, stirring with a stick. Pour the gruel into a plate and in the center make a small s hallow where one puts the argan seed oil.”

North African explorer, George F. Lyons* also provides us with directions for preparing barley porridge:

“Bazeen (which in Fezzan is called Aseeda) is the most common food, as being the easiest prepared. It is made of the flour of any grain (Bishna and Barley are mostly used near Tripoli) in the following manner. A large pot, of copper or iron, is placed on the fire, with a little water in it, which is suffered to boil. Flour is then thrown in, until it acquires the consistency of dough, when it is stirred well about with a large stick (water being occasionally added, if necessary,) until it is quite thick, and begins to assume the appearance of a pudding, when it is taken out, and placed in a bowl. After being beat into a circular shape, and having a hole made in the centre, gravy, oil, butter, or grease, is poured on it, and it is then ready for eating, which is done by pinching pieces out with the right hand, and kneading them with the grease until they assume the appearance of thick paste. Should there be no gravy or grease to be procured, a little flour mixed with hot water is used instead of it. It requires much strength of arm to make bazeen properly, as the stick is wielded by both hands, and the pot is confined on the fire by having a forked piece of wood placed against it, on which the woman kneels while preparing the mess.” Lyons (c. 1795–1832)

Aseeda is traditionally made for breakfast on the prophet Mohammed’s birthday (pbuh), after the festival of lanterns (youm al gindeel) on the eve of this holy event. Aseeda is also made on the seventh day of the birth of a baby (sbou’u). It is traditionally made with barley flour but white refined wheat flour has taken its place in parts of the coastal Eastern region and in urban Tripoli, where refined flour was first introduced from Europe and considered to be the staple of the privileged due to its price and “purity”. I find that white flour tends to make a sticky, tacky dough that lacks the earthy flavor of barley.

Aseeda Recipe

Time: 30-40 mins

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

1 cup barley flour (alternatively wholewheat or white flour)

2 cups boiling water

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp olive oil

Boil water with oil and salt in a medium-large pan.

Reserve half of the water – 1 cup.

Sift the flour into the water remaining in the pan on low heat and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth (you can also do this on the counter if you find it difficult to work on the stovetop). This is the tricky part of the dish, as lumps tend to form when the flour is added to the water. It will take a few tries before you make your first truly smooth dough. An alternative I use is to boil the water in an electric kettle or in a separate pan. Having sifted the flour into the cooking pan I gradually add one cup of water to the flour while vigorously stirring (reversing the process). I find that this prevents the formation of lumps. This process is even more difficult using white wheat flour, as it has I higher gluten content and tends to lump more easily.

Add the remaining water, a little at a time, and use the wooden spoon to lift the dough allowing the water to flow beneath it and form a buffer from the heat.

Cover with a lid and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes until the water is completely absorbed. It’s important not to skip this part as this cooks the flour and prevents bloating after eating this wholegrain flour.

Once the water has evaporated stir with the spoon over low heat until the paste comes together to form one lump.

Grease a serving bowl with oil. Turn the dough into the bowl and quickly shape it, with greased hands, into a hemisphere, taking care is it will be hot.

Make a small well in the top and pour on the topping of your choice (date syrup and olive oil or honey and butter).

Serve hot.

Aseeda is eaten communal in one bowl, using the fingers to pull off bits of dough and dipping it into the fat and sugar, working them into the paste with the fingers before eating in a mouthful.

Saha!

* NARRATIVE OF TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA IN THE YEARS 1818-19 AND 1820: Captain George Francis Lyon (1795–1832) was an Arctic and African explorer and British Naval Officer. He is known for his descriptive journals and his genuine interest in the indigenous people of the countries he visited.  In 1818 he was sent on an expedition to locate Timbuktu and started his journey from Tripoli reaching as far as Murzuk, only to return to Tripoli having failed at his mission.  His bad luck has left us with an invaluable resource on the customs and food fo the Libyan people.

Describing the diets of the Bedouin Arabs in Libya during his travels through North Africa from 1818-20, Capt. Lyon* observes that:

“When the date season commences, many, families come and pitch their tents in the Meshea of Tripoli, in order to purchase dates for their future subsistence; these they deprive of the stones, and when kneaded together, keep them in skins, so as to preserve them from insects or wet: these form their chief support, assisted by the milk of their sheep and camels.”

Al-Jufra is the largest area that produces dates in Libya. Its unique climate and soil conditions mean that dates are easily cultivated without the need for chemical pesticides or fertilizers, yielding organic and nutritious fruit. According to the Istituto Agronomico per l’Oltremare IAO (Italian Overseas Agronomic Institute) Libyan dates fall into three groups:

The fleshy-fruited coastal varieties, which can be eaten fresh or refrigerated for months, or stored with seeds removed and compacted into small containers, which can then be made into a paste ajwa and used in several sweet dishes (Bronzi, Taluni, Baudi); the semi-soft varieties from the central zone, mostly consumed fresh (Bestian, Kathari, Abel, Tagiat, Saiedi); and those from the southern oases, less succulent and fleshy (Amjog, Emeli, Awarig, Tascube, Intalia, Tamjog). These latter varieties are suited for drying and can be stored for up to 10 years.

Abel dates have a distinctive duo tone skin.

The semi-soft, dry Abel dates are the best for making date syrup and give a distinctive deep-reddish mahogany color, whereas other varieties yield a more brownish syrup. They are oval shaped and tend to have lighter colored tough patches usually around the caps. They have dry flesh and thick skin making it difficult to peel but easy to remove the pits as they do not stick to the flesh. They are very sweet and store indefinitely in a cool dry place and can be eaten as they are.

Abel dates have a total sugar content of 71.3% (mainly as glucose and fructose) so no other sugars (especially refined white) need to or should be added to the syrup making process. Date syrup can be used as a natural sweetener as you would honey or molasses.  Traditionally eaten with aseeda, it is also often spread on or dipped with bread, or used to sweeten warm milk.

The rich mahogany color of Abel date syrup is unsurpassed by any other date.

Ruub Date Syrup Recipe  

Time: Preparation 20min, Cooking 2 1/2 to 3 hrs

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients:

1/2kg Abel dates (or any other dry dates available)

Water

Utensils:

Cheesecloth, sieve, wooden spoon, medium pot, and saucepan

Wash and rinse dates under cold running water until completely clean. Pat dry.

Good date syrup keeps its form when dripped on flour and has a very shiny reflective surface. If you look closely you can see my camera lens on the surface!

Split open using fingers (this is easy with Abels as they are dry and tend not to stick to the seed) or a paring knife and remove caps and seeds. Discard any infested dates.

Put the date flesh in a medium pot and cover with two cups of water on a medium-high flame. Bring to a boil for 10 minutes then reduce heat and leave to simmer for half an hour.

Pour the contents of the pot into a sieve lined with a cheesecloth (or dishtowel) and placed over a saucepan.  Leave to drain and cool slightly.

Carefully squeeze all the liquid out taking care as the mixture may still be hot.

Return pulp to the pan and add two more cups of water. Repeat process as above.

Put the saucepan containing the date water on a medium low flame. The sieved liquid may appear to be muddy or cloudy at first, similar to coffee with milk, but will quickly change into a rich and shiny reddish-brown as it cooks. During this process the date sugars are being inverted to produce a thick syrup. This process is similar to making a sugar syrup (atar) or caramel.

To test viscosity, drop some syrup on flour. It should keep its concave shape and not flatten or be absorbed by the flour.

* NARRATIVE OF TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA IN THE YEARS 1818-19 AND 1820: Captain George Francis Lyon (1795–1832) was an Arctic and African explorer and British Naval Officer. He is known for his descriptive journals and his genuine interest in the indigenous people of the countries he visited.  In 1818 he was sent on an expedition to locate Timbuktu and started his journey from Tripoli reaching as far as Murzuk, only to return to Tripoli having failed at his mission.  His bad luck has left us with an invaluable resource on the customs and food fo the Libyan people.

White foods symbolize purity and chastity. Flour was traditionally mounded in the corners of the home and dusted on doors to entice a white New Year.  Water is sprinkled onto the path of a loved one to open up a white and safe passage on their journey. The white bonds of milk are as strong as blood, as those who have suckled from the same breast are siblings for life regardless of lineage. This milk is the bride’s dowry that the groom will repay in her mother’s honor. She will suck on and feed sugar to her in-laws, symbolizing a sweet and happy union. On entering her new home she will smash an egg on the threshold for virility and fertility.

Only the whitest and clearest ingredients will satisfy the Libyan baker. Clockwise from back left: almond milk, egg, butter, milk, orange-blossom water, granulated sugar, icing sugar, almonds and flour.

White is the color of sugar, blanched almonds and egg whites. White is abambar, almond macaroons. We celebrate 60 years of Libyan Independence for the first time in 42 years. We celebrate freedom we never thought we would bask in, hoping our children would have better luck. We celebrate in true Tripolitanian fashion, with abambar, the symbolic food of white days.

Abambar Soft Almond Macaroons (Amaretti Morbidi)

Makes 2 dozen

Preparation 10-40 mins

Cooking 15-20 mins

Ingredients:

1 cup finely ground blanched almonds (see note)

½ cup sifted icing (confectioner’s) sugar, and extra for dusting

2 large egg whites

a pinch of salt

½ tsp bitter almond essence

whole or halved blanched almonds

In a deep non-reactive bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the sifted icing sugar in small batches and continue whisking at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the ground almonds, salt and essence, being careful not to over work it. The mixture should be light but firm enough to hold its shape.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 5mm round tip with the meringue mixture. Pipe into equally sized rounds, leaving at least 2cm spacing between them as they will expand when baking. Using wet fingertips tap down any points. Dust with icing sugar. Place an almond in the center of each, halfway down the thickness of the almond. Let it stand uncovered for at least two hours. This will form a skin that will give the crackled surface to the baked cookie, a trademark of well-crafted abambar.

Preheat oven to 160^o C (low). Place the baking sheet on the center rack. Bake until just lightly golden. Cool completely in the tray before serving. You can store abambar in an airtight container up to a couple of weeks, as they are prone to absorbing moisture, though I doubt they will last that long! Abambar are traditionally served with almond milk but are just as lovely with a strong espresso.

Freshly baked abambar.

note: If ground blanched almonds (almond meal) isn’t readily available, you can blanch whole almonds ahead of time by standing in hot, just boiled water for 2 minutes which will loosen the skins. Drain water and peel by placing an almond between your thumb and forefinger, and slipping against each other in a snapping motion. Place on a tea-towel in a tray and allow to dry completely. You can speed up the drying process by putting the tray in an oven at the lowest setting for 10-15 minutes to crisp up the almonds making them easier to grind. Be careful not to allow them to color.

Cool completely before grinding in a spice grinder or food processor as hot almonds easily release their oils and turn into a paste rather than grains when processed. Grind the almonds and sugar together. The sugar also helps in absorbing any excess oils keeping the meal light and dry. Pass through a sieve to ensure all the grains are ground to a very fine consistency.

Many stories have been told about the origins of amaretti or macaroons, some believable, others not as much so. It is generally agreed that the Arab Muslims brought sugar (suker) to the modern world; they first combined it with ground almonds to form fillings; later pounding them into marizipan (murtuban) and then discovered that beaten egg whites could be used as a raising agent long before chemical leavenings were invented. So it seems that the natural evolution would be the creation of macaroons, a light airy crisp yet chewy cookie made of almond meal, sugar and beaten egg whites. It is believed that these practices spread to the Europe through Sicily where amaretti, or little bitter ones – named after the use of bitter almonds or apricot kernels – came to be, as we know it today. The Moroccan ghraibat loz and Turkish acıbadem kurabiyesi are literal translations of this meaning.

Looking at the patisseries around the Mediterranean basin we notice that the Greeks and Turks are fond of walnuts, the Arabs of the Levant are partial to pistachios, and the delights of the Maghreb are chock full of almonds. The strong ties between Siciliy and North Africa, which brought them couscous, dried fruits and spices, was also the source for the sweet almond pastes used extensively in the Sicilian kitchen.

Before they came to be known as amaretti, the Italians called these biscuits maccerone (or macaroni as it is spelled in English) a term also used for pasta, and the source of the French word macaron. This was passed on to the Algerians who make macaroo.  The simplest way to trace the origin of an invention is to retrace the source of its name. Although there is some evidence that the root of the word maccerone is Arabic, it is still questionable.

Is the almond macaroon a Libyan delight or an Italian inheritance?

The curiosity in this case is the exclusive use of the name abambar in Tripoli, which apparently has no definition in Arabic dictionaries and has not spread to neighboring regions. On the contrary Tripolitanian abambar are highly esteemed and world renowned despite the great reputation of Italian bakers.  There is a general assumption among contemporary Tripolitanians that abambar is a tradition borrowed from the Italians, but ricotta, pizza, espresso, panetonne, gelato and so many other Italian legacies have retained their original name in the Libyan dialect, which makes me question the true origin of the Libyan abambar.

Our neighbors in Tunisia, also almond fanatics, make a ring cookie made with a nut paste stuffing and a macaroon based shell. They are called kaak anber as the almonds, sugar and egg white mixture are infused with amber essence (anbar). In Iran, a prized rice with a strong amber fragrance is called amber-boo.  There is a strong possibility that amber was also used in the original abambar recipes, making it the root of its name.

A painting of the Henna Kebira by Libyan artist Abdulmutalib Fhema. The bride is dressed in holi lahisra and is sitting on the bambar cushions.

Wednesday, the third day of the week long wedding ceremony, marks the Henna Kebira or Great Henna. The bride, dressed in white holi lahsira made of silk and silver threads, would sit on two large velvet cushions or a stool called bambar. It is customary to congratulate the bride “at her seat” – a’al bambar – where she would hand out almond confetti or macaroons. With time a’al bambar could have be shortened to abambar

There is still no strong evidence to support either case I make for abambar, but I’m sure that with time our poorly documented history will be retained, and the true story of abambar will come to light. Be it a local specialty or an Italian import, abambar will always be a part of our happy days.

For a country in which most of the population lives along 1,770 km of Mediterranean coastline, I find it fascinating that lamb rather than fish is the protein of choice in the Libyan Diet. Lamb takes center stage in all Libyan meals and is considered a status symbol where wealth is measured by the size and abundance of meat served.  The most likely explanation for this stems from the tradition of the annual Festival of Sacrifice, Eid al-Adha.

The ritual of the slaughter has its roots some two and a half centuries before Islam, when the prophet Abraham was commanded by God to sacrifice his then only son Ishmael, and was pardoned at the last moment to slaughter a sheep instead, after proving his faith and obedience.

Sheep oblivious to their fate

Just like Eid il-Fitr, Eid al-Adha also known as Eid al-Kabir (Greater Eid) is another one of those religious holidays that center around food. In the less prosperous past, partaking in Eid al-Adha meant that most families saved up all year to buy a lamb and were very frugal in its consumption. Everything from head to toe, and I do mean everything, is put to use. Hardly a thing goes to waste.

Grilled osban, a delicacy that is well loved guring Eid al-Adha

Sheep skins and wool are aired, salted and dried to make rugs, or woven into sweaters. The head and feet are scorched on an open flame, and made into a stew.  Some of the offal is fried in a dish called glaya. The stomach and intestines are used to make osban, stuffed with rice, fresh herbs and the remaining offal. Meat is seasoned simply with salt some of which is grilled. The rest is hung to dry for several days, before frying and preserving in sheep’s fat, a type of jerky called gideed.

Roadside knife sharpening

The sight of red tinged water running under garage doors can come to a shock to those of you experiencing this festival for the first time, looking more like a bloody massacre than a religious sacrifice. But most Libyan kids go unfazed by witnessing the slaughter, from which comes the benefit of knowing the source of their food. Libyans are not very refined, and tend take things as they are.  It is hard to put off a Libyan from having their share of lamb. Where most expats cringe at the thought of going to a local butcher with carcasses and guts hanging in all their gore, it’s hard to wipe the smile off the face of a local with his prized dinner in hand.

One stop roadside vendor for all of your butchering needs: barbecues, chopping blocks and coal

For Libyan men, Eid al Adha provides an opportunity to vent some steam, and get connected with the caveman/hunter in them. It is also a rite of passage for most boys. Libyan women, who would prefer to forget that they once lived in a cave, are usually stuck with the more tedious chores, compensating by buying all the kitchen gadgets that can make their day that little bit easier. In any case it is a very social affair, with coals on the fire all day long, families over-gorging on meat downed by bottle after bottle of the Libyan favorite, Pepsi.

No room for vegetarians here I’m afraid.

Happy Eid al-Adha

The act of kneading together a flour and a liquid (usually water) to create a dough which can then be formed into a thin pastry which is either boiled (fresh pasta) baked (bread or baked pasta such as lasagna) cooked over a flame (flat breads) or fried (poppadoms) has its roots in a variety of ancient civilizations (be it Chinese, Etruscan, Greek or Arab) and cannot be attributed to any specific culture, although obviously different varieties and recipes can. This practice most certainly came about once man decided to grind grains between stones, circa 6000 BC.

When we talk about the invention of macaroni we are usually refering to the dried variety (pasta secca) made of hard (durum) wheat rather than fresh pasta (pasta fresca) made from soft wheat. This distinction is important because the invention of dried pasta created a revolution whereby nomadic and mobile peoples (such as militias and crusaders) were provided with a portable source of energy with a long shelf life. This also helped in overcoming food shortages and famine resulting from poor crop seasons, as grains could be stored more efficiently in the form of macaroni. The invention of dried pasta is the point in argument here.

So who did create the world-renowned pasta of today? The latest theory is the most appealing to me so far and I would love to believe that it’s true! Apparently pasta was created by the Arabs and was then spread throughout the region and into Sicily via Libya and Tunisia. Take that! So it was us who introduced pasta to them not vice versa. No wonder we love our makaruna so much! OK, your probably still in shock the way I was when I first read this so here is what evidence I have found (referencing sources at the end):

1. The etymology of the word “macaroni” is unclear, even the Italians don’t claim the word as their own.  The most straight-forward way of determining the origins of an invention is to look at the root meaning of its name. In this case macaroni could possibly be a derivative of makaria in Greek meaning “food of the blessed”, or from maccare “meaning to knead”. The other more complex theory is that it derives from the Arabic verb qarana meaning “to attach”. Apparently a form of pasta produced in medieval Tunisia was made by attaching two strands of vermicelli-like pasta, and are referred to in the past participle as maq’runa.
2. Rishta or erishte in Turkish, is a form of dried noodle popular in the Arab world including Libya long before the Italians knew of it. Erishte is a derivative of the Persian word for “threads”, possibly indicating that the creation of pasta came from the region.
3. The first written record of dried pasta made by a vendor (rather than fresh home-made pasta) and cooked by boiling in water is in the Jerusalem Talmud, written in Aramaic in the 5th century AD. This was sold under the name itriya or tharid (mathruda in the Libyan dialect).
4. Assuming now that the origins of pasta lies in the Middle East, it is believed that pasta was introduced to Italy through the Arab conquest of Sicily (831 AD) via the shores of Libya and Tunisia, centuries before the return of Marco Polo’s expedition in 1295 AD. Italian cookery works of the time reference dried pasta as tria derived from the Arabic itriya. The Arab influence on Sicilian cuisine is very strong and can be seen through the use of spices, dried fruits and nuts. Couscous is very popular in southern Italy and a dish made of macaroni, and a sauce of caramelized onions, cinnamon and raisins (similar to the Libyan makaruna m’sagya) is enjoyed there too.

Having said all that the impact of the Italians on mechanising and mass-producing pasta making it much more accessible is unquantifiable.  The first macaroni factory opened in Tripoli in 1915 by Baretti e Scaletta, soon followed by Dando & Gherardi in 1934. Two smaller workshops, La Pugliese Salpieto and Castellano were both active at the time. In Benghazi, macaroni factories debuted in the early 30′s by Scarpari (1930) and Vaudetto (1933) to support local artisan workshops Pastificio Coloniale and Pastificio Moderno.

Be it m’gata’a, rishta, mbakabka or makaruna m’sagya, today is the day to celebrate the discovery of pasta regardless of who created it. Why not make your favorite pasta dish today and post a picture of it on our facebook page!

For further reading about the origins of pasta visit:

The history of macaroni

The history of pasta

Pasta

The history and development of Sicilian Cooking

In autumn, as the Pleaides go down, you can cook bonito-and you can cook it in any way you please…But if you want to be told this too…the very best way for you to deal with this fish is to use fig leaves and fresh oregano (not very much), no cheese, no nonsense. Just wrap it up nicely in fig leaves fastened above with string, then hide it under hot ashes, keeping a watch on the time when it will be baked. Don’t overcook it.

The Classical Cookbook, Andrew Dalby and Sally Grainger [J. Paul Getty Museum:Los Angeles] 1996 (p. 59-60)

The term dolma originates from the Turkish verb dolmak meaning “to be stuffed”, and is widely used in Western Libya. The term used in Eastern Libya b’rak is mostly likely to be derived from the Turkish yaprak or “leaf”.  Mahshi or “stuffed” in Arabic is a term used collectively for anything that has been filled with anything else.  The wide spread use of the Turkish term  dolma in the Mediterranean basin is testament to the fact that this dish was spread through the Ottoman conquests, though it is widely believed that it is actually the Persians who invented this grand dish.

Nowadays dolma is almost always stuffed with a rice-based filling. There is a general consensus that meat-filled dolma is cooked in a sauce and meant to be served hot, whereas the vegetarian version is usually fortified with dried fruit and nuts, simmered in clear stock and olive oil, and always served cold, usually with a side dish of yogurt. Making these glorious parcels is definitely a labor of love, but worth it every time.

Libyan Stuffed Chards B’rak or Dolma

A pot of dolma ready to simmer

Serves 4

Preparation: 40 minutes including sauce

Cooking: 20-25 minutes

20-25 chard leaves, depending on size

Stuffing

150g ground beef or finely diced lamb

1 small onion, minced

1 plum tomato, diced intovery small (½ cm) cubes

1 ½ cups short (or medium) grain rice

1/3 cup minced parsley

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp dried mint

1 tsp hararat spice mix (or substitute with turmeric)

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Sauce

1 tbsp oil

5 cloves garlic

½ tsp red cayenne pepper

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp salt

1 ¾ cups water

If using lamb, remove the meat from the bone, and dice into ½ cm cubes.

Blanch the chards for about a minute.  Drain from the water, and set aside until it becomes cool enough to handle.

To make the sauce; heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the garlic and lamb bones (if using lamb).  Let the garlic infuse with the oil for a couple of minutes, then add the tomato paste, chili powder, turmeric and salt.  Stir well, allowing the paste to absorb the oil.  Add water.  Stir well making sure that all the paste has dissolved. Cover and bring to a boil. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes (or 15 minutes if using bones).

To make the stuffing put all the stuffing ingredients into a large bowl and mix well, making sure that all the components are evenly distributed.

Dolma stuffing ready to use

Place a leaf on a cutting board with the stalk pointing towards you. Using a sharp knife cut along the stalk from about the midpoint down towards you. Repeat on the other side to remove the thickest part of the stalk.  This leaves you with a shape similar to a lily pad. Place about a tablespoon of the stuffing onto the center of the leaf, just above the cut. Fold the pointy “tails” (the lower two parts of the leaf that remained after cutting off the stalk) over the stuffing.  Fold the sides over, covering the “tails”.  Roll into a cigar like shape.  This process is similar to stuffing vine leaves. Repeat with remaining leaves.

Rolling chard leaves

Use the discarded stalks to line the bottom of a medium size pot.  This helps to regulate the heat and prevents the chard leaves from burning or sticking to the pan, and it’s actually my favorite part of the dish.

Place the stuffed chards in the pot over the stalks, packing them tightly.  Continue with a second layer on top of the first, again packing tightly.  Pour the sauce over the chards.  Cover the pot and place on a low heat.  Simmer for about 20-25 minutes depending on the cooking time of the rice you are using.  Remove from the heat, allow to rest and serve warm or cool.  Best eaten with a squeeze of lemon juice, and can be served as a main or side dish.

This dish can be prepared exactly the same way using a small head of cabbage instead of chards.

An FAO analysis of yearly production, import and consumption, shows that the major staple of the Libyan diet is wheat, mainly in the form of bread, couscous and pasta, but also as porridges (aseeda, zamita and bazeen). Rice is another major staple in the Eastern region and has become very popular in Western Libya in the past few centuries.  The largest source of vegetable protein comes from chickpeas, lentils, dried beans and fava beans; major animal protein sources being lamb (mutton), beef, camel, chicken, eggs and canned tuna.  Unlike neighboring Tunisia and most other Mediterranean countries, consumption of fresh fish and seafood is very low despite the fact that most of the population lives along the coastal region. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are widely available, and fat is mainly sourced locally as olive oil or imported corn and sunflower oil. There is a very high intake of subsidized sugar, especially in the tea drunk throughout the day.

In relation to other Maghreb countries Libya has the lowest cereal but highest fat and meat intake of the region. Compared to other Mediterranean diets, Libyans consume more fruit and vegetables than their French, Italian and Spanish counterparts. Despite the fact that fat consumption is relatively high, it remains much lower than the statistics recorded for southern European countries.

Proportions of main energy sources in the Libyan diet in 1967 and 2001 (data source FAOSTAT)

The dietary make-up has remained quite stable throughout the past 40 years. The percentage of the three major food groups which make up the daily energy supply has slightly fluctuated between 10-11% for protein, 22-27% for fat and 62-67% for carbohydrates. Despite these numbers the quantities of food consumption have increased 1.5 times from about 450 kg/person/day (2061 kcal daily) in 1967 to 700 kg/person/day (3327 kcal daily) in 2001, bearing in mind that the recommend daily intake is only 2,144 kcal. This generally means that we are eating larger portions of the same food. It is important to note here that these figures represent quantities of food available for consumption. The actual intake varies from person to person depending upon local availability and purchasing power. Household waste must also be taken into consideration.

Comparison of apparent annual food consumption per capita in Libya between 1967 and 2001 (data source FAOSTAT)

The FAO defines the fat-to-energy ratio as “as the percentage of energy derived from fat in the total supply of energy”. It sets the minimum requirement at 15% and a maximum of 35%.  Libya is quickly encroaching upon the maximum limit as fat intake increased from 22 to 27% in the period from 1965 to 2002. This is a clear sign that Libya is going through a “nutrition transition” which according to the FAO “include(s) both quantitative and qualitative changes in the diet. The adverse dietary changes include shifts in the structure of the diet towards a higher energy density diet with a greater role for fat and added sugars in foods, greater saturated fat intake (mostly from animal sources), reduced intakes of complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber, and reduced fruit and vegetable intakes”.

What's on your plate? Values under 1% are not represented (data from FAOSTAT Libya 2002)

Simple carbohydrates (refined cereals and sugars) and fat make up over three quarters of the Libyan diet making it very high in calories but low in nutritional value. As such eating more does not necessarily reflect better health. Although specific research about the amount of vitamin and mineral intake in Libya is unavailable, there is a general consensus (deduced from food supply statistics and health figures) that the Libyan diet is significantly low in vitamins A, B1, B2, calcium and iron. A high occurrence of anemia, especially in children and women is an indicator of iron deficiency, which may be attributed to excessive tea drinking (tea prevents the absorption of iron) rather than a lack of iron in the diet.  On the other hand, the Libyan diet was found to provide a sufficient supply of potassium, sodium and vitamin C. Excessive sodium intake is also a major problem as a large fraction of the population suffers from high blood pressure.

In part 3 of this series we’ll look at how farming and food security affect the Libyan diet.

*Please note all graphics are property of We Are Food. Please do not re-use without my  permission.