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.

Take the survey now!

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.

North Africa and the Middle East are going through a nutrition transition.  As the global economy has slumped for the past few years, many Arab states including Libya seem to be going through an economic boom of sorts.  The large influx of expats to the region is a major marker of this trend.  Countries such as Libya, have recently opened up their markets to foreign import and investment, and are now consuming diets high in sugar and saturated fat as people perceive fast, frozen and processed foods of the West as symbols of luxury and progression.

Obesity is becoming a worldwide epidemic and of the developing regions going through this transition, North Africa is the biggest offender. The problem of obesity has escalated with rapid urbanization as more people leave manual work for office work yet continue to consume high levels of energy without expending it with physical activity.  Urbanization also means that a higher level of processed foods and fast foods are more readily available and likely to be consumed.

Libya is one of the countries most affected by over-eating. Forbes currently ranks Libya as 78 out of 194 countries in the world’s fattest countries list, with 53.2% of adults aged 15 or over being overweight or obese. This dilemma  is most likely to have risen here much sooner than in other Maghreb states as the oil-boom of the late sixties and early seventies provided an abundance of imported food not previously available under strict foreign regimes of the pre-independence era. Libyan cartoonist Zwawi depicted this trend in his satirical cartoons of that time. The reaction to years of poverty and hunger was to eat and hoard large quantities of food, and although post-embargo food security has been stable for nearly a decade, this mentality continues to persist.

A recent article about obesity in the Arab region published in the Emirati newspaper The National states that “chronic diseases associated with eating habits have become one of the leading morbidity and mortality causes in the Arab world, with obesity topping the list of diseases, as the rates of obesity among children and adults have doubled in the last two decades.” Libya has one of the highest rates of late-onset type 2 diabetes in the Arab region, and very high rates of coronary and skeletal ailments.  Every single Libyan either has, is related to or knows someone with one of these diseases.

Libyan women suffer more than men from obesity as they tend to lead more sedentary lifestyles and are not encouraged to participate in sports or exercise. Also more time spent in the kitchen means more nibbling, and any social gathering has to be furnished with an abundance of food. According to Earth Trends, the average required intake of an adult Libyan is 2,144 kilocalories per day but the USDA has found that at least 2,800 are actually consumed per day, with an available dietary energy supply of  3,327 kCal per capita daily.  This means that the average Libyan consumes up to 700+ kCals per day, translating into 1 kg of weight gain every ten days, or 36 kg per year.  The numbers are staggering when added up.

Ironically, over-eating also brings about cases of malnutrition similar to that found in hunger-stricken areas. Libyan women especially have been found to have low intake of vitamins A, B1, B2 and Calcium. We will look at the nutritional makeup of the Libyan diet in part two of this series on obesity in Libya.

]]> http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/2010/10/03/bigger-not-better-obesity-in-libya-part-1/feed/ 22 selmusrati http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/the-diversity-of-north-african-cuisine/ http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/the-diversity-of-north-african-cuisine/#comments Fri, 03 Sep 2010 10:02:01 +0000 Sarah Elmusrati http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/?p=571 ]]>

The North African kitchen is always associated with couscous as a staple, and rightly so. But the flavors and influences create regional differences that give each of the Maghreb countries it’s distinct characteristics. The Moroccans are the master’s of spice blending, using the most exquisite ingredients such as saffron, preserves, dried fruits and nuts to create surreal sweet-savory dishes.  The Tunisians like things fiery hot and the freshest produce are always used. Eggs, potatoes and harissa always find their way into every dish. Libya is most strongly influenced by the Ottoman reign of over 300 years and this is apparent in the most exquisite sweets and desserts Libyans produce to this day; pure local cedar honey, almonds and distilled orange blossom water are the stars here.

Below are a few of my favorite dishes that showcase the best of what North Africa has to offer.  Credit for these beautiful photographs goes to Azizi Ahmad, whose work you have seen throughout the blog, and will see more of as we are planning future collaborations. You can see more of Azizi’s work on his blog, Sahara Desert’s Photographer, and read about him in the Look Out Libya expat interview.  He was our guest of honor for iftar on Tuesday when he took these photos.

If you look closely you can see Azizi's reflection in the serving spoon!

The table setting is just as important as the food

The Fanoos (lantern) is symbolic of breaking the fast at dusk during Ramadan; Egypt is well known for producing them

The habit of eating Turkish Delight in Libya was inherited from the pashas of the Ottoman era

Morrocan Tadeffi, Saffron infused garlic and mint soup from the city of Fez

Tunisian B'rik bil Batata, potato filled Malsouka (Tunisian borek pastry) served with a fiery Tunisian harissa

Morroccan Za'aluk, grilled aubergine and tomato salad

Tunisian Torchi, freshly pickled beet, carrot and red onion salad

Moroccan D'jaj M'Charmel, saffron infused chicken with preserved lemons, onions and olives

Milk and rice flour pudding fragranced with orange blossom water, introduced to Libya during the Ottoman reign

Luqma al-Qadi, "the judge's mouthful", bitesize crispy dumplings coated with honey infused syrup and sesame seeds, another inherited Libyan dessert

]]> http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/the-diversity-of-north-african-cuisine/feed/ 1 Torchi selmusrati fork and spoons table fanoos turkish delight tadeffi borek zaaluk Torchi D'jaj M'charmel muhallabia luqma al-qadi http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/day-21-cultural-exchange/ http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/day-21-cultural-exchange/#comments Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:11:08 +0000 Sarah Elmusrati http://foodlibya.wordpress.com/?p=547 ]]> Written by Azleena Wan Mohamad

Through my work with Look Out Libya, I have come to realize the importance of opening up the Libyan culture to others and vice versa, which is partly why I started We Are Food in English. Many of you who follow me on Facebook will know Azleena from all the wonderful pictures of Malaysian and Libyan food she has made or sampled throughout the course of Ramadan. Many emails later we met over Iftar and Azleena kindly fulfilled my request to share with us her experience of Ramadan in Libya as a Malaysian expat family. Azleena previously worked with the Department of Environment in Malaysia. She now does freelance editing and is a mom to 2 kids. She previously lived in Kuala Lumpur then Sarawak, Malaysia when her husband joined Shell. This is their first posting overseas. I would also like to wish the Malaysian community a happy Malaysian Independence Day, today August the 31st.

My name is Azleena, I come from Malaysia and have been in Libya not quite 2 months yet! This is my first Ramadan in Libya – actually my very first Ramadan out of Malaysia.

Ramadan in Libya is very different from in Malaysia, partly because of Malay customs, partly because Malaysia is a very multiracial country – around 50% of the population consists of Malays (who form the great majority of Muslims), the rest are mainly Chinese, Indians and Orang Asli (aboriginal) tribes. Thus, unlike Libya where restaurants do not open at all during the day and shops mostly open late, close during Iftar, and reopen late into the night, business in Malaysia goes on as usual. Offices also work the usual hours, though muslim employees are allowed to leave early (but are expected to work through the lunch hour).

Although many families break the fast together, eating out is a major event during Ramadan too. Many restaurants, especially in hotels, have special Iftar buffets featuring specialties from the different states in Malaysia. Even fast food chains like Pizza Hut and KFC have Ramadan special dishes and offers! Close to Maghrib time, the restaurants are full with people claiming their table and salivating over waiting plates of food while counting down the time till the Azan…

"Berbuka di Kuantan" or iftar at Kuantan taken by Zaini Abdullah. Malaysian family and friends break their fast with food bought at the bazaar on the lawn of this magnificent mosque

Ramadan in Malaysia is very festive, with decorations of ketupat (traditional diamond-shaped packets made from woven coconut leaves in which rice is cooked so that it is compressed) hung in the streets and in shop windows, and Malay Eid Al Fitr music – songs of family and forgiveness, journeying back to the kampong (hometown) for family reunions, celebration and food – start playing on the radio.

But what I miss most about Ramadan in Malaysia is the Ramadan bazaars that spring up in every muslim-majority neighbourhood. Small stalls are set up along the road, selling sweet and savoury delicacies from all around Malaysia. The Ramadan bazaars are so popular, selling treats that can only be found at this time of year, that they are frequented by all races in Malaysia.

Kuih Bakar, a pandan flavored baked coconut custard that Azleena kindly made for us. Dana couldn't resist stacking them up! Photo credits Azleena Wan Mohamad

My personal favourites from the Ramadan bazaars are:

• popia basah (fresh spring rolls with a filling of cooked jicama eaten with a chilli sauce),
• tepung pelita (green and white layered soft pandan and coconut milk pudding, traditionally in small cups made from pandan leaves),
• cucur udang (fried prawn fritters eaten with a sweet chilli sauce),
• puteri mandi (literally translated as “bathing princesses” – small dumplings made from glutinous rice flour, coloured in several pretty colours, ‘bathing’ in a sweet sauce made from coconut milk and fresh grated coconut),
• Cek mek molek (translated as “pretty girl” in the Kelantanese dialect – a fried torpedo-shaped dumpling made from sweet potato with a filling of sugar which melts to a syrup during frying).

Apart from the traditional Malay dishes, we also enjoy foods influenced by our neighbouring races and countries. Indian murtabak (a wrapped roti [crispy fried Indian flatbread] filled with a mixture of ground meat, onion and egg), Chinese tau foo fah (soft soy pudding with sugar syrup), and Thai and Indonesian dishes are also popular choices at Ramadan bazaars.

An assortment of home-cooked Malaysian and Thai food at an Iftar gathering in Tripoli. Photo credit to Azizi Ahmed

Now I’m hungry!

The Malaysian community in Tripoli is not very big, but very close.  We have been to several Iftar gatherings and potlucks, at which many Malaysian favourites are served, so we are not too homesick. Having never lived out of Malaysia before, I have always been able to easily buy Malay kuih (cakes) and have never felt the need to learn to make them… but I will have to start learning now!

In Malaysia, similar to Libya, we usually break the fast with dates and sweet kuih. Then after a pause for prayers it’s on to the main meal, usually starring rice. An everyday dinner would be rice with several side dishes of meat, vegetables and eggs. Some examples of special rice dishes are Byriani rice and from the North Eastern states of Kelantan and Terengganu are nasi kerabu /nasi ulam (rice with herbs) and nasi dagang.

Ikan Kering, dried salt fish. Photo credit to Azizi Ahmad

Nasi kerabu is rice traditionally tinted blue by being cooked with the petals of the telang flower, eaten with very finely julienned herbs and vegetables like torch ginger flower, turmeric leaves, long beans, cucumber, lettuce, bean sprouts, etc. and accompanied with  keropok (fried fish crackers), kerisik (fried grated coconut) and ayam/ikan percik (grilled chicken or fish basted in a spicy coconut gravy).

Nasi dagang is traditionally reddish-brown glutinous rice steamed with coconut milk mixed with halba seeds and very finely sliced shallots, garlic and ginger, eaten with fish or chicken curry and acar (fresh pickle of cucumber and carrot or pineapple).

OK, now I am really hungry! How much longer till Iftar?

During our stay in Libya, we have been very honoured to be invited for traditional Libyan food for Iftar on two occasions. Thus we have enjoyed Libyan delicacies like sharba Libiya, dibla, kefta, m’batten, o’sban, burik, rushda, and the very traditional and ancient Libyan dishes of bsisa and bazin with camel stew.

Libyan O'sban, rice and offal stuffed sausages similar to the Scottish Haggis. Photo credit to Azleena Wan Mohamad

Middle-Eastern food is becoming popular in Malaysia, and hubby and I love trying new food, so we are really enjoying Libyan food. The kids are still getting used to Libyan tastes, but they do enjoy the simple snacks like dibla, burik and kefta. One major difference is the Libyan use of parsley in almost everything, while Malays (and Malaysians) rarely use it, except perhaps as garnish or in western dishes. The use of spices seems a bit milder than in Malay cooking, although a glance at the spice counter shows that many of the same kind of spices are used. Malaysians eat mostly rice and noodles, compared to the Libyan staples of bread, couscous and pasta. And of course Malaysians use mainly palm oil instead of olive oil.

Fukhda Mashweya wa Roz bil Khalta. I served this special dish of roast leg of lamb and rice with almonds and raisins to Azleena and her family when they visited for Iftar last week

Eid Al Fitr in Malaysia is called Hari Raya Aidilfitri, and is celebrated in a bigger fashion than Eid Al Adha. During Hari Raya Aidilfitri, people who have migrated from small towns to big cities return to their hometowns for family reunions. Thus, the Balik Kampung (Return to Hometown) rush begins a day or two before Hari Raya, and all roads leaving major towns become jammed with cars returning to all the far away villages. Some Malay traditions for Hari Raya are getting new clothes (Baju Raya, or Raya Clothes) and the distribution of Duit Raya (Raya Money) in little green envelopes to kids. (This tradition is also practiced by the Chinese community during Chinese New Year, except with red envelopes.) The Duit Raya tradition is sometimes taken to the extreme – kids in neighbourhoods gang up and go from house to house requesting Duit Raya! The Hari Raya celebrations go on for at least a week, with open houses where friends, neighbours, and colleagues of all races are invited to sample Malay goodies. Even the Malaysian celebrities, Ministers and the Prime Minister have Hari Raya open houses, held in halls and convention centres, open to everyone!

Thank you Azleena for your informative article. I think you will have all of us heading to Malaysia for Ramadan next year! I would also like to thank my dear friend Azizi Ahmad, also a Malaysian expat in Libya and a photographer during his spare time, for allowing us to use some of his great photos. Another big thank you to Azizi’s friend, Zaini Abdullah in Kuantan, Malaysia, for sending us a picture that captures the spirit of Ramadan in their home country.

If you would like to post some thoughts or photos about Ramadan in your community, be it expats in Libya or Libyan expats abroad, please write to me at selmusrati@yahoo.com

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