Meet the southern Iraqi’s famous Timman Mash, Mung bean rice. Simple, nourishing and soul comforting food.
Dried lime and ginger tea
It’s sour tea, distinctively sour, but in a good way. A unique aromatic and pungent flavour that only a dried lime can produce. Known in Iraq as Noomi or Noomi Basra, dried limes are also used whole or ground in Iran and the gulf region for many savoury dishes. In Iraq it is also used as a warming tea or turned into a summary cordial (will post once weather is warmer), culturally believed to cure indigestion and sooth the stomach. Continue reading
Mung bean and swiss chard soup
A simple, frugal, hearty, satisfying, nourishing and comforting Iraqi soup. It fills me with nostalgia not only because its as popular as lentil soup in Iraq, but because there’s something familiar about it’s creaminess and my mother’s addition of a luscious green leaf that makes it all the perfect comfy bowl to behold on cold day. It is more popular in southern Iraq (as far as I know), as I’ve seen some families cook it almost every day.
Foodie confessions
It’s been exactly a year and two months since we moved to Iraq, and almost two years since my last depressing post. Continue reading
Blog Hibernation
Dear blog, my silent patient companion.
You know me well to understand my long absence. The seeds of thoughts, images and words are patiently awaiting the soil of my soul to find the right environment. It is bitterly suffocating.. to fight amongst inner storms, drowning showers and the poor soil. You also know well enough that I will not quit. You just have to wait a little. The fruition of seeds against inner battles is a beautiful one.
Autumn Roast Salad
As the weather cools I crave the comfort of roasted vegetables, the kind of vegetables that seem so bland and unappealing by just being steamed or boiled. Roasting does caramelise the natural sugars in any vegetable, and the addition of a few sour, salty and crunchy condiments completes the picturesque of a perfect meal. I’ve eaten enough Mr A’s salad over the summer to keep me happy without it for a while. Continue reading
Prune Cake
A few days ago WordPress congratulated me with a “2 year anniversary” notification. Has it really been that long? I’ve hardly posted anything and certainly don’t deserve this electronic celebrations! The thing is, since I’ve started blogging, I’ve developed a deep appreciation for all those committed bloggers out there. The dedicated devotion to the amazing pictures and beautiful words, filling cyberspace, reaching someone, somewhere in this vast expanding world. What’s more, my admiration goes to all working mums who blog regularly sharing their amazing creations and pictures so enticing, they want to make you bite the screen! How do you do it?
Well done everyone! Blogging is no easy job. Continue reading