The Truth of the Matter: Why some Muslim countries abandoned hijab in the 1900's.

So there has been a lot of controversy lately over what two "supposed" journalists said in the Washington Post.  I refer to them as "supposed" journalists because journalism takes investigation and should not be based off personal belief only.

In the article written by Asra Nomani and Hala Arafa it was stated that hijab is not required in Islam and part of this proof is in the fact that neither Egyptian or Indian women wore hijab for quite some time prior to the 1980's.

"Born in the 1960s into conservative but open-minded families (Hala in Egypt and Asra in India), we grew up without an edict that we had to cover our hair," (Nomani & Arafa, 2015).

So why exactly didn't Egyptian and Indian women wear hijab during this time?  According to Nomani and Arafa (2015) it was a result of the Iranian revolution and "well-funded Saudi clerics."  I have heard many stories about why women didn't wear scarves during this time.  The husband of one of my best friends even said it was because the Muslim Brotherhood rewrote the Quran.

Being married to and Egyptian and living in Egypt has given me a lot of insight.  Looking at pictures of my husband's family from this time, most of the women did not wear hijab.  It wasn't until the 80's that they began to do so.  While some people, such as Nomani & Arafa suggest that women didn't wear it because it wasn't required in Islam I got another story from talking to women who didn't wear the scarf during those times.

One woman, Sara (62 years old), told me that she went without wearing hijab most of her youthful years.  When I asked her why she did that she had a different perspective to explain.  "For a long time, Egypt was ruled by Europeans, the French and English.  During this time, and for some time after, Egypt was not a very religious country. After we became free it took some time to put things back to how they were supposed to be." (Translated from Arabic)

Another woman, Fatma (59 years old) told me a similar story. "When we were under English rule women who wore the veil were seen as simple.  Not because they were, but because the English were seen as sophisticated because they had money.  A lot of women chose to wear European clothes and take it off because they wanted to be seen as sophisticated.  We knew it was wrong but we didn't care so much then."

I spoke to seven women in total ranging from 55-79 years of age.  All of their stories were very similar. In fact, not a single woman told me that they believed it was because the hijab was never really required but I was told by every woman that it was removed as a symbol of status.

Similarly to Egypt, India was under British rule for hundreds of years.  When I first converted to Islam (2011) I spoke to an Indian woman at the mosque I attended and inquired about why she covers herself for prayer but not outside the mosque.  She told me that this was because in Indian culture, they do not wear a scarf all the time.  She went on to tell me she believes in Quran it is required for us to wear and encouraged me to continue doing so.

Hijab is uncommon in many predominantly Muslim countries such as Lebanon, India, and Morocco. All of these countries were at one time or another under European rule.  In Morocco, it is tradition that upper and middle class individuals don't wear scarf to distinguish themselves from the lower class.  This sounds very similar to the stories I was told by Egyptian women.

What does all of this mean, well, good journalism shows us that women in Egypt chose not to wear the scarf because of social pressure to fit in with the Europeans who ruled for quite some time not because it was never required in Islam. Many Europeans stayed living in Egypt until the revolution of 1952. According to the evidence it is easy to understand that it took some time before Muslim women in Egypt began wearing the scarf again due to social pressure.

Nomani and Arafa's article is insulting to every intelligent Muslim woman who follows God's command and is an insult to proper journalism.  As I have stated before, too many people want to blame Islam when they do not want to follow God's commands instead of just owning up to their sin.


Reference:

Nomani, A., & Arafa, H. (2015, December 21). As Muslim women, we actually ask you not to wear the hijab in the name of interfaith solidarity. The Washington Post. Retrieved December 27, 2015, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2015/12/21/as-muslim-women-we-actually-ask-you-not-to-wear-the-hijab-in-the-name-of-interfaith-solidarity/

Moderate, Liberal, or Salafi... Muslims in America

What happened to just being Muslim?  Lately, with all the anti-Islamic sentiment going on in the United States, Muslims themselves have become more and more separated from one another.  In some cases, turning against one another.

Please note that I am NOT trying to judge anyone in this post, please read everything to understand my point. While I hate the use of segregating terms, it is used here to distinguish between two extremes. 

Image from Al Arabia News
Diversity is common among Muslims in America, coming from different cultures around the world.

In a long conversation with my husband, we noticed that many Muslims (converts, born Muslims, and immigrants) tend to swing one of two ways in the United States. The diversity between Muslims is no problem in general, but these two groups are pushing so hard against one another that they are driving themselves further and further away from the meaning of Islam. No longer are we one Ummah, but a Nation divided against itself.

First you have the liberals.  Women who don't believe in wearing hijab, individuals who believe anything goes.  Some common beliefs of liberals are that homosexuality is accepted in Islam, practicing Christian holidays, drinking alcohol, associating with non-Maharam (people of the opposite sex outside your immediate family) outside of work, dating, adultery, etc.  Personally, I have nothing against these individuals.  I am NOT going to judge someone for their sins.  What bothers me is that instead of saying that what they are doing goes against Islamic beliefs, they say that anyone who doesn't believe in what they do is a 'Salafi' (or Wahabi).   Their attitude: We are right, they are wrong.  

Salafis, on the other hand, are closer to terrorist extremists.  They believe only in what has been written in Quran and Hadith taken literally as written.  They believe there is no interpretation outside of the exact way it is written.  Islam is divided into schools of fiqh (fiqh means the understanding or interpretations of Islamic laws).  Salafis believe that these schools of fiqh have moved Islam away from it's true meaning.

Salafis often seem like they are always judging others.  Salafis will argue this point, but from what I have experienced in the United States and Egypt, this is true.  They follow strictly the harshest views of Islam, including that Muslims should not befriend or associate with Christians.  Salafis think lower of women's rights, such as women can not hold public office, and must wear traditional Arab clothing (niqab and abaya-black).  Salafis are great at recruiting new Muslims to Islam but tend to paint a very black and white picture for them, often resulting in many leaving Islam.  To a Salafi, anyone who doesn't follow their strict rules is viewed as an infidel.  Again their attitude is, we're right, and you're wrong.

What we don't tend to see much of anymore is the moderate Muslims.  Again, while I hate the use of segregating terms, it is used here to distinguish between two extremes. Nothing more.  My husband and I view ourselves, and most of the people we associate with, moderate Muslims.   We believe that hijab is a requirement, we believe women can be educated, hold public office, and work (though her first duty is to God and her family). We believe Sharia has it's place in the world, but also acknowledge that religion is not supposed to be compulsory. We follow true Sharia in that is should only be used in judging Muslims, and not in judging others outside Islam. We believe homosexuality is forbidden and that associating with a non-Maharam outside of a professional setting is wrong.  We don't believe we are always right, and have the ability to have religious conversations, some other extremes do not.  We commit sins; everyone does.  The difference between moderate Muslims and the other two extremes is that we acknowledge that they are sins and do not represent Islam.  We are wrong, Islam is not, it is no one's fault but our own.   We do not blame one group or the other for our mistakes.  We pray that we become better Muslims and ask God to forgive us.

Muslims make mistakes; we are all humans.  No human is perfect, but our religion is.  Interpretations can be misguided and wrong (extremists of all ends of the spectrum come to mind).  Instead of fighting against one another and blaming each other, isn't it just easier to acknowledge we are sinners and ask God for forgiveness? Why do we have to segregate ourselves from one another? One extreme to another?  In a time where so many people are against peaceful Muslims, we are making it only harder on ourselves and non-Muslims to understand our religion by dividing.  Instead of spending so much time pushing against other Muslims, that time could be spent repairing our image and coming together to become better Muslims in the eyes of God.  Isn't that what matters most?  Not who is right and who is wrong?

Please note:  When talking about extremists I am not referring to Daash or ISIS/ISIL.  They are an entirely different extreme that can not be brought together and are a terrorist group. I do not support terrorism, Daash, or ISIS/ISIL.

Egyptian Kofta Recipe - Absolutely the best kofta ever!

OK, for those of you unfamiliar with kofta, it is similar to meatloaf in the shape of either balls or fingers made from either ground beef or ground lamb.  It can be grilled, fried in a pan, or made with sauce and added to pasta.

Living in Egypt, kofta is kind of a staple.  I have had a lot of kofta over the past two years and have found only a few places where it actually tastes like something more than a grilled or fried lump of ground meat.  I was really tired of the poor examples of kofta I was finding and set out to search for a truly authentic Egyptian recipe.

After eating at several restaurants I finally found a kofta I liked, but do you think they would give up the recipe?  Heck no!  So I took a piece home to dissect it and replicate it into my own.   Traditionally in Egypt, kofta is cooked on a skewer like kebab. I wasn't motivated enough to light the grill so I fried my kofta in the pan, but this recipe can be used for either method.

So I have made my version of Egyptian Kofta half a dozen times and Wael insists it's the best kofta he's ever tasted and I shouldn't change the recipe at all.  I've given it out to a few Egyptian friends who have exclaimed the same.  This is the recipe for the best ever Egyptian Kofta.

Ingredients: 

• 1 lb. ground beef or ground lamb
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 1 medium red onion (minced)
• 1 cup fresh parsley (minced)
• 1 tbsp. cumin
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• butter, oil, or cooking spray for frying

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl mix first ten ingredients.  Mix will as to distribute through all the meat.  This will take about 5 minutes of hand mixing.  
2. Take about a ping pong ball sized glob of meat in your hands.  Roll out into the shape of fingers. It's easiest to roll it out on a table or counter top. (Remember making snakes with play-dough?  Press the middle so the ends don't get too thin.)
3. Heat butter, oil, or cooking spray in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Add kofta fingers in pan.  Cook for about three minutes to brown the bottom.
4. Add 3 tbsp. of water and reduce to low heat and cover for about 5 minutes to cook through the middle of the meat.  This will basically steam your meat.  
5. After center is cooked to about medium, turn kofta fingers and brown the other sides.  It will take about 3 minutes per side.  Be careful not to overcook them or they will dry out significantly.  
6. Remove from heat and serve hot.  Best with warm soft pita bread, tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, and garlic spiced tahina sauce.

Note:  I cook on a gas stove.  Cooking times may very for electric or gas top stoves.  Check and turn your kofta often to avoid overcooking.

Garlic Spiced Tahina (Tahini) - An Egyptian Recipe

Tahina or also know as tahini is a staple in Egypt and much of the Middle East.  Tahina is a paste made traditionally from ground sesame seeds. It is used in hummas, baba ganoush, or just plain as a condiment much like ketchup or mustard.

In the United States you can find it easily in most larger grocery stores such as Woodman's in the ethnic foods or all natural/vegan section.  You can also find it readily in halal markets and international foods stores.

The brand I prefer in the USA is Al Kanater Tahini which I purchase at the Istanbul Supermarket in Madison, WI for $2.83 for a 2 lb. (908g.) jar.

So, ordinarily, tahina has a consistency close to that of natural peanut butter.  Sticky and a bit oily.  It is great alone, but can be kind of bland.

We often order grilled chicken from a street vendor here in Port Fouad and they give us a little dixie cup size of this excellent spiced tahina.  It's never enough for a whole chicken and two people.  We're dippers.  We dip chicken, we dip bread.  It's good sauce. And relatively healthy.

So, one day in an attempt to mock the chicken vendor's tahina I came up with this recipe, which has instantly become one of Wael's favorite and he insisted I share it because he said,  " I'm Egyptian, I've tasted a lot of tahina in my life, but this is better than anything I've ever tasted from any country-you have to share your recipe."

So here I am.  Sharing what has become our household go to tahina recipe.

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup tahina at room temperature
• 2 tbsp hot water
• 5 cloves of garlic (minced-without oil)
• 1 tbsp of fresh parsley (minced)
• 2 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions: 

1. In a glass jar add the first 5 ingredients.  Shake vigorously for about 2 minutes until well mixed. 
2. Pour into serving bowl and add oil and lemon juice, stir briefly until mixed.  Do not over mix or it will become lumpy.
3. Chill for about 1 hour before serving.

Note: The sauce will be a little runny just after shaking and will thicken as it cools.  

Kousa bil bechamel (Zucchini baked with white sauce) Egyptian Recipe

This post is a few days behind, and I apologize.  Sometimes we get so caught up in life that I just lose track of what I'm doing. 

It is getting to be that wonderful season I know so well in Wisconsin, garden harvest season.  One of the easiest plant to manage that I always loved to make was zucchini but other than zucchini bread and fried zucchini I didn't really find a lot of recipes that I liked to use it with.  That is, until I moved to Egypt.  

Here in Egypt zucchini is another one of those vegetables that is pretty much always in season. Zucchini is also very healthy as it weight friendly as it only has about 17 calories per 100 grams. For those of us who eat it peel on, it is a great source of dietary fiber.  It is also high in vitamin C, folates, potassium, and B-vitamins. 

Earlier I posted a recipe for mahshi kousa (stuffed zucchini) and today I will share my other favorite Egyptian zucchini recipe which is kousa bil bechamel (literally zucchini with bechamel sauce).  This is a fairly easy dish to cook and takes no real technical skill.  There is a little bit of prep work involved, but for a good quality Egyptian meal that is pretty normal.

The bechamel is a milk based sauce which you can either prepare on your own or purchase in a sauce packet (this is one thing I personally prefer to make from the packet).  I will include a recipe for the bechamel sauce the way I was taught to make it even though this recipe will just use the simple sauce packet.  Knorr makes bechamel sauce and it can usually be found in large chain supermarkets like Woodman's near the rest of the sauce packets. You can also find it in halal and international markets.

 BECHAMEL RECIPE: 

Ingredients:

• 3-4 tbsp olive oil
• 3 heaping tbsp of flour
• 3 cups of milk
• 2 tsp pepper (black)
• salt to taste

Directions:

1. Add the 3-4 tablespoons of oil to the pot, and add the flour to make a paste. Stir it around a few minutes to cook out that raw flour taste. 
2. Next, add your salt, pepper, & milk (gradually) and whisk -don't stop whisking.
3. Keep whisking until it starts to bubble, and becomes thick like pudding. 
4. Remove from heat and set aside

KOUSA BIL BECHAMEL RECIPE: 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds zucchini cut into 1 cm thick rounds (early or small zucchini works best)
• 1 medium red onion (diced or minced)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 2 cups of tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground chili
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• about 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Directions: 

1. In a medium sauce pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat.  Add onions and cook until translucent. 
2. Add ground beef and be sure to break up any chunks as it cooks.  
3. While the beef is browning, in another pan heat  1  1/2 tbsp oil over medium heat.
4. Add zucchini batch by batch and cook until they are fork tender.  Remove from heat.
5. Add tomato sauce, pepper, salt, cumin, chili, nutmeg, and cinnamon to meat and onions in the sauce pan.  Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer.  With cover off reduce until almost all of the liquid is gone (think lasagna sauce).
6. In another sauce pan heat bechamel packet according to ingredients. Remove from heat. 
7. Take remaining oil and spread on the bottom of a rectangular baking dish.  Coat with bread crumbs and tap the sides to remove any access.
8. Layer 1/2 of the zucchini along the bottom of the pan.  Spread half of meat and sauce on top.
9. Add final layer of zucchini again topped by the remainder of meat and sauce mix. 
10. Finally, add bechamel over top of the meat.  Spread over mixture.
11. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350°F or until bechamel in golden brown and zucchini is soft. 
12. Serve with Egyptian Rice

Everyday things to bring if you're moving to Egypt. From hygiene to those x-rated in the bedroom kind of things.

I have lived in Egypt for just about 2 years now.  I have had so many women ask me about my life here, asking for advice, and tips I just thought I'd take some time out to talk about that tonight.

I live mostly like your typical North Shore Egyptian wife.  I eat 99% Egyptian food, take on (very happily and willingly I might add) the domestic duties of my family, dress, act, and talk (well-I'm working on that) an Egyptian. 

For me, this is my identity.  I am one of those people who very easily adapt to their surroundings.  I think I was raised this way.  My grandmother taught me a lot of old tricks and I have carried those with me through life.  Growing up in rural NE Wisconsin really set the stages for my life here in Egypt, I think.  We worked hard, cooked from scratch, and smiled at whatever was thrown at us.  

As I've stated in my earlier post about living in Egypt, life is much different here, but I call this place home.  Unfortunately, I was raised in a society which is slightly (OK a lot) more advanced in many things us women depend on.  I didn't understand that my first time out here.  While I did adapt, it wasn't always the most comfortable situations and I have devised a list of things to make life more comfortable here for women considering moving, or an extended stay in Egypt.

1. HYGIENE

• Bring a stock of tampons.  If you prefer tampons like I do, you're in for a not so plesent surprise when you come to Egypt.  They are very very hard to find, and if you do they'll be very primitive (cardboard applicator and one size fits all).  If you do manage to find them (available in some Metro Supermarkets) they're not cheap either.  Women simply do not insert things down there, this is basically because they can break your hymen making it difficult to determine how a woman lost her hymen at marriage.  I know it isn't quite fair, but that's just how it is.  When I came back in March I brought a 6 month supply with me, and now I'm running low. Either having a family member willing to ship them or ordering on amazon will be important if you really don't want to wear maxi-pads.
• Solid stick or gel stick deodorant is another rarity here as well.  Be prepared to bring a few extra sticks with you.
• Bring extra hair supplies.  Egyptian women have a different type of hair than European descendant women.  It is between that of European and African descendants.  This means what you normally use in your hair isn't readily available.  Mousse, hairspray, certain kinds of conditioners and shampoos, a variety of hair brushes, and hair dyes are not available in Egypt.  
• 3+ blade shavers.  We only have 1 and 2 blade here.  If you shave instead of wax bring a supply of blades or disposable razors with you.
• If you're any skin tone other than ghost white and wear foundation, bring extras.  You know how many pale skinned girls tan, well in Egypt those beautiful tanned skinned girls love to do the China Doll thing.  Extremely white foundation with bright makeup.  When I wear foundation it is nude or light beige, I couldn't find it.  What I ended up with was this really think cinema ivory white foundation that made me look like a zombie.  If that's not your thing, bring extras. 
• Lotion, lotion, lotion.  If you're prone to dry skin, or have skin conditions, bring your own lotion and moisturizers.  While we do have lotion here it is very watery and not the best in quality.  I use the Nivea face cream on my entire body to prevent cracking during the dry months (on the North Shore in summer it is HUMID).
• Lip-gloss.  I love lip-gloss and have found several halal brands that are really cute. Unfortunately there isn't any here.  I mean none.    I've searched 3 malls in Cairo and every cosmetic shop in Port Said Governorate and still couldn't find any. 

2. HOUSEHOLD ITEMS

• Oven thermometers.  Yes, not every oven here will have a thermometer.  I have a brand new one and mine doesn't.  Many, mine included, don't even have a temperature gauge on the nob.  I bake by guessing and I've become an expert but I know many are not.  Best bet is to bring a simple and cheap over thermometer if you plan on ever baking.
• Modern can-opener.  I don't use much canned food but when I do I'd really love a can opener that works.  We've tried several can openers from china that don't work.  The only one I have that does is an old fashioned baladi (local in Egyptian Arabic) can opener similar to the one below. 
  
• I do not suggest bringing appliances, even small ones.  Not because of airport security or anything, I brought a huge food processor in my checked luggage.  The problem is, in Egypt all electrical plugs run 220 volts vs the 110 volts most small appliances run on in the US.  You will have to find a step down transformer to run it and they are hard to find and can be costly.
• I've been asked several times about toilet paper.  Most people are familiar with the idea that we don't use it here.  Instead we use a bidget in our toilets to wash our backsides.  This does not in any way mean we don't have toilet paper, I just don't advise flushing it.  I was surprised after moving to Egypt how much water we waste in America from out toilets.  Here they're only filled just above the bottom of the bowl.  Unless you're flushing toilet paper they work great. But again, we do have it, I just suggest throwing it away over flushing it. 
• When it comes to household things, we have a lot, but think 1960's technology.  Anything electronic costs a lot and is hard to find, anything kitchen that is from after 1960 will be expensive.  Anything imported is expensive.  I advise you make a list of things you MUST have or can't live without and go from there. 

3. FOOD STUFFS

• Most bigger cities have Metro markets which cater largely to tourists and foreigners.  Much of what you're looking for you can find there.  If you're Christian and eat pork, I can't help you find that.  Unfortunately pork products are not sold here publicly.  They do exist but I suggest you ask around the Churches about where to obtain them.  
• Alcohol is another thing you won't find here readily.  Some of the more touristy cities have it but don't expect to find it anywhere else ( they also are very picky about you bringing it in with you in your checked luggage or carry-on).
• If you don't plan to eat Egyptian food bring a lot of money with you.  Imported and processed food is expensive, so are fast food restaurants.  Especially if you plan on staying for an extended period. You will burn through your funds quickly. 

4. MEDICATIONS

• Most prescriptions are available in Egypt, but under a different name.  I take insulin and while I can find novolog, I have switched to humolog because it has a higher temperature allowance for shipping purposes.  
• If you take certain anti-depressants or psychiatric medications bring extras, you will not find many in Egypt.
• If you take any long term prescription steroids bring extra, steroids are illegal in Egypt even with prescription so you will not find them at the pharmacy or... well anywhere except maybe a drug dealer and I do NOT suggest that. 
• Narcotics do not exist in Egypt.  No Vicodin, no Tylenol with codeine, no morphine (except in life and death situations), no percocet... Nothing like that is available here at all.  I was in Cairo, almost dying from pain (losing consciousness) and the best they could even give me was ketorolac (tordol) which did nothing for the pain.  I suggest if you take prescription long term narcotics to reconsider your move, wean yourself off ahead of time, or have someone ship them with prescription to Egypt.  Shipping is not advised though. 
• We do have ibuprofen (NSAID pain releavers and anti inflammatory drugs are common and can be obtained without a prescription: catafast, ketorolac, flamogen).
• We do have Tylenol and it is commonly found under the name Penadol and Adol.
• Cold pills that work the best are congestal (paracetamol 650 mg, cholrpheniramine maleate 4mg, pseudo-ephedrine hydrocholoride 60 mg).
• For upset stomach and diarrhea go to the pharmacy and ask for antinal.  It works wonders.
• Birth control pills are also available but I am not sure about what brands.
• You do not need a prescription for medications in Egypt as everything is legal.  

5. X-RATED IN THE BEDROOM STUFF (WARNING: If this kind of thing -sexual in nature-offends you please stop reading here! Not for small children.)

• Lingerie is available for all sized women in most local clothing markets throughout Egypt.  You can find basically everything from simple to exotic and erotic.  Remember, the best stuff (and often the cheapest) is in your local outdoor clothing market (bazaar).  We have an entire 10 streets running east to west here in Port Said just for women's clothing and lingerie items.
• Condoms are available at your local pharmacy and you can get 6 for about 1 Egyptian pound.
• Sex toys... No.  If you're into that kind of thing you will not find them here.  Not because no one has sex, simply because most Egyptian couples don't have 'that' kind of sex.  I have heard rumors that there were a few in Cairo but they were shut down in the time of Morsi.  I'm not sure if more have opened, but with the taboo of sex toys in the Middle East I highly doubt it. You can bring them with you though in your checked luggage.  They will not confiscate them, I assure you that.  I do not suggest bringing handcuffs with you though as the customs people may see this as a security risk and you might have them confiscated or at least have some interesting explaining to do. 
• Personal lubricants.  Whatever your reason for needing them, you won't find those here either. I suggest bringing enough with you or using coconut or almond oil. 

Now I'm sure there is some stuff I missed, so if you have any questions about what we have and what we don't, please feel free to ask.  

Egyptian Style Tomato and Cucumber Salad

In Egypt, all of your fruits and vegetables are locally grown (well, in Egypt) and fresh.  This means everything is seasonal.  While this is great for freshness and price, it is not the best when you want something out of season (example: mangoes or figs in the fall/winter, strawberries and bananas in spring/summer).

Egyptians love fresh salads, but not the kind you're thinking.  In the Unites States and much of Europe, we have come to think of a salad as a main meal kind of thing.  Lettuces, vegis, meats, dressing...  Unless you're dining at a restaurant in one of the pricey malls, you won't even find a salad like that in Egypt.

Salad in Egypt is mainly made of the items you can find year round, the staples to every Egyptian's diet; tomatoes, onion, cucumber, and fresh cilantro.  This is eaten in Egypt as the side with most cooked fish meals (and seafood) and unlike in America, eaten on top of rice.  I think it's great with rice and alone.  One of my favorite dishes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 English cucumbers (small short cucumbers with tiny seeds)
• One medium onion
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• about 3 tbsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped (parsley works well also)
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Chop tomatoes and cucumbers into about 1/4" pieces and add to bowl
2. Peel and quarter onion, add to food processor and roughly chop
3. Add onion to bowl of tomato and cucumber mix
4. Add finely chopped fresh cilantro, cumin, salt, pepper, and vinegar
5. toss together
6. serve cold with Egyptian rice

The Perfect Egyptian Rice with Vermicelli

If you know an Egyptian, or are married to one, you are familiar with the fact that they like to eat rice with... well almost everything.  And Egyptians, at least the ones I know, are very particular about their rice.

Egyptian rice is a very short grain rice, grown in Egypt.  It is not cooked the same way as medium or long grain rice.  When cooked it is supposed to have a fluffy texture, not at all sticky.  Most often, Egyptian rice is cooked with very short vermicelli.  If you don't have short vermicelli available, you can break regular long vermicelli into about 1/2 inch pieces.

For the longest time I struggled making perfect Egyptian rice.  It was either sticky or crunchy.  After a lot of experimenting with rinsing and soaking, different amounts of water, and different qualities of rice I found maybe I just wasn't ever going to be able to make it.

One day while cooking the vermicelli (you brown it like you would with rice a roni) I forgot to add the water before I added the rice.  Well, now what?  I got some crazy idea.  I added a tiny bit of oil to coat the rice and cooked it slightly, then added the water.  OMG it worked.  It was so simple, so easy. no rinsing, no soaking.  And the rice was absolutely perfect.

So today I am sharing with you my easy recipe for that perfect Egyptian rice with Vermicelli.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup vermicelli (1/2" length)
• 1 cup Egyptian or other short grain rice
• 1 3/4 cup boiling water
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. warm the oil
2. Add vermicelli.  Stirring constantly cook vermicelli until golden brown (do not burn)
3. Remove from heat.  Add rice and salt.  Stir until thoroughly coated with oil. 
4. Return to low heat and cook about 3-5 minutes.  Rice will go from clear to a pasty while color. Be very careful not to burn the rice.  This can happen quickly so you have to constantly stir it.
5. Add 1/34 cup boiling water.  Cover and cook on very low heat for about 10-15 minutes.  Stir every 5 minutes.  
6. When most of the water is absorbed turn off the heat and leave covered for about 5 more minutes
7. Fluff rice with fork.  

Left-over Ramadan Dates? Date Paste Recipe

With Ramadan over many of us are suffering from too many date syndrome, or simply, lots of left over dates and little ideas to do with them. We had about 4kg left after Ramadan ended and with all the heat and humidity I wanted to keep them from going bad. {Eat and drink but waste not by extravagance, certainly He (Allah) likes not Al-Musrifûn (those who waste by extravagance).} [Quran 7:31]  

 I was really torn with what to do with them but came up with a great solution after baking a really dry cake one day.

DATE PASTE

Date paste is just amazing.  It packs all the nutrients of dates in a easy to store much smaller size. Date paste is useful in baking, as a marinade for meat, sauces, spreads, and I've even used it in a recipe for orange sesame chicken.  It is sweet and tangy and has many health benefits.  

In baking I use it as an oil or butter substitute.  It makes a super moist cake that is also healthy!  Yes, I said it, healthy cake!

Date paste does take a little work to make but is well worth it.

NOTE: The amount of dates you use isn't important in this recipe at all.  It can be made as a single serving or larger batches to can or freeze. 

Ingredients:

• Dates
• Water
• vanilla to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Split and seed the dates you want to make into paste. I used 2 kg of dates and it took a while.
2. Cover with water and soak dates for at least 3 hours (preferably over night)
3. Drain dates but do not discard of the water you used to soak them.
4. Add dates to food processor and add about 1/3 of the soaking water. 
5. Continue blending adding water when necessary until you have a thick applesauce consistency. Add vanilla if you choose. 
6. Allow to cool fully before eating.  If canning add to sanitized canning jars while hot and seal off immediately. 

Good in unsealed container in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
Good canned and frozen for 6+ months.

Enjoy!  

Loobya (Egyptian black-eyed pea stew) recipe

So I was asked by my husband to make something I've never even tasted before.  That's a first for me. I think what makes it so hard to cook without tasting is that I don't even know what it's supposed to taste like.

Loobya is one of my husband's favorite dishes.  It is Egyptian black-eyed pea stew and like most other Egyptian stew it contains stew meat and a tomato sauce base.  I found a few recipes online that seemed really bland spiced only with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.  From what I know about Egyptian food, nothing is that bland.  I searched and searched until I found a recipe in Arabic that was closer to what I was thinking.  Now I never follow a recipe down to the tee.  I like to make everything my own while still following local spice and dietary customs.   According to my husband I made another knock-out dish and the best loobya he's ever tasted!  Thought I'd pass along my recipe.

I have only eaten black-eyed peas in bean soup, many years ago, so I wasn't really excited about making it but it was something Wael was really looking forward to so I couldn't pass up the challenge.

This is an absolutely amazing dish.

This can easily be made into a vegetarian meal, just skip the meat, it will still taste great!

When making loobya it is important to rinse your black-eyed peas the night before and soak them in a large bowl of cold water.  When you tend to them in the morning, discard of any floaters on top.

Rinse again and refill the bowl with fresh water and black-eyed peas.  Set 1 hour.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 lb beef or lamb stew meat
• 4 tbsp tomato paste ( I make mine homemade but that isn't necessary)
• 1 lb bag of dried black-eyed peas
• 1 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 cardamon pods
• salt and pepper to taste
• juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions:

1. Fill stock pot with enough water to cover black-eyed peas.  Place over medium heat and heat to boil, then turn down to simmer.
2. Place onion and garlic in food processor.  Mince well. 
3. Place oil in pan over low heat.  Add onions and garlic and heat until aromatic and onions are translucent. 
4. Add onions and garlic to stock pot.
5. Add beef to pan over low heat and fry until brown.  Add to stock pot.
6. Cook for 2 hours over low heat.
7. Stir and add in tomato paste.
8. Grind spices in food processor (dry) or in mortar and pestle.  
9. Add spices to stock pot.  Salt and pepper to taste,
10. Cook over low heat and additional hour.
11. Serve warm.

Server with Egyptian short grain rice.

Hijab: Obligatory or Choice?!

I am a Muslim woman, and I am pretty forward on a lot of issues.  I do not consider myself a scholar. I am also not a follower of Salafism or Wahhabism.  I am just a Muslim woman who is tired of people trying to tell me I am not obligated to wear the hijab, or head scarf.  

I am often told we are not obligated; it's a woman's choice.  The thing is, there is a notable difference between 'not obligated' and 'choice'.  The word obligatory means required by a legal, moral, or other rule; compulsory.  Choice, as defined by Merriam-Webster is the act of choosing: the act of picking or deciding between two or more possibilities.  So something can be obligatory but you can choose not to follow that obligation, right?  Yes. 

I have heard the story enough, Muslim women saying they don't have to wear the hijab, it's their choice, that not all Islamic Scholars say it is obligatory.  The fact of the matter is, there is not one qualified Islamic Scholar that has ever said, in the history of Islam, that hijab is not obligatory.  Now I want to clarify qualified Islamic Scholar.  Not everyone can be an Islamic Scholar, and for this I will refer to using the Islamic High Council of Senior Scholars as qualified Scholars.  

The thing is, there is no mistake that hijab is obligated for Muslim women because it has been stated in Quran, then in hadith, and then verified by the Islamic High Council of Senior Scholars.  There is no mistaking that.  No argument necessary.  Khalaas! Women in Islam are obligated to wear hijab.

There is something though, about choice.  God (Allah-same meaning) gave man (and woman) free will.  A woman can choose not to wear hijab.  Will it make her a non-Muslim?  No.  There are 5 pillars to Islam and wearing hijab is not one of them.  If a woman does not wear hijab she can still be a Muslim just as if a person decides to start drinking alcohol, steals, or kills someone he can still be a Muslim.  These are just sins.  If you don't do something God orders you to do, that is considered sinning.  Every person has free will, therefor he or she can choose to sin if they want to.  

So, is wearing hijab obligatory for Muslim women, yes it is.  Do Muslim women have a choice whether they wear it or not.  Yes they do. 

So why are some women saying it is not obligatory?  My theory is that they don't want to admit to their sin, and they're trying to justify their actions.  I keep wondering why we so often attempt to make excuses for sins in our lives. How is that though we say we love God, so often it is difficult to look at ourselves head-on and see the sin that God sees? How come it is so easy to make excuses to others, who often see us for what we are, and the sins we commit? Why is it that the sins we try to hide the most, are the ones that keep coming to light, until we finally say, "No more excuses"?

I don't care if you choose to wear hijab or not.  That isn't for me to judge but you're excuses are making it difficult for us women who do still want to do what is right and wear our hijab.  If you don't want to say it, it's time to quit making excuses about Islam and take responsibility for your own actions. 

Bamya bil Lahme (Okra with meat stew) Egyptian Recipe

In Egypt, we have another way of thinking about meals.

Breakfast is around 6-8AM before the men leave to work or go out to the fields.

Lunch is the big meal of the day and is usually served between 3-5 PM .  This was something I found difficult to get used to at first because traditionally in the United States our big meal is in the evening (supper, or some call it dinner).  The reason lunch is your big meal is for a two reasons. First, men come home after working are looking for a big meal before they go off to their second job.  Second, instead of eating a large meal only hours before you sleep, Egyptians have found it is healthier to eat your larger meal mid-day so you have more time to burn those calories off.

Supper is more of a snack taken shortly before bedtime.

Lunch in Egypt is usually a big hearty meal made up of stews, baked dishes, and grilled fish almost all served with rice.  All the food is made from fresh seasonal ingredients and usually takes some time to prepare but is well worth it in taste and nutrients.

Today I will be making Bamya bil Lahme, or okra with meat stew.  There are several ways you can make this, either in your oven or in a pot.  The oven method is slower and really heats up your house in the summer so I am opting for the pot method today.  

For those of you unfamiliar with okra (being from Wisconsin I had never eaten it before moving to Egypt while I know it is popular in southern states) it is a plant from the mallow family that grows in warmer climates.  Okra is very healthy and high in antioxidants.  It is high in vitamins A, B, C, and K.  Medically it has been used to help blood clotting, help lower blood sugar, reduce symptoms of acid reflux, and studies have shown it reduces your risk of heart disease.  Okra is one of those super-foods that when cooked right tastes good too, making it a staple in our family. 

Baby Okra

Bamya bil lahme originated in Egypt thousands of years ago. It is made with lamb or beef. This is the recipe as taught to me by my Egyptian mother-in-law while I was living in Egypt. This recipe is a one pot recipe making it quicker and easier to prepare than other stove to oven methods. Served with Egyptian or other short grained rice.

Ingredients

•  6 tablespoons unsalted butter or 6 tablespoons olive oil
•  2 lbs lamb or 2 lbs beef stew meat
•  2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon        
• 1 cup chopped tomato (peeled and seeded)
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup stock (beef)
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
• 1 1/2 lbs okra (baby, fresh or frozen)
• 1 lemon, juice of

Directions

1.          Heat 4 tablespoons butter or oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Working in small batches, brown meat, turning constantly, until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2.          Add onions to meat and saute until translucent, 8-10 minutes.
3.          Add garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock. Stir well.
4.          Add salt and pepper to taste.
5.          Cover tightly and cook for about 45 minutes- 1 hour or until meat is tender. Add more water if it becomes dry.
6.          Prepare okra by rinsing in cool water. Cut the stem end off each and poke holes in them to allow them to absorb the liquid.
7.        Once meat is tender add okra and 1-2 cups water.
8.       Pour lemon juice over mixture (this reduces the slimy texture of the okra).
9.     Cook an additional 30-45 minutes on low heat until it has a thick stew consistency and okra is soft.
10. Serve warm with rice.

Egyptian Arabic Grammar and Common Mistakes: Part 1 NOUNS

My habibi... Ukhtis... Common mistakes in Arabic from non-native speakers that drive me insane and make you look kind of stupid in front of native Arabic speakers.  I am going to try to run over some simple grammatical rules and explain some common mistakes (and why you're making them).

Egyptian Arabic words are made of three different parts.  The prefix, the root word, and the suffix. Nouns generally only have the root word (which will be either male or female) and a suffix ( my, your, their, our, etc).

NOUNS

In Arabic, nouns are either male or female.

For the most part, nouns that end in a 'ta' 'a' or 'ah' sound are feminine. Some examples:

ENGLISH WORD	PRONOUNCIATION	ARABIC
SISTER	UKHTA	أخت
APARTMENT	SHA’A	شقة
CAR	ARRIBEYA	عربية
WORD	KILMA	كلمة
JACKET	JAKEETA	جاكيتة

Masculine nouns do not end in  'ta' 'a' or 'ah'.  Some examples:

ENGLISH WORD	PRONOUNCIATION	ARABIC
TEACHER	MUDARRIS	مدرس
ENGINEER	MOHANDIS	مهندس
ACTOR	MUMASSIL	ممثل
ARTIST	FANNAN	فنان
BOOK	KITAB	كتاب
WINDOW	SHOBBAK	شباك

Unlike in English, to make a noun plural you don't just add an 's' or 'es' at the end.

For a masculine word you just add 'ein' to the end of the word to make it plural. An example would be teacher/mudarris. Plural it would be teachers/mudarrisien. With feminine nouns you need to remove the 'a' or 'ta' and make it 'aat'.  For example car/arribeya would be cars/aribeyyaat plural. There are some irregular plurals that don't follow these rules though, sister/ukhta for example is sisters/akwaet when plural or ukteen for two sisters.

To take possession of a noun you also don't add my or s at the end.  Ukhtais and my habibi is incorrect forms to take possession.  The Arabic word for my is 'i'  'ي'.  Simply, for most nouns you add i at the end to take possession of it. For instance, my house is bayti. Habb means love, if you want to say my love you would say habibi (not my habibi because it is already saying my). Some nouns you need to add a word behind to make it belonging, bitaea'i. For example: There is my teacher!/ 'ehu ilmudarris bitaea'i.

To give someone else ownership it depends on whether they are male, female, singular, or a group. For a male you add 'uh' at the end.  His mind would be aa'l uh just as his children would be awlaed uh.  When referring to something that belongs to her you would use 'ha'.  Her voice is soot ha and her siblings would be ikhwaet ha.

When you are referring to your you have add 'ak' (pronounced ik for females).  Your ear would be widnik and your hair would be shaarik. For our you add 'na'.  Our son would be ibn ina and our house would be bayit ina. Finally, their is 'hum'.  Their house is bayit hum and their son is ibna hum.

Hope this helps.  If you have any questions please feel free to ask and watch for my next lesson on Egyptian Arabic verbs.