Food and Fusion

Arab cuisine is defined as the various regional cuisines spanning the Arab World, from Morocco and Tunisia to Yemen and Somalia, and incorporating Syria, Egypt and others. It has also been influenced by the culinary traditions of Turkey, Greece, Iraq, the Balkans, Iran, India, Afghanistan and the Berbers. (Wikipedia)

Got invited to a barbecue by one of the ex-pat families. Can’t call it a “braai” coz they don’t know what that is. Was an interesting group of people together: four South-Africans, four Pakistanis, one Irishman and five British. It was okay enough though I really have to get use to the total absence of alcohol. The Pakistani lady brought a fruit salad with what I thought was cinnamon on top. Took a big helping with lots of cinnamon and then nearly choked – it was ground masala ! Who the hell puts curry powder on a fruit salad! Obviously the Pakistanis do. The Pakistani man politely told me it was an acquired taste. Hell, yes!

Today I bought eggplant-salad. It had liberal amounts of a red spice sprinkled on top.  Approached it with caution and dished from the bottom,  in case the “paprika” turns out to be curry again. Please, let it taste like the melitzano salata I remember!

There’s a cafeteria at the hospital, catering for the staff. The meals are subsidized and you can’t make it yourself for that price. Besides the fact that I don’t particularly enjoy cooking (a known fact) I’m just too tired in the evenings to bother. The cooks are from Sri-Lanka. The food is divine. Normally a choice of three – always roast chicken, lots of breyani, noodle dishes, fish and sometimes lamb. Definitely no pork. Funny how one starts missing something when you can’t have it! I skip the lamb because I’ve been spoilt - nothing beats Karoo-lamb.

Love their salads, especially tabouli. (Salad made of bulgur, finely chopped parsley and mint, tomato and spring onion, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil.) The most favourite herbs in Arab food are thyme and mint. The Greeks favour oregano, basil and garlic. The Asians add cardamom, cloves, saffron, curry, and chili. (Many of the same spices used in Arabian cuisine are also those emphasized in Indian cuisine. This is a result of heavy trading and historical ties between the two regions, and also because many South Asian expats live in the Arab Gulf states.)  Fusion at its best.