When food writer Angela moved from Beirut as a child, she left happy memories of family meals behind. Growing up abroad she avoided Lebanese food, fearing the emotions it might stir. It took the loss of her mother to reawaken Angela’s culinary nostalgia
BY ANGELA ZAHER PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON FOOD STYLING EMILY GUSSIN
Grief first took me to my kitchen. After spending a week in Lebanon attending my mother’s funeral, I came back home to London and felt lost. In search of comfort, I pined for the food of my childhood.
I took myself off to a Middle Eastern food shop and picked up as many of the ingredients I could find that I recognised from my mother’s kitchen: green lentils, moghrabieh (a type of large couscous), orange blossom water, tahini, puréed dates, semolina, bulgur wheat... I stocked up on spices such as sumac, za’atar, cumin, cinnamon, ground coriander and baharat. I bought a basic Lebanese cookbook and got going.
As I mixed, rolled and shaped Lebanese cookies, I felt my mother’s presence with me. Memories of her in the kitchen came back to me, times when she was at her happiest. And, just as she never paid much attention to recipes, preferring to use them as loose guidelines, I let my instincts take over. I experimented with bringing Lebanese flavours to British classics. As I experienced the joy of cooking for the ones I love, I started to understand my mother in a way I didn’t when she was alive.
ANGELA’S MUST-HAVE INGREDIENTS
WHAT ARE YOUR FRIDGE ESSENTIALS? Feta I add it to everything – salads, soups, stews, risotto… Crumbled feta lifts any dish by adding saltiness and creaminess. It has a fairly long life so you don’t have to worry about it going off.
Blocks of halloumi These also keep for a long time. If I’m stuck for a side dish or interesting salad, I fry halloumi slices and arrange them with tomatoes and avocados. They’re also great in a panini or with scrambled eggs.
Mini cucumbers I make at least one salad a day, with a mix of cucumber and crisp leaves, but I only ever buy mini cucumbers as they’re more flavoursome – so much so that they usually get eaten before I’ve even had the chance to chop them up for the salad.
Onions, carrots and celery If I have the ingredients for a soffritto in my fridge, I know I can always make dinner. I can add grains, pulses, lentils, spices and let them cook slowly, then sprinkle with crumbled feta and chopped up parsley to serve.
WHA
