Literary Banquet Reflection

Food: The Language of Love

 

Makloubeh has become one of my favorite dishes ever since I first tried it at my friend Ramiz’s house. He is now the director of the Arabic House, where I lived this semester. I find Makloubeh to be a very unique dish, there’s nothing quite like it in my own culture. Since I love cooking, I have always wanted to make it myself. I love how delicate the process is and how much care goes into each step. It is the kind of dish that helps improve your cooking skills because you have to be precise, making sure it doesn’t burn at the bottom and adding just the right amount of water.

 

I learned more about Makloubeh at the Arabic House while observing Ramiz cook it multiple times. Eventually, I felt confident enough to try it myself, and I made it for our class. I bought the ingredients from different places. I ordered the rice from Amazon. Although I already had basmati rice in my dorm, I wanted to use the best-quality Asian rice. I got the vegetables from Aldi, Safeway, and Food Lion.

 

One challenge I faced was roasting the vegetables in the oven, as I did not want to fry them in oil. I didn’t have oil spray, so brushing oil on the cauliflower was a bit tricky. I also ended up adding more water than necessary. In my culture, we usually soak rice for a few hours before cooking, which adds another layer of complexity to getting the water measurement right. So, I soaked the rice for Makloubeh a few hours before cooking it. Next time, I plan to buy oil spray for better vegetable roasting and adjust the water based on what I have learned from this experience. Overall, I was happy with the outcome. 

 

Makloubeh is a traditional and iconic dish in Palestine and is also widely cooked across the broader Middle Eastern region, particularly in the Levant: Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The name "Makloubeh" means "upside-down" in Arabic, referring to the unique way the dish is served. After cooking, the pot containing layers of rice, meat (chicken or lamb), and vegetables (eggplant, cauliflower, carrots, and potatoes) is flipped onto a platter, creating a layered presentation. Makloubeh holds deep cultural significance in Palestinian society, symbolizing hospitality and communal identity. Its history dates back centuries, with references found in medieval Arabic cookbooks and local legends connecting it to the time of Saladin in the 12th century. Over time, the dish has become a staple at family gatherings, religious celebrations, and communal events, especially during Ramadan and festive occasions.

 

The ingredients used in Makloubeh reflect the region's rich history of trade and cultural exchange. While some elements like lamb, chicken, and olive oil are native or long-established in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern region, others were introduced through centuries of interaction with other cultures. Rice, for example, was brought to the Levant from Asia via ancient trade routes, while eggplant originated in South and East Asia and arrived through Arab traders. Potatoes and tomatoes, now common in some variations, were introduced to the Middle East from the Americas following the Columbian Exchange. The spices that give Makloubeh its distinctive flavor, such as, allspice, nutmeg, and black pepper, also arrived through extensive trade networks connecting the Middle East with South Asia and beyond. Makloubeh is typically served hot as a main meal during large gatherings, special occasions, and acts as a symbol of unity and heritage at communal feasts and events.

 

I personally think that this dinner was better than a written final. It gave me the opportunity to try making Makloubeh, something I have wanted to learn for a long time. In addition to improving my cooking skills, I also learned about the cultural significance of the dish and the rich history behind the ingredients that go into it.

 

Cooking is one of my greatest passions, it is also one of my love languages. For me, preparing food is more than just a daily necessity; it’s a way of expressing care, connection, and gratitude. I could spend hours in the kitchen cooking for the people I admire and cherish in my life. Because of this deep connection to food, I loved Crescent by Diana Abu-Jaber. The novel intertwines food and storytelling so beautifully that it feels like the kitchen is not just a setting, but a living character in the book.

 

What I love most about Crescent is how the preparation and sharing of food become acts of memory and love. Sirine cooks with a tenderness and instinct that mirrors how I feel when I am in the kitchen. Through Sirine, Abu-Jaber shows how food can be a bridge between worlds, between the past and the present, between longing and belonging. As someone who comes from a background where food is central to community and tradition, Crescent reminded me that cooking can be a powerful form of storytelling and resistance, especially for those of us who live between cultures or across borders.  (834 words)