Monday, March 23, 2009

Lesson 1: Food

I started with food first, because it's a great introduction to any culture and language. Food is a big part of Kurdish culture, so, learn these words and make fast friends.

Kurdish food can vary by region and even by family, so what I present below is a snapshot of the foods I enjoyed first in San Diego and later in Iraq. The families with whom we lived in California were from the Sulemania and Halabja areas which is also where I lived in Iraq. I don’t know much about Hewleri or Dohuki food let alone Kurdish food in Turkey or Iran.

Kurdish food is a blend of regional dishes with local ingredients. The dishes are often similar to what one might find in a Turkish, Lebanese or even Indian restaurant, but in Kurdistan, the dishes have their own unique flavors.

I, for one, have never had falafel better than the falafel I had in Sulemania. The same goes for Briyani.

Below, I will spell the names of the dishes and foods with latini. Remember to see here for a refresher on pronunciation.

Breakfast: A typical Kurdish breakfast is fairly light.

KurdishEnglish
MastYoghurt
HangwînHoney
NanBread
MozBananas
Ḧelke RonFried Egg
ÇaTea
PenîrCheese

An everyday breakfast would just be nan u mast, but the others mix in as well. Of course, no breakfast is complete without Ça.

My favorite breakfast was to mix my mast with date syrup. It was great, but I have no idea what the Kurdish word for date syrup is. Sorry.

Lunch and Dinner: Lunch and dinner foods are usually the same. We often ate lunch at the office where we had a cook. She made some really great things! (Although, some of my co-workers complained about the excessive amounts of oil!)

KurdishEnglish
BirincRice
ZalateSalad
FasulîeBeans
KubeGround meat wrapped in rice
BrîanîSpiced rice with anything and everything in it
KufteGround meat wrapped in wheat served in a tomato soup
TepsîEggplant, zucchini, onions and potato fried with spices
Yapraẍ/ DolmeGround meat wrapped in grape leaves or stuffed in variousvegetables
ŞileTomato-based stew with one of many vegetables
ŞufteLittle spiced-meat patties (My personal favorite!)

Miscellaneous Food Names: There are many other words you’ll need to cook and eat in Kurdistan. I have tried to include those below. I have also included separate tables for fruits and vegetables.



KurdishEnglish
GoştMeat
QȋmeGround meat
MirişikChicken
QalTurkey
MasȋFish
SamunBread loaves or buns
RonOil
ŞekirSugar
ArdFlour
Mast AwYogurt and water drink
DoLike Mast Aw, but when made traditionally, it’ssemi-fermented in an animal stomach
GȋpeMeat cooked in a cow's stomach
Sȇr u PȇHead and feet. Sheep’s brains and feet
KababMeat patty on a skewer
TikeMeat chunks on a skewer
GwȇsNuts
XwȇSalt

Fruits and Vegetables: The secret to Kurdish culture is this: when you are invited to dinner or visit someone, they will eventually serve you fruit. The fruit is your sign that it’s time to go.

KurdishEnglish
SȇwApple
PirtikalOrange
HunirPomegranate
TirȇGrape
MozBanana
KişmişRaisin
QeȋsȋApricot

I don’t like vegetables all that much, so my vocabulary is slim. Sorry.
This certainly isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a good start.

If you have recipes for any of these foods, please post them in the comments. I can only make rice and şile.



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