By: Omar Nsouli
Tabbouleh is a magical salad. No, I’m not talking about the kind with cucumber and quinoa. I’m talking about a fresh and summery salad usually shared over a warm moment with our loved ones. Tabbouleh is the kind of salad that makes you knock your fists on the table in euphoria or start dancing around your house. The tasty appetizer is commonly known to be from Lebanon and Syria and is usually made with parsley, mint, tomato, and onion. It’s perfectly garnished with fresh lemon juice, salt, olive oil, and bulgur (cracked wheat) in the perfect marriage of flavours.
My family is from Beirut, the energetic capital of Lebanon, where locals find the poetry within the pandemonium. Car horns and wholesome balcony banter are the soundtracks of our day-to-day routines. Family and food are core values. In Lebanese culture, everyone cherishes a lovely meal with family.
In my family, the dish never had a concrete recipe with distinct measurements, therefore the one who could eyeball it the best on the first try is considered to be unrivaled in the kitchen. I would like to highlight two resilient and strong women in my family who stepped up to the tabbouleh plate and succeeded. They are my grandmother, Amina, as well as my older sister, Mina, whose salad reflects them and their personalities precisely.
Amina Fathallah, the teacher
When my grandmother was young, she debated whether she wanted to be a school teacher in a small village or go back to the buzzing Beirut and start a family. After some thought, she eventually chose the latter. Later in life, she always wondered what could’ve been. She was always an educator to our family. She was an excellent cooking teacher, giving handmade recipe cards to each of her children to bestow upon the coming generations. Her kitchen, stuck in a quaint ‘60s timewarp, was her classroom, and like many teachers, she provided care, attention, and love to her students. Her tabbouleh truly reflected her personality with the effort and love she invested into all of our relationships amid many hardships in her life like war, loss, and illness.
Amina “Mina” Nsouli, the fashionista
My sister is multifaceted; a woman with many talents. She is an exceptional accountant, stylist, and meticulous cleaner. However, I personally believe she’s the new culinary genius in the family tree. Sorry mum and dad, but the culinary gene seems to skip a generation. Born in Calgary, but has lived all over the world, Mina’s well-traveled taste is highly reflected in her cuisine. She mirrors her impeccable fashion sense in her cooking with her attention to detail. From intricate sushi rolls to a spaghetti bolognese copycat of a five-star restaurant dish, she pulls from the latest trends with creative juxtapositions. Mina takes a ‘90s Calvin Klein approach to Lebanese food — keeping it chic yet minimal, acknowledging the traditions of the past. Her tabbouleh is a masterclass in salads; she buys everything with an organic stamp of approval for the highest quality, giving her the title of the “modern classic” chef of our family.
Though both Aminas may be different, they both have taught me something through their love of cooking. They taught me that it’s indispensable to show love and generosity. In return, I shall receive it back through the many delicious dishes they have made. They have also taught me to stay dedicated to my passions no matter the external circumstances that may be in the way, just like they did with their elevated cooking surmounting many hardships. In retrospect, I acknowledge these two strong and courageous Arab women who’ve inspired me with their wisdom, care, and ingenuity.
