When I visit Egypt, whichever part of my family I would be staying with would greet me with smiles and stuffed grape leaves. Stuffed grape leaves is a food item that has been prepared for special occasions in my family for many generations. A large family gathering at my grandparent’s home in Egypt was incomplete if we were not served grape leaves. During the month of Ramadan, grape leaves were the main course of our feast after a long day of fasting. To me, this traditional dish represents togetherness. It was not a meal you could eat alone, it was one that required family to prepare and enjoy. Even though almost all of my family is still in Egypt, I feel connected to them when my mom prepares grape leaves in my home.
Preparing grape leaves for a large family is at least a whole day’s work. It was not uncommon for me to walk into my grandparent’s kitchen to find a small army of my aunts or cousins working to feed the whole family. Like an assembly line, some would prepare stuffing, others would roll the leaves into their proper shape, and others would prepare the rolled leaves to be cooked. The stuffing consists of rice, chopped onions, parsley, dill, tomato sauce, salt & pepper, and cumin. The grape leaves are coated with this mixture and rolled using a special technique. Afterwards, the raw wrapped leaves are lightly soaked in chicken stock then heated in a pot for about one hour. Once the aroma of the heating leaves hit the air, our ragtag kitchen staff was ready to reap the fruit of their labor and the celebrating could begin.
Every young woman in my family learns the recipe for stuffed grape leaves and the intricate techniques required to prepare the dish from their mother. Being first generation Americans, my sister and I learned how to make grape leaves to be able to share the tradition with our own families when we grow up. I think serving stuffed grape leaves to my family will help to preserve my roots as an Egyptian and help reaffirm my identity as a child of an immigrant family.
Having the recipe of stuffed grape leaves in my immediate family has helped us make an impact as an immigrant family in New York. Whenever we have guests over we have the opportunity to share a piece of our culture with them when we have dinner. In this sense, we can show other New York families a little part of Egypt. It is incredibly satisfying to watch people who are not native to your home nation enjoy its culture with enthusiasm and curiosity. It delights me whenever one of our guests insists on having the recipe so they can prepare grape leaves for their family. As well as upholding my native culture, it helps Egyptian-American culture grow and have a larger influence on the lives of other Americans.
