Arab Americans and Arab immigrants in the United States have shared a longstanding tradition of food. The dish that has been passed down across generations is Mansaf, which reflects life as it was before ISIS took control of large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria. With much still to reclaim from the years under their rule, this meal remains symbolic for many members of the diaspora who are making an effort to reconnect with their past through cooking.
For many members of the Arab American Diaspora, Mansaf offers a taste of home. This dish is typically served on holidays and special occasions.
Grace, my daughter, will be thirteen this year. She has no recollection of the flavor of her jiddo’s mansaf. I want her to know who dad was because his cooking and stories were so important to him. I start to wonder whether she and my husband, Scott, could enjoy a restaurant version with me that might bring back memories of my home dinner. I’m hesitant because I’m scared it’ll be a letdown; I’m concerned there’s something too intimate about mansaf that necessitates making it at home or not at all.
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The “mansaf recipe” is a dish that many members of the Arab American Diaspora enjoy. The dish offers a taste of home to the people who are not able to return to their homeland for various reasons.
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