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Dressed in tracksuits and with their sleeves rolled up, about 30 residents of Tajura, an eastern suburb of the Libyan capital, volunteer to cook and distribute about 300 meals every day during Ramadan. As part of a campaign linking social solidarity with culinary tradition to provide free meals to people fasting during the Muslim holy month, men of all ages eat bazin – Libyan barley-based flour served with stew Goes – are joining efforts to create.
Similar to Italian polenta or West African fufu, bazin, an originally Berber dish, is a classic family meal from Tripolitania, the historic northwestern region of Libya. It is also a symbol of sharing for Libyans, usually eaten by hand from a shared platter around which guests sit on the ground. “In the old days, this dish was confined to homes” where it was prepared by women and “served to relatives and neighbors,” said chef Salem Omren of the initiative, which took shape after the 2011 uprising. Who had overthrown the long-time dictator Moamer. Gaddafi.
“We provide these meals to everyone who comes,” the 60-year-old man told AFP. Next to her, men in groups of three walk around a large pot with long sticks in hand, mixing barley flour into boiling salted water. After cooking, for at least an hour, the still-warm dough is kneaded and divided into small pieces, which are folded into dome-like shapes, then into a bowl with beans, tomatoes and spices. Is kept.
Meat, which was once essential, is disappearing due to its rising prices. But volunteers do it. “We went from one saucepan to one pot, then from one pot to two pots, and now we serve 300 to 400 meals per day,” said Issam al-Tayeb, a 57-year-old resident of Tajura who came to help.
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In the capital Tripoli, about 22 kilometers (14 miles) away, another culinary delicacy is reemerging this Ramadan: the esfinz, a deep-fried, soft donut made from leavened dough, usually filled with egg. Or it is dipped in honey. Once an affordable street food, esfinz has become a luxury for many Libyans amid the rising cost of living.
The country is still struggling to recover from years of war that followed Gaddafi’s death in 2011. The North African country is divided between two rival administrations in Tripoli in the west and Benghazi in the east. Despite having the continent’s largest oil reserves and abundant natural gas reserves, enduring instability has weakened the economy and taken a toll on living standards in Libya.
“Customers buy within their means,” said Mohammed Saber, who runs an Esfinz shop on the outskirts of Tripoli. “Today, a tray of eggs costs 20 dinars (about $4), which has increased the price of egg sphinx by a few pennies to 3.5 dinars,” he said. “Life is hard for Libyans now,” said Saber, a Tunisian who lived in Libya for a long time and worked to master the dialect.
Sphinx traders like Saber traditionally come from neighboring Tunisia, home of the popular bambalouni donut, but in recent years they have become rare in Libya. Now they are making a comeback for those who can afford it, despite competition from hamburger and shawarma vendors. Young and old are standing in a queue in front of Saber’s small shop. “It smells so good,” customer Mohammed al-Bouchi, 69, said in a playfully remorseful tone. “But honestly, it’s not ideal for your health.”
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