Comments on: Rice pudding with tahini, turmeric and pine nuts(Moufataka) http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/ Exploring the culinary world of the Middle-East Sat, 11 Feb 2012 08:30:45 +0000 hourly 1 By: Joumana http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-37857 Joumana Mon, 13 Dec 2010 18:19:00 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-37857 @Zoon: Thank you so much! Your detailed comments are so appreciated at my end! I thought mufattkah was exclusive to the Sunni community. @Zoon: Thank you so much! Your detailed comments are so appreciated at my end! I thought mufattkah was exclusive to the Sunni community.

]]> By: zoon http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-37852 zoon Mon, 13 Dec 2010 17:29:35 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-37852 Mrs Yazbeck picked recipes from all over lebanon, and it was great to collect those to try to make our culinary patrimony survive throughout the years, however there are two elements that she has not taken into consideration with regards to Mufattkah recipe: - historical origin: Mufattkah has never been exclusive to the Greek Catholic community which I am part of, and neither to the region of Beirut. Sunna people of the Sidon and the region are still doing it at home and pastry shops, and it is a long culinary heritage. You can still visit Al Baba, Al Anwar, Iskandarani, or else in Saida and find Mufattka. - cooking time: stiring is supposed to last 4 hours at least at very low heat, and because of the long time you spend stiring, you end up being "torn apart", this is why this desert is called Mufattkah (the tearing apart). - linguistic meaning: Mufattkah the tearing apart (or unsewing) desert (for the reasons just highlighted in point 2). if we say Mufattakah (it makes it unsewn). this is a common error proper to arabic language, because the a between the t and k is shown in arabic by an accent and not a letter. and usually accents are not typed except in pedagogic books or articles. so people might get confused. This reminds me of the word khayar. the a between h and y is reflected by an accent (fat-ha), which makes it mean, the choice. if we pronounce it khyar (the accent will be (soukoun, or "silent") it makes it mean cucumber. khayar and khyar are written exactly the same way in arabic, it is just a matter of accent, indeed, but this makes the whole difference of meaning. Also, I noticed that the book of Mrs Yazbeck reflect many errors despite its big value. ie linguistic error: Bouabné instead of Bou Amné (father of Amné) (p27 of her book) ie time of cooking : freekeh, mouffatkah and others (I think she did not test them herself) ie: identification of ingredients mixing up two different ingredients like (i) baking powder and yeast (levure chimique au lieu de levure de boulanger/I have the french version of her book) which are totally of different effect when cooked (recipes of fatayer bi sabenekh (p132) and Tlamé bi laban (p205) (ii) carvi and curcuma (she defines carvi as curcuma) which are absolutely different ingredients (carawya and curcum also called oqda safra) in the recipe of Meghli (p204). These comments are meant to clarify some realities and not to reduce the value of the above mentioned book. Mrs Yazbeck picked recipes from all over lebanon, and it was great to collect those to try to make our culinary patrimony survive throughout the years,

however there are two elements that she has not taken into consideration with regards to Mufattkah recipe:
- historical origin: Mufattkah has never been exclusive to the Greek Catholic community which I am part of, and neither to the region of Beirut. Sunna people of the Sidon and the region are still doing it at home and pastry shops, and it is a long culinary heritage. You can still visit Al Baba, Al Anwar, Iskandarani, or else in Saida and find Mufattka.
- cooking time: stiring is supposed to last 4 hours at least at very low heat, and because of the long time you spend stiring, you end up being “torn apart”, this is why this desert is called Mufattkah (the tearing apart).
- linguistic meaning: Mufattkah the tearing apart (or unsewing) desert (for the reasons just highlighted in point 2). if we say Mufattakah (it makes it unsewn). this is a common error proper to arabic language, because the a between the t and k is shown in arabic by an accent and not a letter. and usually accents are not typed except in pedagogic books or articles. so people might get confused. This reminds me of the word khayar. the a between h and y is reflected by an accent (fat-ha), which makes it mean, the choice. if we pronounce it khyar (the accent will be (soukoun, or “silent”) it makes it mean cucumber. khayar and khyar are written exactly the same way in arabic, it is just a matter of accent, indeed, but this makes the whole difference of meaning.

Also, I noticed that the book of Mrs Yazbeck reflect many errors despite its big value. ie linguistic error: Bouabné instead of Bou Amné (father of Amné) (p27 of her book)
ie time of cooking : freekeh, mouffatkah and others (I think she did not test them herself)
ie: identification of ingredients mixing up two different ingredients like (i) baking powder and yeast (levure chimique au lieu de levure de boulanger/I have the french version of her book) which are totally of different effect when cooked (recipes of fatayer bi sabenekh (p132) and Tlamé bi laban (p205) (ii) carvi and curcuma (she defines carvi as curcuma) which are absolutely different ingredients (carawya and curcum also called oqda safra) in the recipe of Meghli (p204).

These comments are meant to clarify some realities and not to reduce the value of the above mentioned book.

]]> By: ziad http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-30640 ziad Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:24:59 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-30640 Super, Merci car je cherchais ce plat depuis plus de dix ans. Ce sont des plats en voie de disparition. Super,
Merci car je cherchais ce plat depuis plus de dix ans.
Ce sont des plats en voie de disparition.

]]> By: Alépine http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-6865 Alépine Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:34:16 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-6865 Merci pour ce partage, une jolie découverte ! Merci pour ce partage, une jolie découverte !

]]> By: Ivy http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-6401 Ivy Sat, 09 Jan 2010 13:38:40 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-6401 Tahini in combination with rice pudding sounds amazing. Tahini in combination with rice pudding sounds amazing.

]]> By: M. A. Salha http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-6391 M. A. Salha Fri, 08 Jan 2010 20:18:40 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-6391 Wow, I haven't had this for so long. Might have to call my mum and ask her to make it for me! Wow, I haven’t had this for so long. Might have to call my mum and ask her to make it for me!

]]> By: Peter http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-6377 Peter Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:25:51 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-6377 The tumeric gives this rice pudding the look of it having pumpkin in it. Well, the spices are in there. The aroma of this while it's simmering must be very exotic. The tumeric gives this rice pudding the look of it having pumpkin in it. Well, the spices are in there. The aroma of this while it’s simmering must be very exotic.

]]> By: Fouad http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-6372 Fouad Thu, 07 Jan 2010 11:25:23 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-6372 Hi Joumana. Great post! That's a dessert I have never heard of before. I'll hunt it down on my next trip. Great job once again. I loved this post! Hi Joumana. Great post! That’s a dessert I have never heard of before. I’ll hunt it down on my next trip.
Great job once again. I loved this post!

]]> By: Arlette http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-6353 Arlette Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:45:20 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-6353 Marhaba Joumana I tasted the Moufataka once and didnt like it (I was born and raised in Mouseitbeh - West Beirut) I cannot tell if the person who prepared it did it right or wrong... since then never attempt to try it again, did you like the flavour and taste??? seems you are having fun in Beirut, and enjoying the gorgeous weather, and I am covered with a meter of snow here in North Bay... Marhaba Joumana
I tasted the Moufataka once and didnt like it (I was born and raised in Mouseitbeh – West Beirut)
I cannot tell if the person who prepared it did it right or wrong… since then never attempt to try it again,
did you like the flavour and taste???
seems you are having fun in Beirut, and enjoying the gorgeous weather, and I am covered with a meter of snow here in North Bay…

]]> By: dana http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/2010/01/rice-pudding-with-tahini-turmeric-and-pine-nutsmoufataka/comment-page-1/#comment-6352 dana Wed, 06 Jan 2010 04:43:47 +0000 http://www.tasteofbeirut.com/?p=5509#comment-6352 Beautiful documentary work as always. Never heard of this dish before. I dont think Southerners prepare it but it looks very tempting. Thanks for sharing! Beautiful documentary work as always. Never heard of this dish before. I dont think Southerners prepare it but it looks very tempting.

Thanks for sharing!

]]>